How to save RAW (DNG) compressed files?

[Michael Perham]

When I process my RAW images, I start off with a 16MB plus file and when I save this after processing the RAW capture it is reduced to about half that size. However, when I then click the open button and edit the image in the editor, and save as a version set, it is saved to the original 16 mb file, not the saved compressed version.

Is there some way that when I click on the open button I open and save the edited PSD file with the compressed DNG file. That way I can delete the other non-compressed DNG and save the disk space.

Any thoughts on the workflow also would be appreciated.

Thanks! Mike.

[Codebreaker]

Michael....

I'm just a little confused about what you are seeing and trying to do.

When you Edit a RAW file you do not make any changes to that file so the file size will not change. All the changes are kept in a seperate database which associates the changes made in ACR with the original RAW file.

When you mention starting with a 16Mbyte RAW file, where is that file coming from - its a large file to start with, do you have a 16Mpixel camera?

After you process the RAW file in ACR and assuming you click on Open then that takes you to the Editor. Once you save the image here its actual file size will depend on what edits you make and what format you save it as. JPEG files will be smaller but don't contain layers. PSD format files will be larger. The Editor does not save anything to the RAW file.

If when using the ACR you clicked on Save then this will save the RAW image as a new DNG format file, which is really just another version of RAW but to an open standard. Its file size can be smaller but depends on the options you choose.

Once you have a DNG file or a PSD file the choice is yours if you wish to delete the original RAW but I would advice keeping either the RAW or DNG as it's your original 'digital negative' so to speak.

Colin

[Michael Perham]

[QUOTE=Codebreaker;195636]Michael....

I'm just a little confused about what you are seeing and trying to do.

When you Edit a RAW file you do not make any changes to that file so the file size will not change. All the changes are kept in a seperate database which associates the changes made in ACR with the original RAW file.

REPLY:
My 10 megapixal camera can shoot RAW in both the propriety PEF format or diretly in DNG. Neither is compressed and end up as aproximatly 16mb. I shoot in DNG and when I download these I do so directly into the organizer and tag them immediatly.

I then open them in the editor and of course they open in ACR. I save the file and rename them and check the lossless compression that gives me a new file at about 8mb size. I then click the open button but it is the 16mb file, as named by my camera, not the renamed compressed DNG file that opens in the editor. So when I save in a version set, it is the original 16mb file, not the renamed compressed 8mb file that is saved with my PDF file in a version set.

What I want is to save the compressed file in the version set with the edited PSD file so I don't use up as much disk space. For instance, that one image has the orignal 16mb file, the renamed 8 mb file and the PDF file that is (lets say) 50 mb.

I suppose I could load the orignal raw files into a temporary folder and complete the post processing of the RAW files and only import the renamed compressed RAW files into the organizer where I can tag them and then proceed to the editor where I would then save this in a version set. However I was hoping there was a less convoluted way of doing this.

...Thanks, Mike.

[Codebreaker]

Mike....

I think I see what you are getting at now - when you make your Save in ACR this creates a DNG file but the original RAW file is still in ACR so that when you click Open its this one that gets used.

Why is it that you make the save in ACR first? Why not just go to Open because all changes are saved to the Raw database anyway?

For sure, you'll get the 16MB Raw + 50MB Process but you're only going to save 12% of the total if you have 8MB + 50MB Processed and you have to go through the process of deleting the original Raw.

Colin

[Michael Perham]

Thanks Colin:

The reason I saved the file before opening in the editor was to try and get a file with a descriptive name and to cut the file size in half. Anyway, think I will use your suggestion and just open the file in editor after I have completed my adjustments in ACR.

Thanks, Mike.