Interesting discussion as I’ve been through this dilemma since I acquired an X1D to use alongside a Phase IQ back.
I’ve used Phocus on and off for at least 10 years, maybe more, when it was necessary to process 3FR files that came out of my Flextight scanner. It worked just fine but somehow I never quite got to grips with it and defaulted to LR & PS for other images from whatever digital camera I had at the time.
However, since acquiring a Phase back 6 years ago, I have used Capture One and found it so good to use that my preferred route for X1D files is to convert them to dng in LR and do the Exif edit “fudge” before importing to C1.
Putting aside the obvious benefit of lens profiles in Phocus, I was rather concerned that I was missing something by not using It for the X1D files. So, whilst I can’t claim to have done it thoroughly or scientifically, I made a rough comparison between Phocus and the alternatives that I normally use.
I processed several X1D image files to TIFFs and compared them. They were noticeably different - with (in my judgement) Phocus being the most accurate and appealing.
However, in trying to make all three TIFFs look the same, I went back to the RAW file and made adjustments to the LR & C1 images, including getting the WB to look the same. I had included a grey card in the photos - which was unusually good thinking for me!
The LR file was noticeably softer (with the standard profile) but otherwise similar. So I just increased the sharpening.
With C1 (dng neutral profile) it was a bit duller and turning up the saturation (about +20) did the job in giving it the same look as the Phocus image. Sharpness looked very much the same.
The outcome was that, after making these adjustments, all TIFFs were good, and near identical.
So I’m reasonably comfortable that I can use my preferred software without feeling that I’m missing something.
Of course, it would be reasonable to ask why go to all this trouble to process an X1D file in C1 and all I can say is that I find the whole experience more rewarding.
YM will almost certainly V but it works for me!
Paul.