NEF vs DNG

[Horoscope Fish]

Re: RAW or DNG

So...if I elect to turn off the DNG conversion during Lightroom import and go back to NEF, how do I do it? I've looked online for help and haven't found a definitive answer. Unless I'm missing something, I don't see any other option in the LR preferences menu. Please advise. Thanks!

I'm not understanding what you're asking... If you don't want to convert to DNG disable the conversion option in LR.

Once you've converted a RAW/NEF file to DNG though, you can't reverse the process; it's a DNG forever once converted.
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[T-Man]

Re: RAW or DNG

I'm not understanding what you're asking... If you don't want to convert to DNG disable the conversion option in LR.
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Yep, that's what I'm asking. How do I disable the conversion option in LR? In the menu (Lightroom>Preferences>File Handling), it ONLY gives me the DNG option. I see nowhere where I can select "disable DNG" or select any other file option besides DNG. It gives me exactly 2 options... "dng" and "DNG" (all undercase or all caps). That's it. No disable option I can select that I can find anywhere. Where is the disable selection located?

 

[T-Man]

In fact, I'm not even certain I ever selected DNG conversion in the first place, and I didn't know any better until I read this thread. If I did select it, I don't recall doing so and I selected it unwittingly. I'm not totally sold on the fact that I shouldn't just continue with DNG, but I'd like to know I have the option of returning to NEF and how to do it should I become convinced that's the better option.

 

[Horoscope Fish]

Re: RAW or DNG

Yep, that's what I'm asking. How do I disable the conversion option in LR? In the menu (Lightroom>Preferences>File Handling), it ONLY gives me the DNG option. I see nowhere where I can select "disable DNG" or select any other file option besides DNG. It gives me exactly 2 options... "dng" and "DNG" (all undercase or all caps). That's it. No disable option I can select that I can find anywhere. Where is the disable selection located?

I'm a little sketchy with LR (I use PS) so bear with me... You're saying LR is automatically CONVERTING your RAW files to DNG on import? Not just making a DNG copy but automatically converting on import, all your RAW files to DNG? And you didn't do anything yourself to enable that option?

EDIT: We cross posted it seems...

Okay, that's just weird if you ask me. I've never heard of LR doing this, but as I said I'm primarily a PS user... I'm going to back out of the conversation and hopefully an experienced LR user here can help you out. I'm out of my depth at this point.
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[J-see]

I'm using 5.7 as a reference here but when I want to import, I have 4 options:

Copy as DNG
Copy
Move
Add

Only the first converts to DNG.

 

[T-Man]

Re: RAW or DNG

I'm a little sketchy with LR (I use PS) so bear with me... You're saying LR is automatically CONVERTING your RAW files to DNG on import? Not just making a DNG copy but automatically converting on import, all your RAW files to DNG? And you didn't do anything yourself to enable that option?


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Correct.

I'm not saying I didn't select that option, but if I did, I don't remember ever doing so or why I did, so it must have been accidental somehow. ALL of my RAW files have been DNG upon import into LR and have been from the very beginning of my LR use. I see no way of turning that off in any menu option. After reading this thread, it made me doubt whether I was making the right decision or not, so I looked online for assistance on how to turn off the DNG conversion. I have thus far not found anything telling me how to do it.

 

[Horoscope Fish]

I'm using 5.7 as a reference here but when I want to import, I have 4 options:

Copy as DNG
Copy
Move
Add

Only the first converts to DNG.

Soooo, "Copy to DNG" really means "Convert to DNG"?! Because to my way of thinking, making a COPY means my original remains unchanged...
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[J-see]

Re: RAW or DNG

Correct.

I'm not saying I didn't select that option, but if I did, I don't remember ever doing so or why I did, so it must have been accidental somehow. ALL of my RAW files have been DNG upon import into LR and have been from the very beginning of my LR use. I see no way of turning that off in any menu option. After reading this thread, it made me doubt whether I was making the right decision or not, so I looked online for assistance on how to turn off the DNG conversion. I have thus far not found anything telling me how to do it.

Import module, top middle of the screen:

Use either copy, move or add instead of copy as DNG.

 

[J-see]

Soooo, "Copy to DNG" really means "Convert to DNG"?! Because to my way of thinking, making a COPY means my original remains unchanged...
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Yeah, if I use the others, it just handles them as NEF. Using "Copy as DNG", it converts the NEF to DNG and copies that into the catalog. The NEF remains as is in his original folder.

 

[T-Man]

I'm using 5.7 as a reference here but when I want to import, I have 4 options:

Copy as DNG
Copy
Move
Add

Only the first converts to DNG.

Thanks. I'm at work, so I don't have my computer with LR in front of me at the moment. I'll take a look at that when I get a chance. Not sure where those options are off the top of my head. If I did see those options somewhere, I guess I didn't associate Copy/Move/Add with importing, but instead things you do after import. So, I would just select "Copy" then?

I appreciate the input.

 

[Horoscope Fish]

Yeah, if I use the others, it just handles them as NEF. Using "Copy as DNG", it converts the NEF to DNG and copies that into the catalog. The NEF remains as is in his original folder.

Good to know. Maybe it's just me but that seems like a very poor way to name that particular option. I can certainly see how it would confuse someone.

 

[J-see]

Thanks. I'm at work, so I don't have my computer with LR in front of me at the moment. I'll take a look at that when I get a chance. Not sure where those options are off the top of my head. If I did see those options somewhere, I guess I didn't associate Copy/Move/Add with importing, but instead things you do after import. So, I would just select "Copy" then?

I appreciate the input.

It took me a bit to realize those were options when I started using LR. It more looks like a module description at first.

If you use "copy as DNG" you have to back up the NEFs yourself if you want to keep them. If you use copy, it makes a copy of them in your designated folder, move moves them there and add just adds them to the catalog but they remain in their current folder.

 

[T-Man]

Hmmm... maybe I'm dense (and I don't discount that very real possibility), but I think I'm more confused now that when I entered this discussion! I guess this is one of those situations where ignorance is/was bliss.

I sure wish software developers would do a better job of wording their menu option descriptions and place functions in more intuitive locations. I'm sure I too saw those labels and like you, thought they were just module descriptions rather than selectable options.

Still, those sound like things you do AFTER import, and by that point, my imported files are already DNG format. Copying, moving, and adding sounds to me like things you do when you already have the files within the program. Not very intuitive labels I'd say.

But, I plan to experiment with this stuff this evening when I get home.

Thanks again for the input!

 

[J-see]

Still, those sound like things you do AFTER import, and by that point, my imported files are already DNG format. Copying, moving, and adding sounds to me like things you do when you already have the files within the program. Not very intuitive labels I'd say.

It's not very intuitive but those are options you have to set before you actually hit the import button. The import module is pre-import; you define which files you want and what has to be done with them. Then you actually import them.

 

[T-Man]

I'll give your suggestions a try tonight or tomorrow morning and will reply back with my findings, J-see. Thanks for your help!

 

[J-see]

I'll give your suggestions a try tonight or tomorrow morning and will reply back with my findings, J-see. Thanks for your help!

If you haven't already, create a preset that applies the cam and lens profile and eventually every other change you apply by definition during processing. You can enable that in the import module so it is automatically applied to all your shots during import. It's a time saver.

 

[T-Man]

Follow-up:
I selected "Copy" on the LR middle pane header before import as you described and my files remained NEF format after import. Thanks for cluing me in to that, J-see. Again, I thought those were just labels, not selectable options.

As suggested, I do already use an import preset that includes lens profile corrections, CA removal, and very basic tweaks that I make to most photos anyway.

I appreciate your help!