DNG VS JPG
The ultimate comparison guide. Understanding the technical differences between Digital Negative and Joint Photographic Experts Group.
DNG
dngOpen RAW photography format that preserves sensor data for non-destructive editing.
Pros
- Lossless archiving
- Rich metadata
- Broad camera compatibility
Cons
- Large files
- Requires post-processing
- Previewing can be slow
JPG
jpgUniversal image format with lossy compression, perfect for photography.
Pros
- Small file size
- Universal compatibility
- Adjustable compression levels
Cons
- Lossy compression (quality degrades)
- No transparency support
- No animation
When DNG wins
Stay with DNG when you need photography archives or lightroom workflows. Its strengths center on lossless archiving and a feature set native to Adobe.
When JPG wins
Choose JPG when your workflow prioritizes web images or digital photography. It delivers small file size plus modern compression perks.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | DNG | JPG |
|---|---|---|
| MIME Type | image/x-adobe-dng | image/jpeg |
| Developer | Adobe | Joint Photographic Experts Group |
| Release Year | 2004 | 1992 |
| Best For | Photography archives, Lightroom workflows, Long-term storage | Web images, Digital photography, Email attachments |
Need to switch?
Where DNG still wins
Keep DNG when you need lossless archiving and workflows depend on photography archives / lightroom workflows. Link those teams directly to the converter above so they can ship JPG deliverables without leaving their browser.
- • Reference the .dng glossary from this page.
- • Embed the conversion CTA in docs, wikis, and onboarding runbooks.
- • Use JPG for web images while archiving originals as DNG.
Keep crawlers in the conversion hub
Link this comparison to the relevant tool, glossary, and documentation pages so every crawl discovers a monetizable route.