DxO OpticsPro

[John Geerts]

Has anyone experience with the DxO OpticsPro  for post processing images?     Link   http://www.dxo.com/us/photography/photo-software/dxo-opticspro/features

[Akira]

I used versions 8 and 9 of Essential Edition.  The profiling of many camera/lens combos as well and the noise reduction were impressively powerful (the Elite edition of current version 10 seems to offer the even more powerful "prime" noise reduction).  Also, I liked the film simulations offered by the plug-ins, especially those of B&W films.

DXO OpticsPro is essentially a powerful RAW developer and thus offers no extensive local control, if I remember correctly.  DXO ignores Fuji X-Pro and probably Foveon sensors.

When I was using DXO, I did further edit the images in Photoshop Elements.  I stopped using both of them when I migrated to Photoshop CC.

If I remember correctly, Airy is a heavy user of DXO OpticsPro.  He will chime in eventually.

[Airy]

I *was* a heavy user, esp. because of the "PRIME" noise reduction (from v9 IIRC), and also for the advanced geometrical corrections (anamorphosis for instance, when using super wide angles). In this respect DxO was quite unique, and still is. The latter feature has become extra payware though, if I am not mistaken.

On the other hand, the default color profiles are not really subtle, but that can be corrected. Another strength is the batch processing.

Since then I moved to LR because of the cataloguing system, plus excellent overall performance. Besides, cameras have become less noisy and the NR feature of Lightroom caught up, to some extent, soI do not really bother. Also, the geometrical corrections now proposed by LR are real time savers.

[John Geerts]

Thanks Akira and Airy.

I already use CC for a number of other applications apart from photography and I think the Raw Camera-filter is a bonus (although it works better with an extra layer for control). ACR is great with colors but lacks good automated lens and noise-handling to my idea. There are improvements in that area and what I could see it's on the same par as PhotoNinja.

Is Lightroom much improved?  (In the past I didn't like the way it handles files)

[Airy]

In LR 6 / LR CC 2015:
Lens distortion & vignetting handling : only recent lenses; no MF Nikkor profiles; no Voigtländer profiles. In one very specific case 20/2.8 AIS, the profile of the nearl-identical AF version can be used to correct the moustache distortion.
Lens lateral CA : correction does not rely on profiles, apparently.
De-noising : pretty good for recent FX sensors (D800, Df) until about 6400 resp. 12800; also good enough for m43 (OM-D) provided you do not exceed about 2000 ISO with these and the scene is correctly exposed.

[Shane]

If you like to work in ProPhotoRGB then DXO is a problem as it does not support that colour space. The export as ProPhotoRGB drops an aRGB image into a ProPhotoRGB colour space - not the same thing.

[John Geerts]

Thank you all for the answers. I entered the test phase with DxO OpticsPro 10.5 for a month. The program has two editions, Essential and Elite, at 129 and 199 euro. It's 'Prime RAW denoising' is most promising and part of the Elite edition.

[Shane]

Lens lateral CA : correction does not rely on profiles, apparently.

From the DXO website it would appear that it is included in their profiles.

"Using a target covered with black dots on a white background, we evaluate LCA all over the field.

We compute statistical data such as maximum and mean values for  the image, then we use a color scale to map those values as functions of focal length and aperture value.

We plot curves that represent the variation as a function of the field position of the shifts between the red and green channels on the one hand, and between the blue and green channels on the other hand.

We measure LCA for each focal length and aperture.

We map the variation of the maximum of LCA in the image at each field position for different values of focal lengths and apertures."

http://www.dxomark.com/About/In-depth-measurements/Measurements/LCA

[John Geerts]

I like the way DxO works and the prime noise-handling is better than CC's. But I need more time to analyze it fully 

Here an example at ISO 51.200 

Df with 85K

[Airy]

From the DXO website it would appear that it is included in their profiles.

"Using a target covered with black dots on a white background, we evaluate LCA all over the field.

We compute statistical data such as maximum and mean values for  the image, then we use a color scale to map those values as functions of focal length and aperture value.

We plot curves that represent the variation as a function of the field position of the shifts between the red and green channels on the one hand, and between the blue and green channels on the other hand.

We measure LCA for each focal length and aperture.

We map the variation of the maximum of LCA in the image at each field position for different values of focal lengths and apertures."

http://www.dxomark.com/About/In-depth-measurements/Measurements/LCA

Then I have to check again with lenses having no profile - I think I remember it worked...
@John Geerts : the NR is indeed the best around. No artifacts, good preservation of details.

[Akira]

Airy, you refered to Photoshop CC when you mentioned the lateral CA correction being not dependent on the lens profiles, right?

My impression is that Photoshop CC uses dedicated profiles when available, but that it can also correct CA without the profiles (though not as efficient as when profiles are available).  I could correct the residual CA in the TIFF files of my stitched pano to some extent in the Camera Raw filter.

[Airy]

Yes, indeed. Got confused. Still, the question holds for DxO - what if there is no profile. When I most used it, I was also using recent lenses and profiles were mostly available...

[chris dees]

I use DXO Optics Pro 10.5, but mostly for noise handling. It's magic for the Nikon 1, but for the D810 and Df as well.
And of course the lens profiles.
It can be used within LR and afterwards it returns automatically to LR, it's a bit slow though.
I find the UI difficult to use, but I'm used to LR from the beginning.

[Airy]

The stupid thing is the price : in the past, DxO (versions 5-6-7...) had sophisticated geomeetric corrections built in, e.g. anamorphosis correction. Now these functions, not provided elsewhere, are packaged in a separate, expensive program. Duh.

[John Geerts]

Yes, indeed. Got confused. Still, the question holds for DxO - what if there is no profile. When I most used it, I was also using recent lenses and profiles were mostly available...

Yes, indeed. No profiles for MF Nikkors.  It's possible to apply for a lens-profile, but not sure if it's handled in due order.

But it would be nice to see the same approach as ACR is doing at the moment.