For the past couple of years or so I’ve been using some DxO products in my work flow. Initially I used DxO Pure Raw which, I have to say, is absolutely outstanding for primary RAW file processing. In fact, having tried others e.g Topaz Denoise, I can confidently say that unless something extra magical ‘pops up’ I can’t imagine using anything else at this early stage. I then pop over to Photoshop to finish the job, saving the final image to Light Room Classic to apply copyright etc. So my work flow looks something like this:
Raw files from camera into Light Room Classic for culling (that’s another minefield which I’ll talk about in a future post – Photo Mechanic(?)for speed if processing thousands of images.) Anyway, back to the flow…stage 2 is dump every keeper into DxO Pure Raw and then into Photoshop to finish off. Finally back to Light Room Classic to apply copyright.
But lately I’ve been trying DxO Photolab and DxO Film Pack. I bit late to the party because these bad boys have been around for a while but the tech has improved remarkably over the last year or so – and continues to do so. But I should say from the start that if you’re the sort of person that likes to composite, introduce virtual sunrays, move content around and use all the complex stuff in something like Photoshop, then Photo Lab ain’t for you my friend.
So what is it about DxO PhotoLab 7 and DxO FilmPack 7? Now, I know what you’re thinking – “Yea, Yea, just another piece of photo editing software!” But Whoa there…just a cotton-pickin’ minute folks. Just stick with me; this one’s a bit different. And with that in mind I thought I’d pitch-in with a short-ish review based on…?…well, just based on what I think (with a bit of background experience).
DxO PhotoLab 7: The Bee’s Knees of Photo Editing
(I was going to say ‘Dog’s B******S’ but thought better of it). First off, DxO PhotoLab 7: It’s like the Swiss Army knife for your photos, but instead of a tiny pair of scissors, you’ve got some seriously nifty tools to make your images look top-dollar. Sure the interface might seem a bit like a puzzle at first glance, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be zipping around like a pro.
But the real magic happens with the imbedded DeepPrime XD technology. It’s like having a fairy godmother for your photos, especially the ones you took in that dodgy lighting at your mate’s stag night. It sorts out the noise without making everything look like it’s been smudged by a toddler. (Personally, I do this Deep Prime stuff beforehand in DxO Pure Raw so my images are ready to go by the time I get to Photo Lab….it’s just the way I work)
DxO FilmPack 7: Bringing The Retro Back. This one’s for those who get all misty-eyed over the days of film cameras. It’s chock-a-block with film simulations that’ll make your digital photos look like they’ve time-travelled from your grandma’s photo album. And they’re bloomin’ good simulations too!
They’ve also thrown in Luminosity Masks in the latest version, which is a fancy way of saying you can tweak the light and dark bits separately. It’s a bit like turning up the bass or treble on your stereo, but for your pictures. This is quite astonishing in practice!
Together, They’re a Dream Team
When you use PhotoLab and FilmPack together, it’s like fish and chips – they just belong. You can spruce up your image in PhotoLab, then hop over to FilmPack to slap on some of that old-school charm. It really is that simple. But, like everything else, you gotta get to know it first before you can exploit its full potential.
Bottom Line
So, what’s the verdict? If you’re serious about your photography, or even if you just want to give your holiday snaps a bit more pizzazz, these two are worth a look. They’re not just tools; they’re like your own personal digital darkroom and filter machine rolled into one.
In a nutshell, DxO PhotoLab 7 and FilmPack 7 are the bees knees when it comes to photo editing. They’re a dynamic duo, offering the best of both worlds: pushing your photos to professional standards and, if you fancy it, adding a splash of nostalgia. So, if you fancy giving your pics some real professional je ne sais quoi or want to go for a visual trip down memory lane, give these a whirl. Trust me when I say, ‘DxO Photo Lab Rocks!’ I really can’t imagine my work flow without it now.
Oh! and yea! I still use Photoshop and Light room Classic.
Happy snappin’ folks
Meter The Light 