P: Camera Raw no longer supports DNG creation from Denoise option

Report · Jun 07, 2025

Hello,

First of all, I have been commenting on https://community.adobe.com/t5/camera-raw-discussions/camera-raw-amp-dng-converter-17-3-are-now-avai... but nobody replied also send a message to Adobe employee but also didnt get any reply. I made the comment during the BETA so I hoped that this wont be published to main product but nobody take action. So I decided to write here.
Since the latest update of Camera Raw (17.4) there is no posibility to create DNG file from .NEF file

Editing (Denoise etc) creating .acr on the file directory which is no use to me.

My work flow was like this
1. Open 10 photo on Camera Raw
2. Select all the photos and denoise to create new DNG file for each of them (Screenshot 1)

The reason to do that, its always much better to work on DNG files for me. That option creates a Denoise for all the selected photos according to selected sharpening and denoise value (Screenshot 2)

With the 17.4 this option has gone
1. Denoise option is working only for the first photo (if multi selected)
2. Value is always set to %50, then once is beeing processed then value can be changed. But there is no multi photo processing. Each file has to be denoise seperately. (This is insane)
3. Denoise option do not create seperate DNG file instead it creates .acr file on file directory.
4. DNG file can be opened in photoshop and can be edited etc but .acr file is not.
I do not know what was the idea of changing this but I am not happy about it. Please let me know what you think and how I can improve the situation. Because at this moment my workflow almost slowed like %95 percent. Creating DNG file and working on it is so important for me.
Thanks

Report · Jun 08, 2025

Denoise no longer produces a separate DNG file. This has been the case for quite a while and is a welcome improvement since Denoise settings can now be amended afterwards as and when necessary. The .acr file is a sidecar file associated with your RAW file and contains edit information, as do .xmp files. If you do not like this then your only option is to convert your RAW files to DNG files which are container files therefore have no associated sidecar files. This can be done before or after editing either using Adobe DNG Converter or by saving as DNG from within Camera Raw. You have the option to embed the original RAWs in the DNG files which can then be extracted at any time using DNG Converter if ever necessary. This is my preferred option as I do not keep the original RAWs since they are embedded in the DNGs should I need them. Other users I know keep both and store them separately. That's just fine if you have plenty of storage space.

In addition I have no problem opening a batch of RAWs in Camera Raw, selecting all and applying Denoise to all. Seems to work fine for me in my Windows 11 system.

Report · Jun 08, 2025

Thanks for long reply which wasnt neccessary because I already know what file for. I have two question to you if you can get steps for me.
1.

or by saving as DNG from within Camera Raw.

How do you create DNG file within Camera Raw ? Where is the option if not Denoise creating DNG file.
2.

In addition I have no problem opening a batch of RAWs in Camera Raw, selecting all and applying Denoise to all. Seems to work fine for me in my Windows 11 system.

I also use Window 11 but as I explained above, if you select multi files and go to your "Details" tab at Camera Raw. Activating denoise option creates a denoise for all the files by %50 percent by default. (I did rollback my Camera Raw so I cannot excatly screenshot steps at the moment) Then keep the selected files after the process been done and click the value box then type new value as 30, click enter. Value is only applied to first photo. Rest of the photos have to be selected and again set to 30 for example.
My workflow requires to keep all RAW files untouched and create new DNG file from them then contunie working with. I am working with batch of photos sometime up to 300 have to be opened in Camera Raw, sometime 60 of them needs to be converted seperate DNG file (Yes, each of the photos like 60mb-70mb and creating DNG from them sometime 250mb each. I do have space, no problem with that)

Point 2 seems to be bug for me, if you have any suggestion to Point 1 then please let me know.

Thanks

Report · Jun 08, 2025

Here is how to Save as DNG from within Camera Raw:

Regarding your second point, I agree that selecting a bunch of RAWs and applying Denoise uses the default 50% setting, but once that is complete that setting can be edited to whatever you want either individually or as a batch. I tried this with 10 RAWs, applied Denoise to them all simultaneously then reset to 30%. All were reset to 30% with no issue.

