racingmoose

This is probably somewhat of a newbie question to most, but I currently own Photolab 6 and was considering adding Topaz AI. I almost always shoot in RAW and was wondering if anyone out there uses both of these programs and your workflow with them?

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Take advantage of the Topaz trial. Only you can know what works best. I did and ended up buying it when it was on a sale.

racingmoose

Thanks. I have downloaded the trial but was hoping for some pointers or tips from those that use both in their workflow.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

PhotoLab 6 Elite already contains state of the art DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD noise reduction which is applied during demosaicing. If you shoot raw and PhotoLab 6 Elite is your primary converter, you should never, I repeat never, use both DxO's noise reduction and Topaz Denoise AI on the same image. Additionally, only one of the other can be applied directly to the raw file, not both. If you process using DeepPRIME XD, as an example, you can only apply Topaz to the output TIFF, JPEG or DNG file. What were you hoping to gain from adding Topaz Denoise AI? If you still want to purchase Topaz Denoise AI, use it only when you are processing JPEGs or Tiff's since DeepPRIME only works on native raw files.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

DEMOSAICING... mwsilvers used a word new to me !

" A demosaicing (also de-mosaicing, demosaicking or debayering) algorithm is a digital image process used to reconstruct a full color image from the incomplete color samples output from an image sensor overlaid with a color filter array (CFA). It is also known as CFA interpolation or color reconstruction. Most modern digital cameras acquire images using a single image sensor overlaid with a CFA, so demosaicing is part of the processing pipeline required to render these images into a viewable format. Many modern digital cameras can save images in a raw format allowing the user to demosaic them using software, rather than using the camera's built-in firmware."
https://www.definitions.net/definition/demosaicing

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

I rarely shoot at higher ISO's, but on occasions where the light was very (very) low I've used both Deep Prime and DeNoise AI with no ill effects. The attached image was shot at ISO 10000 and processed with both applied.

(Download)

f8lee Loc: New Mexico

Not to sidetrack the thread, but that is precisely why people who understand the technology point out that a raw file is not yet an image. So, glad you know!

bkwaters

And it’s a really fantastic image, too. Great colors, story and composition. I love photos that are the landscape equivalent of man-made things. Someone needs to come up with a name for that category because cityscape doesn’t really fit.

tcthome Loc: NJ

chuckrem Loc: Katy, Tx

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Topaz will process raw images as well. Whether you choose to do the conversion in your PP ap and then send to other Topaz products for further processing, or do the conversion in Topaz and then send to your PP Ap depends on which raw converter yields the best results for you. But if you like the Topaz conversion as well or better, then it saves a step in your workflow doing that first.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Actually, DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD are both AI developed products. Unlike older noise reduction systems, they analyze each image and apply noise reduction only in areas of the image where it is needed. Even on low ISO images there can still be noise present such as in deep shadow areas. DxO recommends using DeepPRIME on every image regardless of the ISO. It's usefulness on every image was very evident during my participation in almost three years of beta testing for both DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I am well aware of that since I own licenses for both Topaz Denoise AI.

You may have misunderstood my post. What I was trying to get across was that you cannot apply both Topaz Denoise AI and DeepPRIME or DeepPRIME XD to the same raw file. You can only use one or the other.

For those people who use PhotoLab 6 Elite as their raw file converter/processor there is no advantage to also having a license for Topsz Denoise AI unless you plan to use it on non raw images since DeepPRIME and XD only work on native raw files. That is the only reason I have a license for Topaz Denoise. I use it for those occasional times that I am editing a JPEG or Tiff for which a raw file does not exist. Of course, if you also use raw converters and imaging software other than PhotoLab, then a license for Topaz Denoise AI may additional value.

As far as which one works better on raw files. I perhaps am a little prejudiced since I have been a beta tester for PhotoLab for the last several years and was heavily involved in the development of both DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD. I have also had a license for every version of Topaz Denoise AI. After applying and comparing noise reduction on literally thousands of images over the past few years, I am personally confident that DXO's noise reduction gives superior results almost 100% of the time.

DaveJ Loc: NE Missouri

You question was workflow. I have been using PL 6 since Thanksgiving. Very nice program. On some shots, but not most, I will take it to Topaz Photo AI. It seems to really help with photos that are a little soft. I take my Raw file to PL 6 1st via LR plug-in extras. It then is returned to LR as a DNG. I then take the DNG to Photo AI, again via plug-in extras. Usually, it does not do any noise reduction because DXO had taken care of it. It then does sharpening, and I sometimes have to dial it back or bump it forward. Not every photo is helped. But when it does, it is good. An example I did 2 days ago with this method. It was a little bit soft. I like the results. DR7C6033_DxO-2 Short Eared Owl by David Johnson, on Flickr