Barn Owl

Needing to hear from actual UHH users of this software with the new PhotoShop. Not so interested in links: actual experiences.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

New DxO Ps? Different companies right?

PierreD

I use DxO Photolab V6 (Elite) all the time - works the same way as PureRaw for demosaicing and denoising, and does a fabulous job, especially at high ISO.

Barn Owl

As I understand it, this version is the update.

Barn Owl

PierreD, This is Exactly the kind of info I am seeking. Thanks for your review of Elite; that would save me some $.
Best of good health to you and yours.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

I use software from DXO and Capture One to successfully avoid Photoshop.

I shoot exclusively raw files and so my processing workflow begins with a raw file.

99.xxxx% of the time my workflow ends when I export the required final RGB image from my raw processing software.

Most of my work goes through Capture One but I also have and use DXO PL6. DXO's raw processing software is arguably industry best for demosaicing, lens corrections and noise filtering. You get all that plus a whole lot more with PL6. PureRaw is for folks who want the best of DXO but don't want to give up their established workflow or processing software.

PureRaw provides DXO demosaicing, lens corrections and noise filtering only and then outputs a linear DNG that you can further process in the software of your choice.

By using PL6 (and/or for me C1) I avoid the need for PureRaw as well as any further processing software. We all have different priorities for our processing workflow. I want my workflow efficient. But most importantly after uncompromising results I want my workflow to be 100% non-destructive and non-linearly re-editable. Photoshop monkey wrenches that so I avoid it.

Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

After trying/using an assortment of name brand programs over the years (and having varying degrees of quite good-to-barely adequate results), after downloading and using DxO's 30-day trial version of PureRaw 2, I found it to be clearly superior to anything else I'd used previous in terms --very specifically-- of demosaicing my Fujifilm raw (raf) files, so I subsequently purchased it outright (seem to recall I paid $45 or thereabouts). (Around that same time, I also downloaded a trial version of DxO Photolab, found it excellent overall, but saw no reason to spend the $$$ to purchase a program that, as good as it was, offered no improvements over my mainstays, Adobe LrC and Ps [and others]). More recently, I've likewise taken to using PureRaw 2 when demosaicing the raw image files my Mavic drone produces, and have been more than pleased with the results as well. Otherwise, my primary shooting 'system' is Nikon, and while PR 2 produces excellent .dngs from my Nikon raw files, the results I get are no better than the results I get using LrC, and not feeling the need to add an additional --and time consuming, which PR 2 definitely is-- step to my workflow, tend not to use PR 2 unless I've shot something at a higher ISO, where DxO tends to actually do a better job in decreasing shadow area noise.

If you shoot Fuji, trust me: you definitely DO want PureRAW 2. If you shoot something other (Canon, Panasonic, Sony, etc), I wouldn't know whether you'd find any advantage or not.

f8lee Loc: New Mexico

I use DxO PureRAW2 (which, by the way, is the name of the package - it's not a 'version 2' as someone suggested) in my workflow and have found it to be pretty amazing in terms of how well it reduces noise. I use Fuji X-T3 and X-T4 with a battery of lenses, and even at ISO 400 you can see an improvement, never mind at ISO 12800.

I insert the DxO in the flow in one of two places, depending on circumstance;

1 - if I have taken a few hundred or fewer shots at an event or wherever, then after renaming the raw files (I use the program called "A Better Finder Rename" on my Mac - and yes I am aware that I can rename in LR on import so let's count how many "helpful" folks chime in with that trivia) I just batch process the entire lot, then import everything into LR and cull from there. PureRAW creates .dng files - while it can be set to make JPEGs I don't see the point of that) which are essentially as alterable as the original raw files. Sometimes I will actually dump the original raw files before importing into LR.

2- when I take thousands of images at an event (like 5K at a rodeo last month) then after renaming the raw files I import them to LR and in there I cull and do some editing, like cropping, straightening and other adjustments. Of course, in the process I end up deleting 90% or so of the "non-keepers" - shooting in burst mode might give one or, rarely, two keepers out of a set of 10 or 15 or whatever. Once I have reduced the set to a more manageable number, I then run all that is left in batch in PureRAW, and then import those results. Of course, the names are unchanged - only the .dng suffix id different - so once the .dngs are in LR I sort by name and in the Develop module I use the "Previous" button to apply the changes I made to a given raw file to the new .dng file. (for those unfamiliar, LR is a nondestrucive editor, so the changes made to the original raw files do not change that raw file, so the .dng created by PureRAW does not incorporate them).

Seems that on my M1 MacBook Pro 13" it takes PureRAW around one minute per image to process, so I just let that run overnight or while I am not at the computer.

Bottom line, I think it is quite worthwhile, and certainly recommend trying the free download.

Oh, one minor aside - the dng files it creates seem to be about twice the size of the original raw files - not that the additional storage space required should be an important factor given how cheap storage is nowadays, but at least be aware.

Lastcastmike

Been using now for a couple months and with any sort of high ISO, to echo others, DXO Pure Raw is amazing. I use Capture One, take a high ISO phot first to DXO and then edit the DXO result in Capture One. Amazing.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

I tried it a couple of months ago and liked it but hesitated at first because it couldn’t handle the raw files from my OM-1. Once they added that capability it became my goto raw processor. I use it as a plug-in with Lightroom and it’s easy and works great as a batch process. It can process 25 files in about 5 minutes. It doesn’t work directly on my high efficiency raw files from my Z9 but I rarely need it for those and if I do I can convert to DNG and it will work. Much of my OM-1 stuff and all of my Sony RX10MIV files go through it.

miket22 Loc: Northern Massachusetts

I should add to my previous comment - I have great results with a Nikon D5, a Sony RX100-M5 and a Sony RX10-IV. All are processed taking the initial Raw file from the camera(s), sending it to DXO and then editing the processed DNG from DXO in Capture. I do not process all initial photos - just the ones with noise usually with high ISO. using DXO has expanded my keepers by now going with higher ISO photos.

Barn Owl

Ysarex, Thanks for your post...exactly the kind if info I needed. If I can buy the new DXO Essential for $139, that would have my attention. I am comfortable with PhotoShop for most of my other editing so I will probably continue with it, too. The price increase has my attention.

Barn Owl

SuperflyTNT, Thanks for your post.

Barn Owl

Lastcastmike, Okay, you have my attention. I do not know Capture One so I will do some Goggle searches. Best to you and yours.

Barn Owl

f8lee, Thinks for taking the time to help me with my decisions on DXO PureRAW. I am a Win10 guy and use PhotoShop for my final edits; thus, the final format produced by DXO won't be a problem. Best of continued success in your shooting and editing!