RAW files advice please

[DigiDiva]

I have started to shoot in just RAW (used to do RAW +JPEG) and I'm trying to be more professional and organised with my storage. I use an old MAC Pro with an ancient processor and can't upload any new software. I use Adobe DNG to convert my images from RAW to DNG, as the MAC won't read the RAW files. I then use Adobe camera RAW to view and edit my DNG images before opening 'normal' photoshop (only CS3).

Each of the images I keep are in their own separate folder, which contains the RAW image (CR2), the DNG image, a PSD image and the final JPEG image once its edited. What I need to know is, do I need to keep the original CR2 images once they are converted, or is the same info contained in the DNG file as the RAW file?

[postcardcv]

As I understand it the DNG will contain all info that the CR2 does and is just as useable a file type. You must be using up a lot of hard drive space saving four copies of each photo. I only keep my raw files on my PC. I use Lightroom for editing my RAWs and it saves a sidecar file with any editing that I have done. That way I can go back to the raw and either tweak my editing or output jpgs or tiffs as needed.

[DigiDiva]

So do you think I can just dump the CR2 files and keep the DNG's?

[postcardcv]

Originally Posted by DigiDiva

So do you think I can just dump the CR2 files and keep the DNG's?

I would think so, although the CR2 files are much smaller so it might be worth keepin them and ditching the DNGs once you have generatd the PSDs. You can always o back and generate new DNGs if you ever need them again.