[Digikam-users] DNG on Linux/Digikam.

[Mark Hayes (Hotmail)]

Dear all,

Whilst my jury is still out on whether I want to use DNG, I'd like to ask some questions about the maturity of DNG on Linux.  I know that the DNG converter is part of Kipi plug-ins but I believe that it was written by Gilles.

So my question is about the embedded jpg files that come with (or can be inserted into) DNG files.  I seem to remember from Krogh's book on Digital Asset Management (The DAM book), he talks at length about the ability to use PIE-ware (Parametric Image Editing Software) to 'touch up' a DNG file, and have the resulting adjusted JPG embedded back into the DNG file as an additional JPG, and to even update the DNG file so that it shows the changed JPG as the thumbnail for the DNG.

Example:  I take a picture that I know will end up as a B&W landscape - because that's the way I 'see' it when I take it.  I convert to DNG, edit it, touch up any problems, convert to B&W, and write back a new JPG of the resulting (originally intended) image.  When I look through my DNG's, I want to see my image - not the original colour version.

Is this sort of thing possible in Linux?  Can this be achieved in Digikam?  What is the current state of play in terms of DNG on Linux?

Many thanks,

Mark.

P.S.  I know DNG is a hot topic.  Please don't flame me for it - I'm just asking to get a better idea of systems and processes that I might be able to use for my workflow and archiving.  Will follow up with another e-mail for more general DNG discussion (where you are more than welcome to flame me!  :-) ).  Thanks.