The Digital Negative (DNG) format is a non-proprietary, publicly documented, and widely supported format for storing raw camera data. Hardware and software developers use DNG because it results in a flexible workflow for processing and archiving camera raw data. You may also use DNG as an intermediate format for storing images that were originally captured using a proprietary camera raw format.

Because DNG metadata is publicly documented, software readers such as Camera Raw do not need camera-specific knowledge to decode and process files created by a camera that supports DNG. If support for a proprietary format is discontinued, users may not be able to access images stored in that format, and the images may be lost forever. Because DNG is publicly documented, it is far more likely that raw images stored as DNG files will be readable by software in the distant future, making DNG a safer choice for archival storage.

DNG is an extension of the TIFF 6.0 format and is compatible with the TIFF‑EP standard. It is possible (but not required) for a DNG file to simultaneously comply with both the Digital Negative specification and the TIFF‑EP standard.

Metadata for adjustments made to images stored as DNG files can be embedded in the DNG file itself instead of in a sidecar XMP file or in the Camera Raw database.

You can convert camera raw files to the DNG format using the Adobe DNG Converter. For more information on the DNG format and DNG Converter, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_ps_dng.