DNG and RAW files

For years I first convert my RAW files to DNG and then import the DNG files into Lightroom for processing. I've always kept both the RAW and DNG files but my external hard drive is filling up and I'm considering deleting the RAW files to save space. Can anyone give me a reason to keep the RAW files? Over 10 years or so I can't remember a single occasion when restoring from a RAW file was necessary.

The only reason is the need or option of processing original raws in software that doesn’t support DNG.,

Why not get another external drive to store the RAW files ? Or else set the camera (if it supports this) to write DNG files to the media card (s) ?

I'd do what Tony suggests. You can get a brand-name 1 TB external drive for about US$50.

 

Looking forward: having read several times about the pros and cons of DNG files, I decided that as long as I was shooting with a common camera, there was no reason to convert to DNG. I shoot mostly Canon, and every raw converter can read Canon raw files, while some programs can't read DNG. Adobe says that DNG is archival, but I don't think it's any more likely that CR2 files will become unreadable as tech changes than that DNG files will. And if that ever seems to be a possibility, I can batch convert at the time.

DNG conversion doesn't capture all of the auxiliary data embedded in the original RAW file. It does capture enough to interpret the image, but without some of the enhancements used by the OEM RAW processor. It too about a year for Adobe to open RAW files from my Hasselblad CFV back. In the interim I converted everything to DNG format, but kept the originals. Some third-party utilities still require DNG files. I create a sub-directory for the DNG versions.

 

I strongly recommend keeping your photos on a RAID drive. That way a single drive failure won't ruin your day.

I shoot mostly Nikon and backup my Nikon raw (NEF) files. I do not convert to DNG. That being said, if I ever did convert to DNG, I would never get rid of my original capture raw file.

DNG conversion doesn't capture all of the auxiliary data embedded in the original RAW file.

Well what it doesn't embed is proprietary meaning you're going to have to use the manufacturers converter to access and use (questionably useful) data.

And that proprietary data can be stored within private tags in DNG bug again, it's proprietary. So if the original software is too dumb to access DNG, well the proprietary data isn't useful there.

 

I personally don't keep my proprietary raws. That's just me. I have half a dozen raw converters I think do a good job that fully support DNG. I can see why some would want to also store the proprietary raws. If they think they should, they should; storage is cheap. I know I'll never use the original manufacturers raw converter.