Photographer Proposes New Image Format for Lumix Cameras

Reddit User Felix had an idea for a new Image Format for Lumix cameras. He asked Chatpgt to write a letter to send to Lumix. Let me know if you think his initiative is a good idea and if we should all copy past this to spam Lumix with this request :)

Subject: Feature request: New “High-Information Processed File” format for Lumix cameras

Hello Lumix team,

I’d like to propose a feature that could add significant value to photographers who enjoy the flexibility of RAW but also rely on color profiles and LUTs to guide their creative process directly in-camera.

Currently, RAW files do not retain the adjustments made through Photo Styles or Real-Time LUTs, while JPEG files do—but with the drawback of limited editing latitude. This creates a gap for photographers who want:

• to see their creative look applied directly in-camera while shooting
• and still keep more editing flexibility than a JPEG allows
• without the large file sizes and workflow heaviness of RAW

To address this, I’d like to suggest the creation of a new processed file format, something between JPEG and RAW—an alternative similar in spirit to TIFF or JPEG XL, but optimized for in-camera use.

What this format would ideally offer:

• Processed image using in-camera Photo Style or LUT
• Higher color depth than JPEG (10-bit would be amazing)
• Greater dynamic range retained compared to JPEG
• Smaller file size than RAW
• Editable enough to adjust exposure, color and contrast without heavy degradation
• Viewable instantly with the look applied (just like JPEG)

Essentially, a flexible “high-information JPEG” for photographers who want a ready-to-use image with more room to adjust in post.

Why this matters

This would bridge an important gap in the workflow:

• RAW → too large and ignores in-camera looks
• JPEG → fast and visually faithful, but editing-limited
• Proposed format → the best of both worlds
  • creative intent baked in
  • extra data preserved
  • efficient file size
  • faster delivery workflow

It could be similar to HEIF/HEIC, JPEG XL, or a proprietary Lumix format designed around 10-bit color depth and optimized compression.

As a Lumix user, I would use this feature extensively for portraits, events and commercial shoots—cases where I want to trust the look I dialed in the camera, but still need moderate flexibility in post-production.

What do you think…would this be useful feature for your workflow?