Definition: DNG image format

(Digital NeGative image format) A digital camera file format from Adobe introduced in 2004 to provide a standard for unprocessed RAW images. DNG is an extension to the TIFF 6.0 format and is compatible with TIFF-EP. Although various cameras can natively store DNG images, most cannot; however, Adobe provides software that converts many RAW formats to DNG.

DNG Advantages
The DNG format provides a standard that not only Adobe but other graphics programs increasingly support, and DNG files are typically smaller than other RAW formats. DNG also supports a lossless compression option to save storage space. Adobe's DNG Converter utility can convert many popular RAW formats into DNG, and in complete contrast to saving space, can embed the RAW file within the DNG format if the original is required.

In addition, DNG supports a checksum that enables software to immediately recognize a corrupted file, and it holds metadata in the EXIF, TIFF-EP, IPTC and XMP formats, which might otherwise be in a separate file. See RAW image format, CinemaDNG, EXIF, TIFF-EP, IPTC IIM and XMP.

DNG File Sizes

Photos taken in this OnePlus One Cyanogen/Android smartphone created JPEG and DNG files at the same time. Notice the file sizes between uncompressed sensor data and JPEG.