DNG+JPG

[Jeff Wagner]

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Apologies if this has been answered, I could not find it in search. Prior to a recent trip, I left the factory setting DNG+JPG on for file format, not sure of the intent of the choice. Now the question upon returning home is do I import both into LR or only one or the other?

[Leica Guy]

It depends on if you have a use for the jpeg’s. Usually that’s a path to little or no post processing. You could import them for quick sending to someone. For me, I mostly import the DNG’s because I expect to process every photo I want to use. Could be for printing, posting, emailing. Maybe overkill for email. Regardless, I like the increased dynamic range of the DNG’s and I expect to post process all of them. 

[jaapv]

Why throw them away? Storage is cheap and they can be of use.

[peterm1_Leica]

Needless to say none of the following  is a problem with DNG files which are as ubiquitous as jpgs. 

In some cases I shoot JPG and RAW but it is mainly because I have fallen into the habit of transferring my camera image files to my PC using an older piece of software - Nikon Transfer (which is no longer supported by Nikon) which does not support newer RAW file types. I have a similar issue with my PC which is stuck at Windows 8 (it refused to update to 8.1 - don't ask) and given this I cannot download the codecs for newer RAW file types which means they cannot be viewed onscreen under Windows. So instead I use the accompanying JPG files for that purpose.  Once loaded into Lightroom however, all is good as it has support for the RAW files I need. I can then if I wish delete all of the JPG images as I no longer need them, but in practice I tend to keep them in case I need to view them in Windows. I suppose I could just change my file transfer arrangements but the Nikon software  has mostly worked for me so I have stuck with it. It has only recently become onerous as I have updated cameras. One option I am considering trying is to import files to my PC (and simultaneously into Lightroom) using Lightroom while simultaneously also converting them to DNG (an option Lightroom provides). This would allow me to get rid of jpg images altogether. 

 

[PhotoCruiser]

If you use JPG and DN you can download the JPG to your phone/tablet and see them there for a quick control.
When i bought the Q2 it happend to me that i downloaded test photos of a family trip to Lake Constance to the Phone but then later canvelled the DNG.

I always use JPG + DNG and save both to my computer as i lost over the years photos because of bad sectors or other HD related problems

Chris

 

[caigy]

I shoot DNG + JPEG, but I only import the DNGs into Lightroom.  These are the files with the most information and are more manipulable than the JPEGs, so why process the JPEGs?

I process the DNGs in LR (and sometimes additionally in Photoshop), add a letter to the file name (e.g. L1080747a) to distinguish from the original, and export as JPEG.  That way, I still have the original JPEG (L1080747) and I now have the processed JPEG (with the added letter) side by side.     If I process multiple versions of the DNG file in LR (different preset, or black and white), I will name them subsequent letters (b, c, d, etc.) and they all line up in my hard drive folder in order next to the original JPEG.  For me, the original JPEGs are really only a reference to see if I want to process the DNG, not for any other use.  But as Jaap says, storage is cheap, so I save everything.

By the way, separate discussion but: because I use both Leica Q and Leica CL, I add a letter to the BEGINNING of the file name to be able to distinguish which camera I used (without having to check metadata).  So, the above Q file is actually named Q-L1080747 and my CL files are named CL1080xxx.   There is an easy program for batch renaming called Advanced Renamer.  Works like a charm!  I rename before importing into Lightroom.

[jaapv]

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But why do you shoot DNG+JPG then? Have you set your LCD to B&W?

[caigy]

On 11/28/2019 at 11:51 AM, jaapv said:

But why do you shoot DNG+JPG then? Have you set your LCD to B&W?

I shoot DNG + JPG because sometimes I want to quickly upload a photo (though unprocessed) to social media, or email a photo to someone (and therefore need to download a photo from the camera to my phone via wifi).  You need JPG for either of those needs.   

I don't shoot a lot of black and white, but when I do I usually do set my JPG setting to black and white so that I see black and white on my LCD and can review the photos in camera to see if I'm getting the black and white tonality I want.  In that case of course my DNGs are in color but my JPGs are in B&W.  

The problem with that is that in only importing the DNGs to Lightroom, they all open in color as soon as you click on them.  The solution to that, though an annoyance, is to convert them all to the Embedded B&W option in LR so that I can process them in black and white.  So, an extra step to work with the DNGs in black and white in LR.

I do wish Leica had in-camera processing as an option, so that it would be possible to quickly process a DNG without immediate access to a laptop or iPad. 

[jaapv]

Umm.. You'll need  to turn to Zeiss for that option. Not that it is very successful.

[Viv]

7 hours ago, jaapv said:

Umm.. You'll need  to turn to Zeiss for that option. Not that it is very successful.

I would not like to process DNGs on a small screen. But then, some people watch movies on their mobile phones so what do I know?

That Zeiss camera has not yet been introduced to the market. Personally, I would not buy it.

[jaapv]

It is even questionable whether it ever will, at least in this form. I think Leica has the better idea, even if the implementation is still lacking: integrate camera and tablet/(large) phone and let each part of the system do what it does best.