A collection of rambling thoughts about DxO PureRAW 5
I find it is actually easier to explain what DxO PureRAW 5 is not – rather than what it is!
It is NOT an end-to-end image editor where you poke a RAW file in one end and have a superb, ready to hang on the wall image come out the other end after applying a few presets and a few slider adjustment, etcetera. In other words it is not a replacement for your existing photo editing apps.
DxO PureRAW 5 has no white balance adjustment; no crop or levelling tools; no exposure adjustment; no HSL adjustment; and so on.
It provides – as the name suggests – only Pure RAW processing!
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What Is DxO PureRAW 5?
In essence, the task of DxO PureRAW 5 is to pre-process your camera’s RAW files to create a super high quality starting point enabling you to get the very best results using your existing workflow.
PureRAW merges, in one powerful app, DxO’s lens corrections and their AI-powered noise reduction and detail enhancing features, providing:
- The finest level of optical corrections based on DxO’s lab testing of thousands of cameras/lens combinations;
- Reduced lens softness across the whole lens – not just the edges – and optimised image sharpness;
- World leading noise reduction using DxO’s DeepPRIME technology. PureRAW 5 introduces DeepPRIME 3 and DeepPRIME XD3 for Fuji X-Trans;
- Lens vignetting reduction and chromatic aberration correction.
As usual here is my standard disclaimer – this is not intended as an in depth review, but rather it is a bringing together of my random thoughts and opinions about the standalone version of DxO PureRAW 5. I have not used it as a plugin for any other image processing packages, and I certainly haven’t pushed the app to its limits!
I first ran a few of my old RAW files through PureRAW 5 to see if the app lives up to DxO’s claim that PureRAW will “Supercharge your cameras and lenses“.
The image of the mounted policeman below was shot a few years ago at ISO3200 using a Nikon D5100 at 1/30sec handheld, f4.8, 32mm zoom lens setting.
Note the 400% magnification factor.
The left hand side is the original RAW (converted to TIFF) file; and the right hand side is the same RAW file processed in PureRAW file and converted to TIFF.
I’m sure you’ll agree that is a pretty good result.
I also set up a bit of an unscientific high-ISO test in my back garden on a very dull day, and created a short video to show just how easy using the standalone version of PureRAW 5 is to use.
You may have noticed that down in the bottom right hand corner at the start of the video there is an option to Process with Preview or just Process.
The Process option allows batch processing which is quite fast on my laptop (a MacBook Air M3), taking just over 3 minutes to process 30 NEF files from my Nikon D7500.
And talking of speed – the processing time for just a single 20.9MP file (approx 28MB) was mere seconds.
What the video doesn’t show is that there is a choice of output file types – DNG, TIFF or JPEG.
You must select at least one option – but can select all three!
There are also choices for where you want the output files to go; there is a renaming option; and also the ability to export to another application, selected by a drop down list.
My understanding is that the whole point of PureRAW is to produce a DNG output which can be used for further RAW processing. DNG retains all the attributes of your original RAW file, but the PureRAW DNG file offers a lens distortion corrected, lens softness corrected, noise and chromatic aberration reduced starting point.
The TIFF file is ideal for less intensive processing in your favourite photo editor, and the JPEG output, ideal for immediate sharing or showing, offers the choice to use DxO’s Smart Lighting on the image. Unfortunately there is no resizing option – just a JPEG quality option.
JPEG results were, I thought, surprisingly good, as shown by this Stone Cat shot at ISO6400.
Also not shown in the video above are the masking options which allow specific parts of an image to be processed separately from the rest. I’ve not spent a great deal of time trying out the masking.
For Fujifilm camera users, PureRAW now has a DeepPRIME XD3 X-Trans option (beta – with Feedback) available – something, being a Nikon user, I naturally could not try.
Apparently PureRAW 5 plays much more seamlessly with LR Classic than previous versions – but not being a Lightroom user I cannot comment on this.
My conclusions…
DxO PureRAW 5 is a remarkably good! Well actually better than good – it is excellent making it a great app for any photographer to have; especially professionals who regularly batch process large numbers of RAW files.
For amateur photographers, and hobbyists like myself, PureRAW is definitely a great tool to have if you strive for absolute excellence with each and every photograph you produce.
I like the modern looking interface; and I like the overall ease of use.
Overall I was impressed by its fast, effective operation, and I love that PureRAW 5 can bring new life to some of my older high-ISO, detail-lacking images. It can certainly make keepers out of non-keepers.
And, depending on an image’s content, it can add noticeable sharpness to lower ISO photos as well.
I’m in two minds about adding another step to my post-processing workflow, and have really yet to decided if that is a turn-off factor for me.
I don’t like the fact that DNG and TIFF files from PureRAW 5 are so huge – more than double the input file size. Storage space could disappear very quickly. Having said that the output quality more than makes up for that downside.
As much as I love DxO PureRAW 5, I haven’t yet decided if I will use it full time; or if I will just use it for cleaning up noisy images, which Photolab 8 already does a great job of doing, especially with an update adding DeepPRIME 3 to it.
There are a few things I would add to a wish list for future updates to PureRAW 5:
- A cropping and horizon tool;
- Direct output to the Nik collection (as per PL8);
- A preview of the effect of Smart Lighting for JPEGs (if it’s there now I haven’t found it);
- A resize function on the JPEG output.
My overall assessment probably runs very close to 5 out of 5 – say 4.8…
But the really, really BIG PLUS is that you probably needn’t be scared of shooting at higher ISOs anymore, and you can use AUTO-ISO freely…
But don’t take my word for it – download a free trial and test DxO Pure RAW 5 for yourself.
