Nikon Z9 High Efficiency NEF files--Compatible with DXO PhotoLab

[joseph_smith3]

DXO PhotoLab version 6.4.0 can now process all versions of Nikon Z9 RAW files including the High Efficiency version. If you already have DXO PL you can upgrade at no cost by downloading ver 6.4.0. I was notified of this when I opened DXO PL today. . 

DXO PureRAW3 can do the same. Not sure if this is a free upgrade or a purchase upgrade as I do not use this program. 

 

 

 

[Dieter Schaefer]

Thanks Joseph, downloading both now. PureRAW 3 is not a free upgrade, it costs $79 for registered users of PureRAW 2 and $129 for new users. Been waiting for that update as I find PureRAW very easy to use and to include in my workflow. I also like Topaz DeNoise AI but it isn't as convenient.

Edited March 16, 2023 by Dieter Schaefer

[mike_halliwell]

20 hours ago, Dieter Schaefer said:

PureRAW 3 is not a free upgrade, it costs $79 for registered users of PureRAW 2

There's some confusion on their Forum that DxOPhotoLab owners aren't getting the PureRAW3 upgrade.

It seems that the Noise Removal in PhotoLab referred to as Deep Prime XD is the same...... but doesn't operate as a standalone, or plug-in.

I think...🤔

[joseph_smith3]

Mike, as far as I know PureRaw and Photo Lab are separate products. Depending on your workflow, id you want Deep Prime XD and the other noise reduction options, you will need one or the other (and maybe both.) I use just DXO PL and not PureRaw so I am no as conversant as ho best to use PureRaw.  

If you want Deep Prime XD integrated in one software (my preference) you use DXO PL ver 6.4.0 (and some earlier versions too). I apply Deep Prime XD when I export a file (usually a Tiff) to NIK Collection, Adobe LR or PS or other program. Or just apply t when making a Jpeg within DXO-PL. 

You can use PureRaw as a plug in for Lightroom. This link explains more about PureRaw 2.

https://lenscraft.co.uk/photography-blog/dxo-launches-pureraw-2/

Here is what Robin says about PureRaw3. 

 

 

[mike_halliwell]

6 hours ago, joseph_smith3 said:

I use just DXO PL

Hummmm, I watched the Video and will remain just a DxOPhotoLab user.

PureRaw3 offers no benefit to my workflow.

The whole point of RAW conversion (I thought) is making the best image possible from the original sensor data aka NEF file. There are so many more options to optimise the RAW file > mage than just Noise Reduction. PureRaw seems to be a very blunt tool, all be it very good for Noise Reduction.

Equally, why I should want to go through DNG is a bit of a mystery. 

[Dieter Schaefer]

3 hours ago, mike_halliwell said:

PureRaw3 offers no benefit to my workflow.

It does for me as I am not regularly using PhotoLab to process my images; I usually use ACR/photoshop. PureRAW allows me to get noise reduction (and with Version 3 lens correction) applied to the RAW image that then automatically opens in ACR (I wish there was an option to not have to save the file as DNG, JPEG, or (new) TIFF- though the option to keep the original RAW file as well as the corrected and de-noised DNG can be useful at times). I can also do a batch process.

Blunt tool - maybe. But starting processing in PhotoLab and finishing in photoshop is a much bigger pain. I prefer the PureRAW workflow over using Topaz DeNoise AI which I can't use on a NEF file directly but usually have to start from inside photoshop.

[Dieter Schaefer]

15 minutes ago, Dieter Schaefer said:

But starting processing in PhotoLab and finishing in photoshop is a much bigger pain

Though it appears that there are now more and better options to export from PhotoLab.

10 hours ago, joseph_smith3 said:

as far as I know PureRaw and Photo Lab are separate products

It appears as if PureRAW is the standalone version of the Noise Reduction and Lens Correction portion of PhotoLab.

[joseph_smith3]

To add more info or confusion to this topic, here is a link to Brad Hill's workflow. He uses Capture One Pro. He says he used DXO PL Elite for Noise reduction and not PureRaw. I do not know how to do what he describes in the link in DXO PL Elite: 

http://www.naturalart.ca/artist/computers.html

[mike_halliwell]

35 minutes ago, Dieter Schaefer said:

52 minutes ago, Dieter Schaefer said:

But starting processing in PhotoLab and finishing in photoshop is a much bigger pain

Though it appears that there are now more and better options to export from PhotoLab.

For something like Nikon Wednesday, I'll probably open an image folder (or straight off the card) in PLab.  Choose the NEF I want, make it look spectacular and save as a 1920 pixel long axis JPEG onto my desktop and Post to P.net.

The 'corrections' live as a side car, so if I want to print that image as maybe a 30x20, I'll reopen said image and save as a full-size TIFF into PShop.

I guess all RAW convertors can save the correction settings as a preset which can be applied to another image or a folder of images. So for the Shoveler duck there a about 40 other wing-flap angles I might want to play with later, so I have a Preset called Duck.

The latest version of PhotoLab has change a default setting that threw me for a bit. When you open an image, the geometry correction shows you the correction but includes the 'warped' bits it's going to cut off if you want it to. See below. The circled box on the right used to be set 'Selected' as default.

Edited March 20, 2023 by mike_halliwell

[Dieter Schaefer]

27 minutes ago, joseph_smith3 said:

I do not know how to do what he describes in the link in DXO PL Elite: 

Seems straight forward to me: export from Capture One, import into PL, apply noise reduction and lens correction, export back to Capture One. I imagine that "Watch Folder" is one he has open in PL so that he can immediately select the exported images for processing.

20 minutes ago, mike_halliwell said:

Choose the NEF I want, make it look spectacular and save as a 1920 pixel long axis JPEG onto my desktop and Post to P.net.

I got so used to my photoshop workflow that I have not tried others for quite some time. I use an action in photoshop to create a full-size JPEG without output sharpening and a reduced-size JPEG with sharpening for web-site posting applied. When Adobe came out with the subscription model, I was ready to dump photoshop altogether - but at about the same time, my wife got into digital photography and started using photoshop; could not persuade her to try anything else. So she and I got stuck with it. I know I cannot use Lightroom as the initial import drives me mad (I also don't like the catalog idea).  Really need to have another go at PhotoLab and also Capture One (though I already decided not to continue upgrading the latter).

Edited March 20, 2023 by Dieter Schaefer

[joseph_smith3]

I emailed Brad Hill regarding his workflow. As some of you have already posted, Brad takes the Nikon RAW file from Capture One into DXO PL and applies Noise reduction and initial sharpening in DXO PL. The end result is a sharpened and noise reduced DNG file that he further processes in Capture One. 

Brad further states why he does not use PureRaw. It offers fewer controls over the NR process than does DXO PL (sliders for Luminance NR, Dead Pixels, or Noise Model.)  Thanks to Brad for providing the additional information.