DXO Pure Raw

[stngoldberg]

I have been watching some YouTube videos showing the results from this new (to me) software.
Does anyone here have any experience and comments on DXO Pure Raw?
Stanley

 

[scho]

I have been using PureRAW recently and posted some examples in the Sony forum. https://www.getdpi.com/forum/index.php?threads/fun-with-sony-cameras-2021.70347/post-844500

 

[vjbelle]

I tried it with some 7RM4 files and the only thing it did was remove noise. The noise level was already extremely low but Pure Raw took it a step further. There was no improvement in detail or sharpness. It may work better with smaller files. The software currently doesn't support the Fuji 100s but I have some older '100' files and processed one and could not see any difference between ACR and Pure Raw at 100% view level.

Victor B.

 

[pflower]

I've been playing with this mostly with Hasselblad X1D images. In general I'm pretty impressed.

Well exposed shots at 100 iso don't really benefit greatly, but there is a dramatic difference with files shot at 400 iso and above - really quite a startling improvement in detail and sharpness particularly with shots that are slightly underexposed. So for the X1D I think this is pretty interesting.

But having read your comments about the A7RIV, I tried it out on some A7RIII files. As you noticed all that it does with the Sony files is remove noise. In fact in shots taken at about 800 iso there was a very noticeable reduction in detail and sharpness with the Deep Prime files as compared to the original Sony files. All noise had been removed resulting in a smoothing out of the file with a consequent reduction in detail and sharpness.

But for the X1D - the results are quite surprisingly good.

So for anyone interested in this software, I guess the lesson is - download the trial and try it on your own files. For the Sony I can't see the point. For the Hasselblad it will have a use from time to time. From my point of view sufficiently to justify purchasing a licence.

I tried it with some 7RM4 files and the only thing it did was remove noise. The noise level was already extremely low but Pure Raw took it a step further. There was no improvement in detail or sharpness. It may work better with smaller files. The software currently doesn't support the Fuji 100s but I have some older '100' files and processed one and could not see any difference between ACR and Pure Raw at 100% view level.

Victor B.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

I just posted this on the MFT forum. I used Photolab, which is basically the same program as Pureraw, but in a standalone version:

I had heard many positive things about DXO's noise reduction, so I found that I wanted to try it. The results speak for themselves, but let me say right away: this is amazing.

The noise reduction is available in two varieties, as part of their RAW/image processing software, Photolab and as part of their Photoshop plugin, Pureraw. I used Photolab for this. Here's the testing procedure:

Image taken at at 05:29 hrs., 20 minutes before sunrise with a Panasonic G85 (16MP MFT from 2016) using a Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 @ 14mm, f/2.8 and ISO 6400. The only processing added is noise reduction, no sharpening.

The whole image processed to jpeg with DXO Photolab:

100% crop, opened with Adobe ACR without noise reduction:

100% crop, opened with Adobe ACR with noise reduction:

100% crop, processed to DNG with DXO Photolab, then converted to jpeg without noise reduction with ACR:

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Nikon D80 with Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ 24mm, f/4.5 and ISO 400
Noise reduction and some adjustments in DxO PhotoLab, exported to DNG, then further adjustment in ACR before re-sizing and sharpening in Photoshop. The big advantage by doing the noise reduction in PhotoLab (or the PureRaw Photoshop plugin), is that I can adjust colour and sharpening without worrying about re-introducing noise. The photo is as clean as an ISO 64 image from a D810.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

For those who haven't tried PureRaw yet, here's a good introduction by PhotoJoseph:

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Bought the software. Very easy buying decision. PureRaw simply makes any thought of upgrading from MFT to full frame uninteresting. Saves me tons of money, plain and simple.

 

[jrp]

Does the result depend on whether a specific camera ~ lens profile is available? How does the price compare with the full fat dxo processor?

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Does the result depend on whether a specific camera ~ lens profile is available? How does the price compare with the full fat dxo processor?

The price difference was $10 during the promotion that ended yesterday. The point with PureRaw isn't to save money, but to integrate it into an existing workflow rather than changing to DxO PhotoLab, which has a user interface very different from ACR/Photoshop/Lightroom.

My workflow now for photos that I want to process with PureRaw is:

- Open RAW file in PureRaw
- Export DNG file to ACR with noise reduction and lens corrections disabled or turned to zero
- Do further adjustments (if needed) in ACR
- Open in Photoshop for sharpening, re-sizing, manipulations and other stuff that Photoshop is best at

I save time doing it this way, since PR evaluates the photo and processes each part individually. It's actually very impressive.

 

[fotoism]

Do I understand correctly PureRAW gives an error if you try to run it on files (RAW files, not the output files) that were previously processed but now you want to re-process them to see if you can get any improvements? In other words, "virgin" RAW files only.

 

[scho]

Do I understand correctly PureRAW gives an error if you try to run it on files (RAW files, not the output files) that were previously processed but now you want to re-process them to see if you can get any improvements? In other words, "virgin" RAW files only.

You will get same message if you you try to use any Fujifilm X files (other than XT-2) or other camera raw files that are not supported. You can use a simple work around if you want to try unsupported Fuji X camera files. Just open the raw files in ExifEditor and change the camera name to X-T2. PureRaw will then recognize the files and process to DNG.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Do I understand correctly PureRAW gives an error if you try to run it on files (RAW files, not the output files) that were previously processed but now you want to re-process them to see if you can get any improvements? In other words, "virgin" RAW files only.

If the RAW file has been processed by another RAW processing program, it will ignore the XMP file where the changes are stored. I do think that those can be applied later though. I think PhotoJoseph says something about that when he describes the different workflows in his video that I posted above. It will not accept DNG files that it has created itself, so you can't "double process" in PureRaw.

It will not process DNG files from Topaz Gigapixel AI, which I'm trying out at the moment. I'll check later if Gigapixel will accept DNG files from PureRaw. I also observe that DNG files from DJI Mini and Mini 2 are not accepted. I will ask them about that. Files from DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 are not accepted in PureRaw, but according to their list in PhotoLab.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Here's another exercise:
I shot the same motive with Panasonic 7-14mm f/4 @ 7mm and the with the Zuiko 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye. Then I processed both images, first in ACR, then with DxO PureRaw. No other corrections were applied. I noticed the following:

- All images processed with PureRaw had better colour, more details and better sharpness.
- The Fisheye photo processed with PureRaw was de-fished to become rectilinear and considerably wider than the 7mm photo
- The 7mm photo is wider when processed with PureRaw than with ACR (this lens is not optically correct and is always corrected in software)
- The 8mm processed with PureRaw gives some distortion in the corners

1. 7mm with ACR

2. 7mm with PureRaw

3. 8mm with ACR

4. 8mm with PureRaw

 

[Jan Brittenson]

I've used DxO PhotoLab for a while - since Adobe stopped adding lens and camera support to Lightroom - and am very pleased with it. I'm still on PL3 though. I've also used Nik Tools forever, where Silver Efex and Viveza are mainstays for me. DxO has integrated some of Nik functionality into other tools, such as structure controls, but I still prefer to convert color files with a very flat look and bring them to where I like it in Viveza. It just looks better, hard to put my finger on why. I also have ViewPoint 3 and Film Pack 5. (These were part of a bundle at some point.) I'll probably get the new Nik Tools and PL 4 at some point.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

I'm currently using PureRaw for processing of a major project where I should really have used a full frame camera rather than my MFT gear due to lighting conditions. I'm using what I have though, and so far, this software has carried me through without problems. There are things to be aware of though. I'll come back with samples in a few days.