The KDC (Kodak Photo-Enhancer File) File Format Explained
 The KDC file extension is a source of a lot of confusion and misunderstanding. That’s because Kodak uses it for more than just one file format. Luckily for you, this article contains all the information you need to open, recover, or repair KDC files. |
What Is a KDC File?
A KDC file can either contain RAW image data or bitmap digital images. To understand the difference between the two, we need to dive into what makes RAW images different from bitmap images. RAW images contain minimally processed data from the image sensor of a digital camera. Because images stored as RAW data are not developed on the stop, photographers can enjoy a much greater flexibility when it comes to post-processing. Things like white balance, color saturation, contrast, and sharpness can be changed to a much greater degree compared to JPEG images, which are typically saved using a lossy compression format. From a point of view of a professional photographer, the only advantage of bitmap digital image is their smaller size. Whereas a typical RAW image is almost 30 MB large, a JPEG image with the same resolution is often 10 times smaller.
In past, Kodak used the KDC file format to save bitmap images. Virtually all modern Kodak cameras save uncompressed RAW image data as .KDC files. If you’re not sure whether your camera is among the few models that store bitmap images as KDC files, look at how large the images are. If most images exceed 10 MB, they most likely contain RAW image data.
How to Open KDC Files?
Let’s assume that you’re working with KDC files that contain RAW image data. In that case, you can either open them using the software that came with your camera or convert them into other file formats using Adobe Camera Raw, a popular tool that lets you import and enhance RAW image data. Camera Raw supports cameras from Apple, Canon, Casio, Contax, DxO, Epson, Fujifilm, Google, GoPro, Hasselblad, Kodak, Konica, Leaf, Leica, Mamiya, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Phase One, Ricoh, Samsung, Sigma, Sony, and Yuneec. The software is available as a Photoshop plug-in, which means that you will either have to install the free trial version of Adobe Photoshop or purchase a full license.
How to Recover Deleted KDC Files?
The good news is that modern data recovery software solutions, such as Disk Drill, can help you recover deleted KDC files even if you’re not sure whether they contain bitmap or RAW image data. Disk Drill makes KDC data recovery extremely simple and approachable. You just select your storage device, click on the Recover button, and let the software do its job. Disk Drill is packed with handy tools that make KDC file recovery much easier, such as the built-in duplicate finder or Disk Drill’s data protection vault.
How to Repair KDC Files?
Disk Drill is smart enough to know when it encounters a damaged KDC file. When it does, it will attempt to recover as much information as possible. Chances are that it will recover enough data for you to recover at least some portion of the deleted image.
