Adobe plans RAW video format

 

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By Matthew Sparkes

Posted on 14 Apr 2008 at 10:19

Adobe has announced that it will begin developing a RAW video format called CinemaDNG, which will offer better image quality and more control to filmmakers.

The format will be developed with co-operation from camera manufacturers and software companies that develop image editing tools, and is expected for release later this year. Adobe has said that it will submit the format to regulatory bodies for ratification.

"It lays the foundation for the correct way that you want to do cinema in the future," says Simon Hayhurst, senior product manager for dynamic media at Adobe. "You want enough space to innovate but have commonality so that you are implementing technology when there is a genuine need for it to be different."

Adobe will support the new format in its tools such as After Effects and Premiere Pro, and claims that it will make life easier for digital filmmakers. Currently a film may pass through several formats while filming, editing and processing.

"Experiencing a smoother, more streamlined workflow is, without exception, a good thing and open standards are a great way of accomplishing it," says Bruno Nicoletti, chief technology officer at The Foundry, a leading visual effects software developer in London.

"The Foundry supports Adobe's plan for CinemaDNG, which will make the adoption of raw digital camera data much easier for everyone in our industry."

Adobe has also announced that it is working on software that will make videos searchable by text strings. The speech soundtrack of videos will be transcribed into XMP format, allowing online videos to be indexed by search engines.