What is Digital Negative (DNG) Format ?

In an attempt to standardize a format for all RAW images, Adobe has created the Digital Negative (DNG) format. Unfortunately, many camera manufacturers have not yet embraced this file format as Adobe had hoped they would. However, you can download and use Adobe’s free Digital Negative Converter software, which allows you to convert RAW images into the more universal DNG format. The DNG Converter is available at www.adobe.com/products/dng.

Also new to CS3 is the Adobe Photo Downloader application, which allows you to convert images to the DNG format upon import. In the Bridge Preferences General panel there is a preference that, when enabled, tells Bridge to automatically launch the Photo Downloader application whenever a camera is connected to the computer. If you expect to be importing a lot of RAW files directly from a camera and would like to convert them all to DNG, you should enable this preference.