OpenRAW

Joachim , I convert to DNG straight from the memory card, and discard the native raw files once I have 2 verified copies on different discs.

I have total confidence in my ability to handle those DNGs well into the future. There will continue to be plenty of tools available to handle them, and/or suitable converters into whatever format follows DNG.

I would not recommend this procedure, because DNG converters are based on reverse engineering and drop data while they convert (because they are not known) and future DNG formats and converters could be improved.

So your current workflow might be slightly better than a straight RAW to JPG conversion, but its also a lossy one, ie. you lose data in the process.

Juergen, I have been seeing "fear, uncertainty, and doubt" about this issue for over a year. And I decided over 7 months ago to analyse it, and then I stopped worrying about it.

I believe I do NOT lose data. I read that the DNG Converter preserves everything important for NEFs, CR2s, PEFs, and some others. I use PEFs.

But anything lost would anyway be things that I do not even know I have, and that have been no use to me since I started to use a digital camera.

There are a 100 reasons why I don't produce masterpieces. The most obvious ones are that I am not a good enough photographer, and I don't get out taking photographs enough! Loss of unspecified and probably non-existent data from my raw files, which no tools I use know anything about either, is not one of the 100 reasons!

I certainly want OpenRAW to cause manufacturers to publish their raw file formats, and then this matter can be closed, either by an upgrade to the DNG Converter, or by proof that nothing is lost. (It will differ from camera to camera). That will be one of the most important achievements of OpenRAW - making DNG the raw format of choice for far more people, by removing issues and doubts about it.