Microsoft has belatedly added support for RAW image files to its Windows 7 and Windows Vista operating systems.
The new functionality, made available as part of a free-to-download Microsoft Camera Codec Pack, enables users to natively render popular device-specific file formats such as Canon's .CRW and Nikon's .NEF without the need for third-party software.
RAW images, often referred to as digital negatives, contain uncompressed data captured by the image sensor of a digital camera. Microsoft's Codec Pack offers support for over 120 DSLR cameras at launch, and the software giant has confirmed that it is actively working on additional codecs for release "as soon as they're available".
With the update, users are able to view RAW file formats in Windows Explorer, and edit images using Microsoft's optional image manipulation and management suite, Windows Live Photo Gallery.
Unlike Apple's rival Mac OS X operating system - which has had regularly-updated RAW support for some time - Microsoft's Windows has traditionally opted not to offer built-in RAW functionality.
Commenting on the launch of the Codec pack, Microsoft's director of user experience Brad Weed admitted that "dealing with raw images on Windows hasn’t always been easy" and adds that "this new update unlocks the power of every photo on your computer so that your PC is capable of organizing, viewing and editing your digital memories".
The Microsoft Camera Codec Pack is available to download in 32- and 64-bit variants from Microsoft.com, and a complete list of supported cameras can be found below.
- Canon: EOS 1000D (EOS Kiss F in Japan and the EOS Rebel XS in North America), EOS 10D, EOS 1D Mk2, EOS 1D Mk3, EOS 1D Mk4, EOS 1D Mk2 N, EOS 1Ds Mk2, EOS 1Ds Mk3, EOS 20D, EOS 300D (the Kiss Digital in Japan and the Digital Rebel in North America) , EOS 30D, EOS 350D (the Canon EOS Kiss Digital N in Japan and EOS Digital Rebel XT in North America), EOS 400D (the Kiss Digital X in Japan and the Digital Rebel XTi in North America), EOS 40D, EOS 450D (EOS Kiss X2 in Japan and the EOS Rebel XSi in North America), EOS 500D (EOS Kiss X3 in Japan and the EOS Rebel T1i in North America), EOS 550D (EOS Kiss X4 in Japan, and as the EOS Rebel T2i in North America), EOS 50D, EOS 5D, EOS 5D Mk2, EOS 7D, EOS D30, EOS D60, G2, G3, G5, G6, G9, G10, G11, Pro1, S90
- Nikon: D100, D1H, D200, D2H, D2Hs, D2X, D2Xs, D3, D3s, D300, D3000, D300s, D3X, D40, D40x, D50, D5000, D60, D70, D700, D70s, D80, D90, P6000
- Sony: A100, A200, A230, A300, A330, A350, A380, A700, A850, A900, DSC-R1
- Olympus: C7070, C8080, E1, E10, E20, E3, E30, E300, E330, E400, E410, E420, E450, E500, E510, E520, E620, EP1
- Pentax (PEF formats only): K100D, K100D Super, K10D, K110D, K200D, K20D, K7, K-x, *ist D, *ist DL, *ist DS
- Leica: Digilux 3, D-LUX4, M8, M9
- Minolta: DiMage A1, DiMage A2, Maxxum 7D (Dynax 7D in Europe, α-7 Digital in Japan)
- Epson: RD1
- Panasonic: G1, GH1, GF1, LX3
