DxO PureRAW 2 assessment

DxO PureRAW 2 at a look:

• £115 (£69 for replace from model 1)
• Uncooked picture file pre-processor
• For Home windows and Mac PCs
• 30-day free trial obtainable
• www.dxo.com/dxo-pureraw

Final yr, imaging software program specialists DxO launched an modern program referred to as PureRAW. This distinctive instrument converts digicam uncooked information to 16-bit linear DNGs, utilizing DxO’s industry-leading lens correction and noise discount algorithms. These DNGs can then be processed utilizing your most well-liked imaging software program, identical to regular digicam uncooked information. The concept is that you simply get the good thing about DxO’s image-processing know-how, with out having to be taught a brand new workflow.

A mid-life replace, to model 1.5, added somewhat additional consumer management over the optical corrections used, giving a alternative of whether or not or to not apply distortion correction and/or selective sharpening to compensate for optical softness.

I discovered PureRAW gave glorious outcomes that represented an unlimited enchancment on Adobe’s processing, particularly when utilizing DxO’s AI-based DeepPRIME noise discount. This makes this system a massively great tool for Lightroom or Photoshop customers who’d prefer to get probably the most out of their uncooked information, particularly these shot at excessive ISOs or utilizing older cameras and/or less-sharp lenses. The principle drawbacks are that processing every digicam uncooked file can take a very long time, and the resultant DNGs take up a number of disc area. Precisely how a lot depends upon the decision of the digicam you employ.

Learn our assessment of DxO PureRAW (model 1) for an in-depth evaluation of its advantages

Now, the agency has up to date the software program to DxO PureRAW 2. This comes with some helpful new workflow options and extra digicam help. Most significantly, it now handles information from Fujifilm cameras that use the X-Trans sensor. So what precisely is new, and is it value upgrading for present customers?

DxO PureRAW 2: abstract of main updates

• Full help for Fujifilm X-series cameras with X-Trans CMOS sensors
• Further digicam and lens help for latest merchandise
• Batch processing direct from Home windows desktop or Mac Finder home windows
• Lightroom customers can ship uncooked information to PureRAW 2 for processing, from inside the program
• As much as 4x quicker processing promised on M1 Macs when utilizing PRIME or DeepPRIME noise discount
• Home windows HiDPI show help
• Iterative updates deliberate to help new digicam releases

DxO PureRAW 2: Workflow updates

Initially, PureRAW was a easy standalone program. You added information to its principal window, after which pressed the ‘Course of photographs’ button. It proceeded to churn out processed DNGs, which might then be exported to Lightroom or Photoshop (by way of Adobe Digital camera Uncooked).

With DxO PureRAW 2, it’s attainable to course of information immediately from the Desktop or Finder

In model 2, you acquire some helpful further methods of working. First is the power to batch-process information immediately from the Home windows desktop, or the Finder on Macs. Merely choose a bunch of information you want to course of, after which right-click (or ctrl-click). It’s best to see a sequence of PureRAW choices as proven above, permitting processing to DNG with a alternative of noise-reduction algorithms.

Choose one, and PureRAW will get on with the job of changing these information with out you even having to open this system. That is nice possibility in the event you’ve shot a set of photographs what’s going to profit from remedy, as you possibly can shortly set them processing after which go away and do one thing else.

Information may be despatched for processing by DxO PureRAW 2 from inside Lightroom

Lightroom customers additionally acquire an improved workflow, with the power to invoke PureRAW from inside the program itself, utilizing the ‘Export – Course of utilizing DxO PureRAW 2’ command. So in the event you establish a uncooked file you want, begin work on it and make some changes, however then resolve that it will profit from DxO’s processing, you possibly can ship it to PureRAW from Lightroom.

As soon as processed, the brand new model will seem again in Lightroom and crucially inherit all of your earlier tweaks (simply so long as you set Lightroom to file XMP side-car information that embody this knowledge). Once more, this works as anticipated and counts as a really useful addition for Lightroom customers.

DxO PureRAW 2: Operational updates

One welcome replace for Home windows customers is HiDPI help, which permits graphical parts to scale accurately on excessive decision screens. This works simply as you’d hope, with this system now rendering significantly better on my Dell XPS 15 laptop computer’s 4K show.

