PNG VS DNG
The ultimate comparison guide. Understanding the technical differences between Portable Network Graphics and Digital Negative.
PNG
pngLossless format supporting transparency, ideal for logos and digital art.
Pros
- Lossless quality
- Alpha channel transparency
- Wide support
Cons
- Larger file sizes than JPG
- Not good for print (RGB only)
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
When PNG wins
Stay with PNG when you need logos or screenshots. Its strengths center on lossless quality and a feature set native to PNG Development Group.
When DNG wins
Choose DNG when your workflow prioritizes photography archives or lightroom workflows. It delivers lossless archiving plus modern compression perks.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | PNG | DNG |
|---|---|---|
| MIME Type | image/png | image/x-adobe-dng |
| Developer | PNG Development Group | Adobe |
| Release Year | 1996 | 2004 |
| Best For | Logos, Screenshots, Graphics with transparent backgrounds | Photography archives, Lightroom workflows, Long-term storage |
Need to switch?
Where PNG still wins
Keep PNG when you need lossless quality and workflows depend on logos / screenshots. Link those teams directly to the converter above so they can ship DNG deliverables without leaving their browser.
- • Reference the .png glossary from this page.
- • Embed the conversion CTA in docs, wikis, and onboarding runbooks.
- • Use DNG for photography archives while archiving originals as PNG.
Keep crawlers in the conversion hub
Link this comparison to the relevant tool, glossary, and documentation pages so every crawl discovers a monetizable route.