Capture One V4, DNGs and CornerFix

[sandymc]

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For those interested in the technical end of things, I took a look at the way that Capture One V4 handles DNGs. V4 can output DNGs - a close look at those files shows that the DNGs are:

 

a) 16-bit uncompressed

 

Have full EXIF data, but not Makernote data

 

c) Are fairly minimalistic as regards DNG tags. Notably, Capture One V4 doesn't write either white level or black level tags, leaving the reading program to use defaults. This is legal - the DNG spec explicitly defines defaults (zero for black level, and 65535 for 16-bit data).

 

The implications are that while software that implements the full DNG spec will read these files, e.g., software from Adobe, not all programs will. Specifically, current versions of Aperture will not read 16-bit data (as we know from the DMR). Interestingly, Aperture imports a Capture One V4 written DNG without complaint, but blows the highlights, exactly as it does if it has Eoin's hacked plist, but is fed non-DMR2M8 processed DMR files.

 

The good news here is however that the format that Capture One writes its DNGs, and CornerFix's "Capture One Compatibility Mode" file format is essentially identical. As a result, its likely that CornerFix's Capture One V4 compatibility will be robust; its unlikely that Capture One will break their ability to read files it writes itself. BTW, CornerFix itself will read Capture One V4 DNGs, although it will warn about an "Unknown Camera"

 

Sandy

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