Using the DNG converter for 7D files...

Out of curiosity for those who don't want to/ can't afford to upgrade to CS5 or LR3 but shoot raw, what do you do with all the doubled amounts of files? Do you delete the CR2 file once you have created the DNG files? Do you keep both? I'm finding that it clutters things up really fast, not to mention uselessly eating up hard drive space (yes I know the, "Storage is cheap" line, but why have all these duplicates if it isn't necessary). I guess my question, is, is there a need to keep both the CR2 and DNG files? Thoughts?

You answered your own question; storage is cheap.

Do you have a compelling reason to convert to DNG?

I would advise anyone to keep both versions since that offers the most flexibility.
There have been at least two occasions in the past when the DNG Converter was faulty; if you converted then disposed of the CR2 files then you'd be literally up a creek without a paddle. This is not likely to occur now that Adobe does public betas and release candidates but why take the risk?

Nope; I don't think I answered my own question. I know storage is "cheap". My question was whether or not keeping both the CR2 file and DNG file is necessary/practical.

I have to convert to DNG so that I can work on the image in Photoshop CS3. It will not recognize the CR2 files from my 7D.

"I would advise anyone to keep both versions since that offers the most flexibility."

Most image editing software cannot open/edit DNG files so you'd be locking yourself into one software if you dispose of the CR2 files.

dan.k78 wrote in post #11311676
Nope; I don't think I answered my own question. I know storage is "cheap". My question was whether or not keeping both the CR2 file and DNG file is necessary/practical.

I have to convert to DNG so that I can work on the image in Photoshop CS3. It will not recognize the CR2 files from my 7D.

PixelMagic wrote in post #11311693
"I would advise anyone to keep both versions since that offers the most flexibility."

Most image editing software cannot open/edit DNG files so you'd be locking yourself into one software if you dispose of the CR2 files.

Good point.

As long as you're using Photoshop for editing, I don't see any point in saving the CR2 files. I would just keep the DNGs.

At the very least, keep the CR2 files as backups for the DNG and what better backup to have then the original CR2 files.

I think I would keep a backup copy of the CR2 files, yeah I know it's even more then double and it can be a lot depending on how far back you go. I have over 20 years of shooting digitized and a lot of hard drives to go with it. Even though they are digitized I still keep the original files ( film negatives ).

Oh and I learned some time ago, do not trust burning to CD's and DVD's for backing up unless you also keep the drive used to burn them. Some disks burned years ago, may not be readable on a new drive.

I once lost a lot of work when a hard drive bit the dust years ago, I was lucky to have a backup of that drive.

Individual choice. I keep DNG and finished jpgs only. Storage may be 'cheap' but this approach gets tricky if you start to back up as well - then you end up with four RAW copies of everything unless you keep the DNG and CR2's separate.

Let's get real here as well (for amateurs like me at least) - you can't take it with you and most of us would probably be better off doing more selecting and less copying/backing up - what will our widows/children/grandc​hildren do with 20TB (or whatever) of RAW and DNG files anyway when we're dead or in a nursing home? A well indexed, "crap removed" set of our best pictures would probably be a lot more appreciated anyway - and even then it'll likely be the people and family events stuff that is of interest, not our sunsets or bee macros or other artistic efforts.

I use DPP for my initial conversion and transfer it to CS2 to finish or do any extensive PP that may be required (I do a lot of conversion to B&W). I've tried the DNG route in the past but am quite happy to go from DPP to PS.

I keep the original RAW file and before flattening the image in PS I save a PSD file. This way I can go back to the PSD file for different crops, print sizes, etc. I back up the CR2, PSD, and in some cases the final jpeg depending on what it was used for.

I use a G10 and a 50D, always shoot in RAW, and ACR in CS2 won't recognize either camera's CR2. I originally purchased CS2 to work on Fuji and 30D raw files.

youd want to keep the cr2 as they improve the convert algorithm you might wanna revisit your old pics and redo the conversion...i know the reality of this happening is slim specially if youre a lazy mofo but the flexibility for me is better....i used to convert all cr2s to dngs now im more picky hehe.

ccp900 wrote in post #11319232
youd want to keep the cr2 as they improve the convert algorithm you might wanna revisit your old pics and redo the conversion...i know the reality of this happening is slim specially if youre a lazy mofo but the flexibility for me is better....i used to convert all cr2s to dngs now im more picky hehe.

I don't really see how this could result in significant advances in quality when we are talking DNG vs CR2 (and not CR2 vs jpg or TIFF etc.). AFAIK there isn't a loss of information in that conversion. When Adobe re-did the "process" when LR3 and corresponding ACR versions came out you could re-process old DNG's for a major improvement in noise and sharpening. I suppose if there is a significant advance in future DPP or other software that didn't support DNG it is possible. I am willing to take that risk.

I'm really curious about something....what is the rationale for converting to DNG if you have a current version of Lightroom or Photoshop?

And before anyone asks, I've used an entirely DNG workflow since the format was introduced in September 2004. But I'm also acutely aware of previous problems with ACR/DNG converters: ACR 4.3, ACR 4.4, Lightroom 1.3, and Lightroom 1.4 were all withdrawn from public release after serious flaws were discovered. Just imagine what could have happened if you used either of those flawed converters then deleted your CR2 files.

My main rationale for DNG is storage of the conversion info within the files and not in sidecars for those who use Lightroom (or ACR). It is also an open standard though i seriously doubt that CR2's would ever be impossible to read either.

Were any of those prior DNG problems ever associated with subsequently unreadable files?

You don't have to use sidecare xmp files in lightroom or Photoshop. You can change that behavior in your preferences.

canonphotog wrote in post #11320926
You don't have to use sidecare xmp files in lightroom or Photoshop. You can change that behavior in your preferences.

Pretty sure you do unless a) using DNG and saving the settings and metadats to DNG files or b) You wish to only keep that info in the main catalog but then run risk of catalog and image files being separated in the future. Adobe can't write info into the CR2 files itself (unlike DPP).