ImageGear supports reading raw images created by many digital cameras. Support for raw images includes reading of image pixel data, color reconstruction of raw images, and reading of metadata stored with the images. This section provides information about the following:

Loading Raw Images

Load camera raw images in the same way as you load images of all other formats, using one of the image loading methods, such as ImGearFileFormats.LoadPage Method. Use the control parameters of the corresponding format filter to control loading of raw images.

By default, ImageGear attempts to reconstruct the full color image from raw data. You can also load unprocessed or partially processed image and apply some custom processing to it.  

Loading Pixel Data from RAW and DNG Images

Digital cameras store raw images in exactly the same format as obtained from the camera sensor. A number of image processing operations must be performed to reconstruct full color image from the raw data. All raw format filters and DNG have the same set of loading options that allows loading unprocessed or partially processed image. Partially processed images can then be processed with the help of ImageGear image processing methods.

Cameras Supported for DC RAW Formats lists the level of support that ImageGear provides for particular cameras.  

Headerless Digital Camera Raw Images

A special group of camera raw formats is Headerless Camera Raw formats. The Headerless Digital Camera file filter provides support for Digital Camera Raw images that only contain pixel data and no header.

Due to the absence of a header, such files cannot be detected reliably. ImageGear uses low detection priority for these images, and by default, detection of this filter is disabled. Also, since these files do not contain any metadata describing color reconstruction, ImageGear support level for them is limited to "S2" - pixel decoding only.