Nikon responds to RAW file encryption controversy
Nikon has sort of gamely responded to the controversy from earlier this week about them encrypting white balance metadata in RAW image files for their for their D2X and D2Hs digital SLRs with a statement of "clarification" that does little
to shed any light on the situation. They're not denying that the data is encrypted, but what they'd like to make clear is that they have a software SDK which "any legitimate software company" can get for free after filling out a "written application".
So we asked their rep a simple question: Can you name one software company that's used the SDK to build a software app that is compatible with NEF, Nikon's proprietary RAW digital photo format? His response: that information is confidential, we won't release the names of any licensees. Ok, so even though Nikon refuses to give us a single example to back up their case, theoretically there are applications out there besides Nikon's Nikon Capture software that can read the data from encrypted RAW files. But why encrypt the data in the first place, especially since it's already a proprietary format? This one he couldn't answer at all, except to say something about how encrypting white balance metadata "protects the integrity" of the overall file. Uh, ok…
[Thanks, Brando]
