DNG Format compatibility

DxO PhotoLab Feature requests
1

I converted pictures, taken with a Phase One camera, into DNG format because Photolab does not open Phase One format “.IIQ”
Neverthelesse I was also unable to open , with Photomab, pictures in DNG format (converted using adobe DNG converter). Is it planned to add the DNG format compatibility to Photolab?

2

DNG is not a true image format. Rather it is a container that can contain many different kinds of information, not just RAW image data

3

DxO is pretty clear about its DNG support:

DNG can be worked on in PL if all of the following applies

  • DxO supported camera
  • Camera native DNG or created by Adobe converters
4

Nevertheless it is a shame that DxO chose not to suport it. It is a container just like TIFF is also a container.

Wikipedia :

TIFF is a flexible, adaptable file format for handling images and data within a single file, by including the header tags (size, definition, image-data arrangement, applied image compression) defining the image’s geometry. A TIFF file, for example, can be a container holding JPEG (lossy) and PackBits (lossless) compressed images. A TIFF file also can include a vector-based clipping path (outlines, croppings, image frames)

Especially for linear DNG files, for which demosaicking is not required, it would be an easy process. DxO already supports a limited number of DNG formats, such as images generated by older Apple iPhones.

5

You can vote for your suggestion. In the meanwhile, convert to TIFF rather than DNG.

6

Although both TIFF and DNG are technically “containers,” they differ fundamentally in their intended use and structure:

  • TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a general-purpose image container format. It can store image data that has already been processed, including various forms of compression (lossy or lossless), and additional metadata. A TIFF container can even embed other images, vector paths, and non-image data. However, TIFF images are typically already “baked,” meaning they’ve undergone demosaicking, color processing, and other adjustments.
  • DNG (Digital Negative), in contrast, is explicitly designed to be a standardized container for raw sensor data. Unlike TIFF, DNG typically contains raw, unprocessed image data directly from a camera sensor, along with extensive metadata required for interpreting that data. Even linear DNG files, though partially processed (having undergone demosaicking), still preserve sensor-specific metadata and color information intended for further image processing.

Key difference summarized:

  • TIFF is primarily intended for storing processed images ready for viewing or printing.
  • DNG is specifically designed to store raw (or minimally processed) sensor data with metadata to support further image processing and color interpretation workflows.

Thus, while TIFF and DNG share the concept of a “container,” their underlying structures, data types, and intended workflows are fundamentally different. DxO’s lack of support is not about TIFF and DNG being “just containers,” but about DNG’s specific metadata requirements and the processing workflow tailored to raw image data.

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7

Agreed, support for DNG and TIF file formats has nothing to do with the fact that a format is a container or not.

It is a commercial choice made by DxO, as they already support native DNG files from some cameras, and linear DNGs made from supported cameras, using Photolab, Pure RAW, or third party tools…