RAW files wrong resolution (DNG, CR2, RW2, etc...)
Posted: Sun May 18, 2025 10:07 am
In browser but possibly in some other places as well (like info panel) XNView MP shows "wrong resolution". I am writing it in quotes because techically it is not wrong but just pulled (IMO) from wrong place.
The RAW files I have (according to exiftool export) seems to have typically 3 images, the full RAW image appr 3800x2500px, then a "half-preview" appr 1900x1250, and a small thumbnail 160x120px or something.
When you convert it to DNG with adobe DNG converter it keeps half-preview intact but adds one more (its own) preview under subifd2, and another smaller preview (was it 1024px maybe). These are commands I was able to pull out the previews.
exiftool -preview:ifd0:jpgfromraw -b -W %%f-EMBO%%-c.%%s "%IFILE%"
exiftool -preview:subifd2:jpgfromraw -b -W %%f-noexif-EMBD%%-c.%%s "%IFILE%"
exiftool -preview:subifd2:previewjxl -b -W %%f-EMBX%%-c.%%s "%IFILE%"
exiftool -preview:all -b -W %%f-noexif-EMBD%%-c.%%s "%IFILE%"
Anyway it seems that typically XNView MP shows resolution of the preview pic that is located under exif:ifd0:jpgfromraw. For the cameras I am using this preview resolution is half from the full resolution raw.
Of course in places where it fits it would be best to give resolutions of all images a DNG or raw file contains. But if there is room only for one resolution it should (IMO) be the actual RAW data resolution and not the preview resolution.
Worth noting is that rotation metadata is as important to know as the resolution. If you take a portrait pic with cam it is typically 4000x3000 res which makes you think that it is a landscape image but rotation is expressed in rotation metadata. It does create some confusing situations where you think that a portrait image is a landscape image.
The RAW files I have (according to exiftool export) seems to have typically 3 images, the full RAW image appr 3800x2500px, then a "half-preview" appr 1900x1250, and a small thumbnail 160x120px or something.
When you convert it to DNG with adobe DNG converter it keeps half-preview intact but adds one more (its own) preview under subifd2, and another smaller preview (was it 1024px maybe). These are commands I was able to pull out the previews.
exiftool -preview:ifd0:jpgfromraw -b -W %%f-EMBO%%-c.%%s "%IFILE%"
exiftool -preview:subifd2:jpgfromraw -b -W %%f-noexif-EMBD%%-c.%%s "%IFILE%"
exiftool -preview:subifd2:previewjxl -b -W %%f-EMBX%%-c.%%s "%IFILE%"
exiftool -preview:all -b -W %%f-noexif-EMBD%%-c.%%s "%IFILE%"
Anyway it seems that typically XNView MP shows resolution of the preview pic that is located under exif:ifd0:jpgfromraw. For the cameras I am using this preview resolution is half from the full resolution raw.
Of course in places where it fits it would be best to give resolutions of all images a DNG or raw file contains. But if there is room only for one resolution it should (IMO) be the actual RAW data resolution and not the preview resolution.
Worth noting is that rotation metadata is as important to know as the resolution. If you take a portrait pic with cam it is typically 4000x3000 res which makes you think that it is a landscape image but rotation is expressed in rotation metadata. It does create some confusing situations where you think that a portrait image is a landscape image.