P: AI Denoise Lossy Compressed Option

[DomDomMartin]

So the new AI denoise feature is game changing. Love it. But it does spit out 90-150mb files for 20mpx raws, which is not practical for me. I have to then compress them using convert to dng > lossy compression. It would be GREAT if this was an option to do this during the denoise process so I don't need to do extra steps. Since it's a stacked additional file, I don't personally mind lossy compression but I do mind an additional 30gb of storage required for the workflow.

[D Fosse]

This has been explained many times here in the forum: Denoise produces demosaiced RGB files. This alone, three channels instead of one, means 3x the size on disk. In addition, a copy of the original raw is embedded, further adding to file size. At the moment, there is no way to extract the raw file, but that will probably come later.

Bottom line - don't delete the original raw. If you must, delete the denoised file. It can be recreated, but not the other way round.

[DomDomMartin]

Thanks for the advice! Me personally I'd rather keep the original raw photo, and have a lossy compressed denoised photos. 

I understand why it's so large, I'm just saying it's not practical for me, and I would like the option to choose a lossy file. I still have the original stacked and can go back to that if I need to.

[Jao vdL]

Yeah it is weird that they embed the original. There is no good reason to do this except if they are thinking that at some point they will change the denoise algorithm to allow you to go back on your choices later

[TheDigitalDog]

Since this is a request, I'd add the following: 

1. Option in Enhance dialog: do not embed a copy of the original (which is what is happening, a copy in lossless DNG). That would also allow users to know this can happen, which they do not today. 

2. Option to extract that Lossless DNG so you could, if so desired, delete the original. As it stands now, you have two "original" raws, which seems unnecessary.