Help!!! Consisting of RAW and DNG

[belarty_dormetus]

<p>I've been lurking for a while and I finally have the guts to post and now really need help if at all possible. Here it goes.<br>

I accidentally deleted my raw files but I have the DNG files is there anything I can do to resore the RAW file Since I'm using lightroom 2?</p>

<p>-a Scared Beginner :/</p>

[john_macpherson]

<p>As I understand it DNG IS a RAW format. So you still have your images.</p>

<p>You MAY be able to retrieve the original RAW's from the hard drive/card if you have not overwritten them.</p>

<p>Whatever you did to lose them should be a lesson in how NOT to proceed in future, and the first thing that seems prudent is to adopt a backup/archiving procedure that will ensure you ALWAYS have at least one other copy of your valuable work (and preferably two copies to be really safe) and that there are workflow safeguards to prevent such problems in future.</p>

[mendel_leisk]

<p>It <em>might</em> help to know your camera type. I've got a hunch only your camera can produce that raw format, ie: you can't convert back from DNG. You might email the camera manufacturer too. Though you'll likely hit a wall of bureaucracy, and come up empty handed. At least if you go in with that expectation, you might get a suprise.</p>

<p>Still, I'd bet you can't restore them, but as John said, DNG at least is in the same "class" of file, ie: not lossy, all the info there, at least all the critical image info.</p>

[belarty_dormetus]

<p>Ahh ok, I can not convert back to RAW but the DNG has all the info needed and I can still edit as needed. And my camera is a cannon rebel eos.<br>

Thank alot you guys, I really didn't expect to get any replies!</p>

[steven_lax]

<p>If you saved your dng with the option to embed the original raw file checked then the original file can be extracted using the standalone Adobe DNG converter that can be downloaded from their web site.</p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

<p> </p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Just as a matter of policy to avoid any changes to the RAW files or loss of them, I download the files (in my case RAW (CR2)+large jpg) and before I do anything at all to them, I copy them to another HD. Then, since I can often do what I need just with the large jpg, when I do need to work with a RAW file, I typically will make a <em>copy</em> of it to a working folder, and then play around to heart's content without altering anything. If I like the results, I usually copy the modified RAW and DNG back to the original location, but alter the name of the worked on RAW with a ' or some such mark. That way, I keep the integrity of the archive separate from what I am doing in Photoshop and so on on a working basis. It's not necessary to do the latter part (duplicating the RAW file), but I just am very cautious.</p>

[belarty_dormetus]

<p>@ Steven, that's Golden! I'll definetly look into that!<br>

@JDM, I think I'm going to be just as cautious.</p>