Archive mlv/raw or DNGs?

[Frank7D]

I want to preserve my source files for my projects to allow future uses. Is there any reason to keep the raw/mlv files as opposed to the DNGs I extracted from them?

[BushanBengaluru]

I archive mlv.. Easy and faster file transfer as it's a single file..

[baldand]

I want to preserve my source files for my projects to allow future uses. Is there any reason to keep the raw/mlv files as opposed to the DNGs I extracted from them?

- MLV's at least have a lot of metadata in them and, depending on the DNG exporting used, not all of it may have made it into the DNGs
- If you have applied some stripe correction algorithm, and someone comes up with a better one in the future, you may not be able to use the better one on the old files since you no longer have the original data
- They are way more manageable than a directory full of DNGs

[dpjpandone]

On the other hand, dng is compatible with all systems, and if anyone ever needs something from your archives (including you) there will be less fuss getting that footage for a production that may not use mlv conversion apps as part of its normal workflow. I guess it depends on who/what you are archiving for.

[Frank7D]

Thanks for the answers. It sounds like the weight of prudence points towards MLVs. The only downside I see is I have to extract DNGs again to use the footage in future, so a cost of time (unless NLEs start handling MLV directly at some point).

[marekk]

Prores 4444 with Cinelog or VisionLOG

[pv25pv]

i also keep the exported dnxhd files with visionlog profile..its a good file