In another discussion recently, Eric Chan mentioned that LR could handle 32 bit TIFF
and DNG files. The DNG mention piqued my curiosity. I followed up and asked Eric how 32 bit DNGs could be created because it wasn't an option when saving out a 32 bit file in PS (or PM). I don't believe Eric had responded. But it's true.
Adobe has announced a new DNG spec and 32 bit floating point is part of it. So I'm still curious how 32 bit DNGs can be created. Thoughts? 32 bit TIFF files are huge in size compared to EXR or HDR files. If 32 bit DNGs are smaller and closer in size to other 32 bit file formats, it may make LR a truly viable option for tonemapping those images.
But another little trick that is part of the spec is a crop undo. Some cameras offer crops that aren't in the native aspect ratio of the sensor. For example, the D800 offers a 4:5 in addition to the native 3:2. As part of the new DNG 1.4 spec, Adobe has given users the ability to recover that crop and get back the entire sensor with a new
LR plugin.
Hi Bob,
Speculation from my side but perhaps a future LR version will be able to merge HDR to the new DNG format?
It also seems the new DNG version can handle 16-bit floating point. Hopefully the "Merge to 32-bit HDR Plug-in for Lightroom" also will handle this format. It save a TIFF file with 16-bit floating point but without compression:
"Floating Point (HDR)
HDR images have a high dynamic range that will not fit into a 16-bit linear integer encoding. Floating point storage of information allows for a larger amount of dynamic range to be stored within a file:
16-bit integer data can only store 16 f-stops of image detail.
16-bit floating point data can store over 30 f-stops of image detail.
32-bit floating point data can store hundreds of f-stops of image detail."
