Keep your eyes peeled for more info about HD Photo ...we might not be shooting RAW or Jpeg anymore!

Ooooo... the plot thickens....

I don't think I'd trust Microsoft to design a file format that works well on all platforms. I'm more interested in DNG.

Jeeze are you kidding me....I just got comfortable with RAW.
Heres an idea...lets all go back to film. In the end, it will cost less and not freak us out everytime new technology develops (like every two weeks).

There is a long term concern in the industry regarding propietery (sp?) like Canon cr2 and Nikon nef files. If these file formats are not readable in 10 years with whatever software we'll be using at that time, all of our backups will be useless.

Until there is some agreement in the industry regarding formats that will be supported in the future, I'll be saving everything as JPEGS for archival purposes.

I'm looking forward to see where things go with HD photo.

Sean

sounds like a gimic.

Yeah, I'm up there with the DNG advocates...

Smacks of gimmick to me, too, with the recent obsession with HD everything.

When I get served an HD hamburger at the grill tomorrow, I might finally throw something.

After being fairly new to the DNG platform/file I'm staying put. Swanage was right.... I won't go back.

I've always had problems with the different file formats Microsoft has invented. 99% of the Mac vs PC issues of a decade ago were caused by MS proprietary software and licensing.

I'd much rather see Apple come up with something. More photographers use macs, dontchathink?

Eric

I second that except for the Apple thing.

Microsoft is notorious for co-opting an open standard, adding its own proprietary twist, and then only really supporting the M$ version in its programs. See the OpenXML-MSXML thing going on right now for an example of this in action. They did it with Java as well.

I was with with Liana & others on this until I read this article on OpenRAW.com. Apparently DNG isn't the best long-term idea yet, but it could be...

My wife's IT department (me) has decided to store most client images in JPG format, leaving only the artsy and stock stuff to be converted to something...

Time to get to work I guess.

You know, it's funny. Based on my perspective, all the computer problems are Microsoft related. I've used Macs for Decades. To me there really isn't any other computer.

It's always funny to me how most computer-related threads deteriorate into a Mac vs PC debate. One being "better" than the other is a matter of personal preference and experience. The competition can only mean good things for the consumer so long as we all realize that computers are simply tools to get stuff done.

This new offering from MS is just as viable a solution as others out there IF we all keep open minds.

I don't know how much it really has to do with us keeping open minds. The worst thing that could happen is we adopt a format driven by a company that is in the business of selling software through a forced "upgrade" model. While this "HD" format has a chance to be better than current offerings, I just have to point out Micro$oft's track record and conjure up the "Fool me once..." parable.

Generally I don't trust any company, but I would trust Adobe more than M$ because Adobe still has to answer to design professionals. M$ answers to noone, except perhaps Hollywood studios.

I also think the idea of OS-based RAW converters is a bad idea as well. Apple currently rolls new RAW format code into OS updates...

And for the record, I attempted to keep my responses on-topic.
--

Disclaimer: Microsoft is a major reason I'm employed. I use PCs at work, Macs at home, and MS software on both every day. I sometimes code in VBA and have been called "The Excel Wizard".

I shoud have said that it is a viable OPTION as a solution. I stand corrected. While I agree that MS takes the "let's throw a bunch of stuff onto a wall and see what sticks" attitude toward software, it doesn't mean that they DON'T turn out good products here and there.

think about it though, the resoulution of our iamges is already far superior to any HD product out there. So I don't really see an image from my d2x going HD. it is just such a buzz word that will grab all of those consumers who by the HP point and shoot digital cameras.

Exactly. And I'm sure they plan this to deter those poor fools from buying anything but a Windows Vista computer because it's the only thing on the market that will suport that new "HD" camera they just purchased.


If there is a newer and better way to store images, I'd expect something out of the open source world about it.

microsoft is such a freaking joke. they just keep digging their hole bigger and bigger. i'll happily assist them, of course lol

It'd be nice but it's a tad too complex to do in camera atm... well in most consumer DSLR's that is, most processing goes into noise reduction. Why can't everyone just use DNG's for their raw files.

And thankfully there are programs like DCRaw and UFRaw that will be able to handle cr2's, nef's and all those odd RAW's (i'm thinking of Panasonic and Leica with that) for eternity as they're open source and as long as someone uses it it'll be there.

I'm personally a fan of PNG, but if the HDPhoto format is cross platform enough and an open standard... hey.. who knows, i might even use it, though lossless 24bit png is currently my archive format of choice.

HD is the X of the early 21st century. Remember when everything was marketed as extreme and x? lol Now, there's hdtv, hd radio, hd photo, and like Sara said, I wouldn't be surprised if we got some HD burgers. The taste is so real, you'll swear you're eating an actual burger!

Another DNG advocate here. If I were to bet on Microsoft vs Adobe when it comes to imaging, I'd bet on Adobe. But who knows maybe Microsoft will buy them too and then will all be in trouble.

Remember when JPEG-2000 was going to be the next big thing? What ever happened to that. Oh wait it's 2007 not 2000!