Adobe Updates DNG, Adds 14 New Cameras to Camera RAW Plug-in

Adobe Systems Inc., San Jose, Calif., USA, announces its Digital Negative Specification (DNG) -- an industry-wide initiative to create one unified format for archiving RAW digital images -- is continuing to win support from camera manufacturers and software makers.

Ricoh Co. is the latest camera manufacturer to support DNG, with its new GR digital camera. By providing DNG support directly in its products, Ricoh joins camera manufacturers Hasselblad and Leica, along with software manufacturers such as Apple, Extensis, iView and Ulead.

Adobe also announced an update to its DNG Converter. It now gives users additional preference settings for JPEG preview size and the option to run DNG using a command line interface. The updated DNG Converter includes support for the 14 new cameras added to the new Camera Raw 3.2 plug-in, stores larger previews and expands options for storing the original proprietary files within the translated DNG.

In addition, Adobe introduced the Camera RAW 3.2 plug-in that extends long-term archiving capabilities to 14 new camera models, bringing total support to over 80 cameras. With the new plug-in, users can preserve more metadata when saving files in the DNG format. Added support for GPS metadata tags gives photographers the ability to associate images more easily, Adobe says. Additional features include an updated, user-friendly interface for Photoshop Elements 4.0 users and "As Shot" white balance support for Nikon D2X, D2Hs and D50 camera users.

New cameras supported by Adobe Camera Raw 3.2 plug-in and DNG Converter include Konica Minolta Alpha Sweet Digital (Japan), Konica Minolta Alpha-5 Digital (China), Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D (USA), Konica Minolta Dynax 5D (Europe), Leaf Valeo 17, Leaf Aptus 22, Leica D-Lux 2, Nikon D2Hs, Nikon D70s, Nikon D50, Nikon Coolpix 8400, Nikon Coolpix 8800, Panasonic DMC-LX1, and Panasonic DMC-FZ30.

The Adobe DNG Converter and Adobe Camera RAW 3.2 plug-in require Mac OS X 10.2.4 or higher, Microsoft Windows 2000 with Service Pack 3, or Windows XP. The updated Adobe DNG Converter is available as a free download at www.adobe.com/dng. The Adobe Camera Raw 3.2 plug-in also requires Photoshop CS2 or Photoshop Elements 4.0 and can be downloaded for free at Adobe's site.