Who includes "Digital Negatives"?

I see a lot of photographers that deliver, "Digital Negatives" as part of a client's package. Those that do this, are they truly DNG files? (I've come across a few people that call the JPEG files they distribute, "Digital Negatives" which isn't true).

These files are large and I assume you're also giving out 1 or 2 versions of JPEG equivalents as well. How many DVD's are you typically giving out for say, a 500 photo package?

I don't know what I call them -- just depends on what the client asks for. If they ask for "digital negatives" I tell them that I include them in certain packages. But they are JPEGs.

In all pragmatic rights, they are digital negatives. The client can print from them. I've never once used DNGs for anything of my own. All my prints I've ever printed up for personal reasons have been from JPEGs.

500 JPEGs fit easily on a single DVD. I'm not sure I know what you mean about giving out 1 or 2 versions of JPEG equivalents...

Bobby

I don't think any of my clients would know WHAT to do with a raw (cr2 or DNG) file. If they did, and could load it up in ACR/LR, chances are the photos would end up NOT looking like what I come up with (unless I also give them the XMPs) Chances are they will badmouth me to everyone and complain about the colors being off

People mean jpeg files when they use the phrase "digital negatives" in this context. If you give your customers dng files, which they don't need btw, they'll come back to you and tell you they can't open them. Means they can mess with them more easily too.

I just call them what they are in my contract -
"High Resolution JPG files with a license to print for non-commercial purposes"

egordon99 wrote in post #9330727
I just call them what they are in my contract -
"High Resolution JPG files with a license to print for non-commercial purposes"

Me, too. Everyone's clear and no surprises. I've never been asked for anything else.

tim wrote in post #9330718
People mean jpeg files when they use the phrase "digital negatives" in this context. If you give your customers dng files, which they don't need btw, they'll come back to you and tell you they can't open them. Means they can mess with them more easily too.

Yeah, I know. I just see the phrase, "Digital Negatives" on a lot of web sites and was curious if those people knew that there actually is a file format for this type of file and that it isn't JPEG, And also... if they were living up to the true meaning of the phrase, how they were supplying DNG files because they are huge.

And unlike RAW files, anybody can open a DNG file with Adobe's free converter. That's why the DNG format was created.

Who would want them? Heck if I know.

Fair enough. But it's still completely correct to say digital negative in reference to jpegs. Just because Adobe came up says that DNG stands for digital negatives, that doesn't mean that's the ONLY way you can define "digital negative". In fact, I'd argue that digital negatives (when referred to as "digital negatives" and not "DNG's") are more often being referred to as JPEGs on a disk than DNG's. So at best "digital negatives" can have two meanings -- with the more accepted meaning being JPEGs on a disk

bnlearle wrote in post #9331731
the more accepted meaning being JPEGs on a disk

I think you're right. the DNG format wasn't invented until 2004(?) and I'm sure the term "digital negative" was used way before then.

RT McAllister wrote in post #9331688
And unlike RAW files, anybody can open a DNG file with Adobe's free converter. That's why the DNG format was created.

The DNG converter converts propriety RAW files to DNG, it doesn't let people open them. They'd still need RAW processing software.

tim wrote in post #9331812
The DNG converter converts propriety RAW files to DNG, it doesn't let people open them. They'd still need RAW processing software.

I did not know that. I thought it went both ways.

RT McAllister wrote in post #9332051
I did not know that. I thought it went both ways.

Only in your dreams

On my packages and contracts, I list "Print CD/DVD" or "Photo CD/DVD" with "limited reproduction rights".
I give my clients high res JPEGs and inform them in the contract and package that they will print up to a certain size without quality loss. If they want to print higher than that size they need to order through my site. I never use "digital negatives" in my material because I've seen some people get finicky over understanding what that is and believing that means they have COMPLETE rights to all the images and I cannot use them for my own usage. To save myself from that headache, my keywords dont include the words "digital negative"

I don't mind the term because I give my clients that order a disc the full resolution images. They have private rights to them -- basically don't make money off them and we're cool

It's another one of those buzz word phrases - the current (but fading?) fad in such words. Some stores still sell "digital film." - Stu

RT McAllister wrote in post #9331688
Yeah, I know. I just see the phrase, "Digital Negatives" on a lot of web sites ,,,,,.