Report · Jun 08, 2025

Dear Erik, I think when I was typing "Creating DNG" that was specific to conversation, I am not a beginner on photoshop I thought I am being specific. What you are showing me is a "Save file as DNG" which can be done with many other products also as well as Adobe DNG Converter that you mentioned earlier. That is not I am asking for.

You see, when I mention about creating DNG file from Denoise option is actually creating new DNG file within Camera Raw (ss1 and ss2) and it can be seen as a twin photo next to original one (You do not need to close-open application, this was the easy and time saving feature. (You call it "improvement" I call it "worsening".)
There is no other flexibility on any other product such as that I have been using Camera Raw for.

Now with such a beautiful option is removed from Photoshop, I have to use two product to create what I am asking for. And I do not think I am the only person will whine about this feature is gone. Anyway, thank you for your effort. Maybe Adobe employee will give some reasonable answer that they have removed this option.

Report · Jun 08, 2025

Unfortunately for you the process where Denoise produced a new and separate DNG file was superceded by the current process. What you are asking for I'm afraid to say no longer exists.

Sorry but I am unable to add anything more.

Good luck.

Report · Jun 18, 2025

I came here to see if my ACR was working correctly after an update yesterday, and I am so happy to see that DNG files will no longer be automatically created. I also love having the ability to ajust the denoise slider *after* it's done its job! And...I am cautiously optimistic that this update has fixed the intractable issue I have been having for over a year on both a Windows 10 PC and a Windows 11 laptop where ACR/Photoshop would open 1, maybe 2, maybe 3 RAW files in succession, but then wig out and be unable to open any more without closing the app and reopening. Thank you!

Report · Jun 21, 2025

I can imagine people who are working with 1-5 files dont like to create DNG files for stability and performance concerns. But many do not know how big advantage to have Enhanced DNG files. With such a feature
1. You open 100 files in Adobe
2. You select whatever you like lets say 30 of them
3. You denoise them to create 30 DNG file (Enhanced)

4. Close your Photoshop and open 30 DNG file without even moving things around.
Now that this feature is gone

1. Open 100 files in Adobe
2. Select the files which you want to use 30 of them
3. Close Photoshop and Open Bridge to move 30 of them to another folder
4. Open another program such as Adobe DNG Converter
5. Create 30 DNG from those photos
6. Go back to Adobe Photoshop and open those DNG files
7. Select to denoise them.. and so on.
8. But again those DNG files do not store the information about denoise or any other enhancements. Because its been written to .ACR files which is completely useless to Photoshop users directly. Because .ACR files cannot be opened in Photoshop alone, but DNG (Enhanced) files can.
Now I even start to concern that all the steps that I have been doing is useless now, simply power of Enhanced DNG's are gone

Report · Jun 08, 2025

If in the Camera Raw preferences you go to Technology Previews and uncheck New AI Features and Settings Panel, then after restarting Bridge or Photoshop that should get you the Denoise saved as a DNG.

Report · Jun 09, 2025

Hello, thank you for your reply. I am using excatly same version as yours 17.3.1 and that is fine. I am aware of this settings is turning on and turning off new feautures. That is how I was testing on BETA once they impelement this. But, my creative cloud desktop application gave me notification as a new update for Camera Raw last Friday. It was written 17.4 and I installed. 17.4 had this new feautres even if Technology preview is off. So then I thought ok, they seems really impelemented, I quickly uninstall and reinstall v17 then increase to v17.3.1
However, there is no new update at the moment. Not sure how I was able to download v17.4 and how its not available right now. Maybe there was a mistake on Adobe end, not really sure about it.
No matter what, I think I will not increase the new version of Camera Raw anymore. I do not want to have same problem again.