DXO Pure RAW – Quick review
DXO Pure RAW
Sometimes I forget how spoilt I am with the photo software tools I use. DXO Photo Lab has been my go to RAW converter for years. Yes, I’ve dabbled with Luminar and still use it occasionally, but I always go back to DXO because it is so good.
But most of you use Lightroom, right? The thought of replacing it with something else is probably unpalatable. But you are missing out if you content yourself with what Lightroom offers.
Is there a solution? Yes – DXO offer a solution called DXO Pure RAW.
What is DXO Pure RAW?
DXO Pure RAW is a cut down, and cut price, version of DXO Photo Lab. It offers:
- Class leading noise removal. See my recent comparison of DXO and Topaz Photo AI and ask yourself if your current tool can get even near these results.
- The best vignetting removal
- The best chromatic aberration removal
- The best image distortion corrections
- Intelligent RAW stage image sharpening
DXO Pure RAW Intelligent Sharpening
This is a unique feature. DXO has tested literally thousands of camera + lens combinations and knows the strength and weaknesses of your equipment. it then sharpens the image to compensate for those weaknesses.
The level of sharpening applied during RAW development is critical. Too much and the image is compromised. Too little and the quality suffers.
With DXO, there is no guessing and no need for lengthy trial-and-error adjustments. DXO knows what to do and does it. Simples.
The clever bit
Here’s where DXO Pure Raw shines – it saves your image as a .DNG, which your ‘usual’ RAW converter and editor can then process. You don’t have to learn a new tool – just let DXO Pure RAW do its stuff and then carry on as before.
By performing a DXO Pure RAW process on your RAW file and then saving the result as a .DNG, you get a substantially improved RAW file for your usual converter to work with. And that guarantees better results.
By performing a DXO Pure RAW process on your RAW file and then saving the result as a .DNG, you get a substantially improved RAW file for your usual converter to work with. And that guarantees better results.
But does DXO Pure RAW make a difference?
I’ll let you decide. Here’s a selection of comparison images between a RAW file and the DNG produced by DXO Pure RAW. I shot the image with a Canon EOS RP and the RF 24-105 F4 IS at f/11 – a very sharp lens at its optimum aperture.
The original RAW image is on the left and the DXO Pure RAW processed DNG is on the right. Click the image to see the full sized version and judge for yourself if DXO’s Pure RAW is better.
Download DXO Pure RAW and try it for yourself
Download link: DXO Pure RAW
DXO Pure RAW Special Offer
From January 25th to February 12th, DxO is offering €|$30 off PureRAW
Given the strength of its results and the relatively small outlay, DXO Pure RAW is an essential part of any toolkit, unless you already use DXO Photo Lab.
