I want to start by apologising for my radio silence over the past couple of weeks. The first week I didn’t post was Good Friday. But then last week, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh passed, and it just didn’t seem right to be posting. I hope you understand.
Of course, the other problem that I’m also trying to contend with is that I haven’t been out to do any photography. Looking back through my archives, the last time I did any photography in April was 2019 with a trip to Scotland. Looking back, I now find even some of my second-rate images that I dismissed at the time, appealing.
I wish I could tell you more about this shot, but I can’t. It’s somewhere in the Scottish Highlands along the coast. It was around 5pm in the afternoon so still a few hours away from sunset but the light on the sea loch was wonderful. I remember using quite a strong filter to tame the highlights, but I didn’t make a note (argh!). I suspect it was a reverse ND graduate so I’m going to claim that. The camera was a Fuji XT3 with Fuji 16-55 lens at 16mm. I can’t recall if I used a tripod but if I did it probably wasn’t necessary as the exposure is 1/450″ at f/11 and ISO160.
Image processing is limited. I’ve just applied a Kodak Ultracolor film preset using Exposure X6. I think the simplicity of the preset works well for this scene. If I tried to do more, I would probably end up ruining the atmosphere.
I’m looking forward to getting out with a camera again but I’m also feeling very rusty.
DxO PureRAW Video
On Wednesday DxO launched a new RAW converter called PureRAW. It’s not actually a RAW converter in the traditional sense but a pre-processer. You use it to pre-process RAW files where you wanted to achieve the best image quality. PureRAW processes the image file to Demosaic the RAW data and applies the DxO Optical corrections and DeepPRIME noise reduction. The processed image is then saved as a DNG file which you can work on further in your RAW converter of choice.
DxO is well known for its excellent image quality in products like PhotoLab. Pure RAW takes this same processing power and applies it to RAW files so you can use it with any RAW converter. The assumption is that the PureRAW processing is better than your existing RAW converter.
I was quite fortunate in that DxO shared a version of the software with me a week before launch. This allowed me to test it and produce a review to coincide with the launch. If you want to know how PureRAW works and if it makes a difference, watch my video on YouTube. I also share a few limitations I came across whilst putting the software through its paces.
I hope you like the image and have a great weekend.
The Lightweight Photographer 
Hey Robin
I hope that you’re well
So, I watched your video on the DXO PureRAW software and I’ve just downloaded the trail (using your affiliate link) and I’ve opened up half a dozen images to see how the program fares and it’s bloody brilliant. It has transformed my images. I cannot get over just how much better the raw looks heading into Photoshop CC 2020. So big thumbs up from me Robin. This will be a game changer for me for sure. I am already using their DeNoise which is superb but I suspect that I’ll no longer have to use that now. We’ll see.
Anyway Robin, have a great weekend and stay safe
Best wishes Melvin
Melvin Nicholson Photography
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That’s great to hear. I’ve been very impressed by PureRAW and it fits nicely into my workflow as a preprocessor. I’m pleased you seem to have had such great results with it. Thanks also for using my link.
Hello Robin
It is nice to learn, there are still people with reverence (English is not my mother tongue and I am not sure what expression would be really appropriate) for other people and what happens around us. Thank you.
Best regards, Robert
Thank you
Hi Robin
I have, and occasionally use, PhotoLab already (mostly for Nikon 1 files). If I understand right, in your video you mention that the image quality from both PhotoLab and PureRAW is comparable. As the convenience to have a separate pre-processor is not that important to me – I am a slow post-worker, do not have that much images and use other software as pre-processors like NXD or Phocus already. Yet another piece of software…
Based on the above I concluded that I do not really need PureRAW.
Do you see something I am overlooking? Your opinion would be appreciated, thanks in advance. Stay healthy and keep up your helpful work!
Regards
No, you’re not missing anything. The PureRAW software seems to be aimed at Lightroom users who won’t use anything else. In comparison to Lightroom, the image quality is much better with most RAW file types (that I have checked) but you can do the same thing in PhotoLab 4 Elite. It has the DeepPRIME noise reduction and the lens module correction. You can also set it up to export DNG files back to Lightroom.
Thank you very much, Robin! So I can save for the first installment for a Pano-Hassy! 😉
Joking only, one can‘t have all he wants – as already Mick Jagger has said. Take care!