PEF or DNG ?

Can anybody please help with information about the two raw formats?

What is the best raw format to use with the K10d?
Any benefits of using a specific format (for Photoshop)?

Both formats output at the same quality, if using PS you must update to the latest RAW converter in order for it to read PEF files from a K10D.

DNG is a larger file than the PEF so you get less to a card.

I use DNG format RAW files and don’t have any problems with Photoshop CS2 and ACR 3.7 (Adobe Camera Raw) and Bridge 1.04. From the point of view of post processing I don’t think there is much in it as both contain all the raw information the camera produces (I think) – except that DNG is a more universal format and probably more future proof than PEF. If storage space isn’t a problem you could always shoot in PEF and convert the files to DNG on the PC and keep both.

The latest version of ACR is 4.1 but it only works with Photoshop CS3 (from reading the Adobe forums there appear to be many issues CS3 and Bridge 2 so I will probably either wait for CS3.x or skip this version and wait for CS4) The K10D PEF is supported by ACR 3.7 which was the last version for CS2. You can check on the Adobe website.

DNG and ACR 3.7 Info

Adobe Forum question about ACR and the K10D

I'm using ACR3.7, CS2 and Bridge 2 all works fine except that Bridge crashes from time to time.

I also tried a beta version of Bridge 3 and that also worked with CS2 but had loads of issues. Might try again now that updates are available for Bridge 3

Thanks for the replies.

It seems as if DNG is the better option.
I will set my K10d to DNG and check the influence on storage.

depends on your definition of "better". Personally I prefer PEF, smaller file sizes and consequently faster write times, not to mention they don't clog up my HDD so fast.

The quality is identical.

PEF can be converted to DNG using Adobe Camera Raw stand alone convertor.
PEF is smaller.

So I shoot PEF and get more on the card and HDD

Matt

Rodger Fooks wrote:
I have *istD and PEF takes about 13 MB, and DNG less than half of it: 5-6MB. Use Adobe DNG Converter to spare my HDD.

On the K10D the PEF uses lossless compressed where as the DNG does not. This means 9-12MB for PEF files and 18MB for DNG. Using Adobe's DNG converter you can compress the DNGs to 9-12MB in size matching PEF.

I will refresh topic and ask which format is better with K20D.
Don't know if that helps but I use Elements 8, it reads both DNG and PEF. Feel free to laugh but how shall I understand "more future proof then PEF"?
My PEF's takes around 13MB and DNG 25MB, and quality is same so where is a catch? I checked that PEF saved to JPG is more or less 4-6MB (JPG at max quality) and DNG around 12MB.

With the K20D PEF is better - DNGs are, as you have found out huge with the K20D.
You can always convert the PEFS to DNGs once you have them in the computer.

Thanks for that, but what about that proofing?

I dint understand why DNGs are so large. I shoot in DNG, but then convert into DNG ( again using the adobe DNG convertor and this slashes the size of the DNG. From say 30Mb to 20Mb.

I wonder what it does to PEFs - I'll try it .....

OK shot two identical shots with K-5. ISO200

DNG = 21Mb
PEF = 17Mb

After DNG conversion ....

DNG -> DNG = 17Mb
PEF -> DNG = 15Mb

Hmmmm. I might just shoot in PEF now and convert to DNG in the 'puter now.


I'll try again with a high ISO K-5 pic as these are over 30Mb in DNG Format