Graphical parts now show higher on Home windows computer systems with high-resolution screens. That is the DxO PureRAW 2 opening display screen on a 4K show

In the meantime, customers of the most recent M1 Macs are promised considerably quicker pace, notably when utilizing the PRIME and DeepPRIME noise discount algorithms, that are slated to function up 4 instances faster (sadly, I wasn’t capable of take a look at this). Final however not least, DxO can also be promising iterative updates over the software program’s lifespan to help the most recent cameras as they’re launched.

DxO PureRAW 2: Fujifilm X-Trans sensor help

Presumably the most important single replace in PureRAW 2 is full help for Fujifilm’s in style X-series cameras that use the proprietary X-Trans sensor. It’s taken DxO a very long time to get round to this, with a decade having handed because the launch of the unique Fujifilm X-Pro1. Fortunately, the outcomes seem like well worth the wait.

DxO PureRAW 2 offers cleaner, extra detailed photographs from Fujifilm X-Trans uncooked information in comparison with Adobe’s processing. Fujifilm X-S10, XF18-55mm F2.8-4 at 41mm, 1/60sec at f/4, ISO 1600

Click on on the picture above to see the full-resolution model. Click on right here for a similar file processed in Adobe Digital camera RAW for comparability.

Simply as with Bayer sensors, DxO produces information from Fujifilm X-Trans cameras that boast noticeably improved delineation of positive element, together with dramatically diminished noise. DeepPRIME is especially good at retaining actual element whereas eradicating noise from easily toned areas of the picture, in a means that typical noise discount algorithms merely can’t match.

DxO PureRAW 2 and its DeepPRIME noise discount does a powerful job with Fujifilm high-ISO information. Fujifilm X-S10, XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 at 200mm, 1/140sec at f/4.8, ISO 12,800

Click on right here to obtain the identical file processed in Adobe Digital camera Uncooked for comparability

This benefit is maximised at excessive ISOs, to the extent that ISO 25,600 information processed in PureRAW utilizing DeepPRIME look pretty much as good as, if not higher than, conventionally processed ISO 12,800 raws.

These comparability crops from the picture above reveals how DxO PureRAW 2 (left) offers dramatically diminished noise at excessive ISOs in comparison with Adobe’s personal processing (proper), whereas retaining element

Nonetheless, you don’t simply see a bonus at excessive ISO settings. For instance, Adobe software program has by no means been particularly adept at rendering grass and foliage element from X-Trans sensors, and DxO’s processing does a significantly better job.

DxO’s processing does a fantastic job of rendering positive element from Fujifilm X-Trans uncooked information. Fujifilm X-S10, XF 23mm F2R, 1/220sec at f/5.6, ISO 160

Click on right here to obtain the identical file processed in Adobe Digital camera Uncooked for comparability

Extra typically, positive monochromatic element akin to material or hair is simply that bit sharper. So even at base ISO, a uncooked file that’s been processed with DxO PureRAW 2 will present visibly improved positive element in comparison with a normal Adobe conversion.

As these 100% crops present, DxO’s processing (left) is dramatically higher at rendering positive element from X-Trans information in comparison with Adobe’s (proper)

Total, for Fujifilm shooters who use a Photoshop or Lightroom-based workflow, PureRAW represents an enormous step forwards in processing high quality.

DxO PureRAW 2: Our Verdict

I’ve been utilizing DxO PureRAW often for a yr now, and over that point I’ve solely come to understand its advantages extra. Should you shoot lots at excessive ISOs, or certainly keep away from taking pictures at excessive ISOs as a consequence of worry of noise, it’s a game-changer. About the one factor that bugs me is that I’d like to have the ability to disable vignetting correction, as that is very a lot an aesthetic alternative.

DxO PureRAW 2 isn’t only for Fujifilm house owners. It’s nice for photographers who’d like cleaner, extra detailed photographs, no matter their digicam model or sensor measurement. Sony Alpha 7 II, Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 at 400mm, 1/500sec at f/6.3, ISO 1600

In some methods, utilizing PureRAW akin to getting a brand new digicam, given the improved picture high quality it delivers out of your uncooked information. This places the £115 asking value in perspective – you’d have to spend so much extra on {hardware} to get a cease higher noise efficiency.

For Fujifilm house owners, the addition of X-Trans help makes PureRAW 2 a really tempting prospect for getting probably the most from their uncooked information. In the meantime for present customers of the software program, there’s no enchancment in picture high quality however the numerous tweaks and workflow enhancements might effectively make an improve worthwhile. Better of all, anybody who’s tempted can obtain the 30-day free trial and provides it a go.