Cameras · Leica exFAT photo card
Recover deleted Leica DNG files
How can I recover deleted Leica DNG photos?
Short answer
First stop using the card, then scan it read-only for DNG, even if JPEG copies remain. Leica stores RAW as DNG, a TIFF-derived format whose image data sits at offsets inside the file, so a thumbnail proves nothing. Export to another drive and develop every DNG at full resolution before you format the card.
The situation
DNG originals were deleted while JPEG copies may remain.
Leica saves RAW as DNG, an openly documented format built on TIFF. That means the file is a set of tags plus image data at recorded offsets, and a recovered DNG is only worth keeping when the data at those offsets is complete, not merely when it opens.
01 / Diagnose
Work out what actually disappeared
The RAW files were deleted, often after a quick review in which the JPEG versions looked sufficient, or during a cleanup to make room. Those surviving JPEG copies say nothing about the DNG files: each format had its own entry in the exFAT directory, and the RAW entries were released while the JPEG ones stayed.
DNG is TIFF-derived and needs complete image-data offsets, not just a thumbnail.
Check the last known path, trash and backups without writing to the original device.
02 / Protect the source
Preserve the best recovery chance
- 1
Stop using the card immediately and remove it from the camera, because the surviving JPEG files do not make further shooting safe.
- 2
Count the JPEG files that remain; each one names a frame whose DNG counterpart should turn up in the scan result.
- 3
Mount the exFAT card read-only in a reader and scan for DNG, keeping the search narrow so the result list stays readable.
- 4
Export to a computer drive, match each DNG to its JPEG by capture time, and only then consider formatting the card.
Do not take further pictures because the JPEG files are still there, and do not let the camera or the computer repair the card. Judging the result from the embedded thumbnail is the other trap: it is a small image stored separately from the RAW data.
03 / Choose the method
Match the tool to the source
For stable, readable exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 or uncompressed IMG, DD, RAW and BIN images.
Unconfirmed exports are marked .UNVERIFIED.
A read-only scan returns only what the card still holds; DNG files whose image area was reused come back truncated and cannot be rebuilt. File Recovery Hero reads exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 media and unencrypted images, and does not repair damaged photographs.
04 / Verify
Check the recovered content, not just its name
Open each DNG in a RAW converter at full resolution and pull the highlights and shadows. A complete file reacts everywhere in the frame and keeps its lens and exposure information. Compare the count against your JPEG files: fewer DNG results than JPEG frames means the recovery is partial.
Keep the source until two verified copies exist. One working preview is not enough.
Sources and technical references
FAQ
Questions about this recovery case
Can Leica exFAT photo card be recovered in this situation?+
Leica saves RAW as DNG, an openly documented format built on TIFF. That means the file is a set of tags plus image data at recorded offsets, and a recovered DNG is only worth keeping when the data at those offsets is complete, not merely when it opens. The result still depends on what remains readable on the source.
What should I avoid before scanning?+
Do not take further pictures because the JPEG files are still there, and do not let the camera or the computer repair the card.
Does scanning write to my memory card?+
Your memory card is only read. Nothing is saved to it.
How do I know whether the result is complete?+
Open each DNG in a RAW converter at full resolution and pull the highlights and shadows.