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Archive 2021 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

Jorgen Udvang
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

Moving back into more paid work, I have been considering buying into a full frame system for kinds of photography where high ISO is unavoidable. However, I stumbled over a discussion about DxO PureRaw at another forum, and thought I would give it a shot.

PureRaw is basically the lens correction and noise reduction engines from DxO PhotoLab configured into an app that exports a DNG to another RAW processing or photo editing software. That way, it's possible to take advantage of DxO's superior algorithms without having to change the processing workflow completely.

It took me just 30 minutes of testing before I was completely sold and bought the application. This allows me to shoot comfortably at ISO 6400 for paid work, and although it's not always perfect, it's a huge improvement.

Below are four examples:

1. The full image, shot with a GX8 with Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 @ ISO 6400, opened in PureRaw, exported as DNG to ACR with noise reduction in ACR set to zero
2. 100% crop opened in ACR with no noise reduction
3. 100% crop opened in ACR with noise reduction applied
4. 100% crop opened in PureRaw, exported as DNG to ACR with noise reduction set to zero

All resizing done in Photoshop.

1.

This also makes it possible to do much more drastic colour, exposure and sharpening adjustments in ACR and Photoshop, since the noise is basically gone. Very useful tool.

Check also this video by PhotoJoseph, where he goes through different possible workflows using DxO PureRaw.

Jun 01, 2021 at 11:25 PM

realVivek
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

Still, a bit of details are lost with the new processing.

There is no free lunch! As Panasonic themselves are saying, m43 is for speed compactness and the FF is for DR, low light.

It is very impressive to see how far the GX8 has come compared to the G1 at debut but it is a fact that FF can not be beat when it come s to matters like this.

Imagine applying the “pure RAW” to the FF files!

Jun 02, 2021 at 05:43 AM

rscrawfo
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

I've also been really impressed with it. It's rescued many shots for me and like you I've decided to stay in the MFT system for now.

Jun 02, 2021 at 06:09 AM

Jorgen Udvang
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

realVivek wrote:
Still, a bit of details are lost with the new processing.

There is no free lunch! As Panasonic themselves are saying, m43 is for speed compactness and the FF is for DR, low light.

It is very impressive to see how far the GX8 has come compared to the G1 at debut but it is a fact that FF can not be beat when it come s to matters like this.

Imagine applying the “pure RAW” to the FF files!

Still, the GX8 is 6 years old now. It's the oldest MFT 20MP camera. It does the job for me, and it does the job for my clients. With this, it does the job even better. ISO 6400 is rather extreme for MFT in my view, but with 1600 or even 3200, it's doing real wonders.

I have also edited some old files from old Nikon cameras, like the D80 and D2Xs, and the results are fantastic.

Jun 02, 2021 at 06:37 AM

selfnoise
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

I'd argue that the amount of data lost is pretty minimal for most uses. Perhaps you'd be able to notice on very large prints.

I've found Photolab such an excellent piece of software, it's just a shame it doesn't support X-Trans.

Jun 02, 2021 at 02:24 PM

Lleuallen
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

I gotta bitch. Using Photo Lab 4 and batching from LR, the photos come back stacked with the original file on top, not the denoised one. This is not what you want. I waste a lot of time putting the Dxo image on top so I can process them. Other than that, I get very good results at ISO 6400.

Jun 02, 2021 at 04:23 PM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

I have no experience with DxO PureRaw, but know that myself and many others are impressed with Topaz DeNoise AI on many types of files, including Oly files.

Jun 02, 2021 at 07:26 PM

Jorgen Udvang
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

Part of the attraction with PureRaw is how well it integrates into my workflow. I right click on the image in Bridge and choose PureRaw, process it and export the DNG to ACR. It's one extra step, but that step is fully automated. If I want to ommit it, I just open with ACR as usual.

Even for lower ISO images, I get much more detail and better colours than when processed with ACR only, and my Panasonic 7-14mm is suddenly wider at the wide end. It also de-fishes the Zuiko 8mm Fisheye to a rectilinear image that is wider than 7mm, giving me an ultra-ultra f/1.8 wide-angle lens.

Jun 03, 2021 at 12:22 AM

Jack Kelley
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

Imagemaster wrote:
I have no experience with DxO PureRaw, but know that myself and many others are impressed with Topaz DeNoise AI on many types of files, including Oly files.

Tony, do you cap ISO on your E-M1III? If so, have you raised it since acquiring Topaz DeNoise AI? I'm capped at 3200 on my E-M1X. Now that I'm gratefully using DeNoise, I'll test higher limits. Knowing how good you are at post, just wondering if you've settled on a ceiling.

Jun 03, 2021 at 02:27 PM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

Jack, I have always had to go up to 6400, due to the often dimmer light we get here compared to L.A.

Jun 04, 2021 at 11:41 AM

Bob Kane
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

I'm not aware that Topaz software has an "expiration date". Topaz grants a perpetual license for each program, although annual upgrades (for what they're worth) seem pretty steep. On the plus side, you can skip as many upgrade issues as you want and only upgrade to the current version when you feel the need. Did I miss something?

Jun 04, 2021 at 07:34 PM

Jack Kelley
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

Imagemaster wrote:
Jack, I have always had to go up to 6400, due to the often dimmer light we get here compared to L.A.

Topaz certainly gives me better-looking results at the higher ISO’s.

The first Topaz products I bought did not have expiration dates. I was not impressed when Topaz went to subscription format with DeNoise AI. As a result I have not upgraded it.

Companies that do that really annoy me.

Thanks, Tony. I looked back through some of your posted images (always a joy), and came away impressed at how clean you made even the 5,000 and 6400 ISO frames. I'll give it a try. The air may be brighter here in L.A., but it's also chewable. :-) A few years ago my wife and I vacationed with Vancouver friends at Qualicum Beach. What a spectacular locale.

FWIW I've so far received a couple of free upgrades to Topaz DeNoise AI, and (I think) one to Topaz Sharpen AI. I really like Comparison view that shows the original plus three different denoise or sharpen options; makes choosing a method pdq.

Jun 05, 2021 at 01:40 PM

livefromphilly
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · DxO PureRaw and MFT

Yeah, it’s a pretty amazing bit of software. I’ve been really impressed with what it does for my M43 images, and even smaller stuff like the 1” Nikon V system and Sony RX100 I used to own. Heck, old shots from high megapixel full frame cameras like the Nikon D800 or Sony A7RII look worlds better after processing.

The only bad part is that it doesn’t work for most Fuji cameras and I shot with the X100 series a lot in the past 2-3 years.

Jun 11, 2021 at 02:23 PM


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