[rawr]

DXO are discounting DXO Optics Pro again. Until 14 June 2011 you can get it for 30% off - ie USD$99 for the Standard version or USD$199 for the Pro version:

https://shop.dxo.com/login.php?CountryShow=International

More details about DXO Optics Pro:
DxO Optics Pro - Introduction

Although their Pentax support is often very slow and tardy (- eg the K-r is only due to be supported in June 2011, not all Pentax lenses are supported yet, no third-party lenses from Tamron or Sigma etc are supported on Pentax mount etc etc, and a long list of other crimes) I still find myself using DXO a lot.

fyi, ymmv etc.

[causey]

I regularly use DxO even with lenses they don't support (for the lighting effect & other things); it's a superb program, which turns your kit lens into something close to a DA* zoom. However, I'm also disappointed with DxO for the crimes rawr mentioned. I look at the enormous list of lenses supported with Nikon and Canon bodies, and I think it's not fair, given I paid the same amount of money for the program and for upgrades.

[stormtech]

Thanks for the link.

Ahhggghhh - I am neck deep into Acdsee now and it seems to do everything I need/want for now, but after doing some research, it looks like I might have to try DxO.

Downloading the trial now....

So if I have this right, I should first process my images in DxO, then import them into Acdsee for any fine tuning and cataloging?

[causey]

Yes, you process your pics in DxO (input: pef/dng; output: dng), then process them in your raw editor of choice.

[stormtech]

Thanks - I was never happy with processing raw files with Acdsee as all the files came up quite underexposed - I had to bump the exposure on every image before I did anything. Quite possibly something I am doing wrong, but it got to the point where I was shooting mostly jpeg lately just to avoid this.

Is DxO really this easy?

While I hate the fact of spending another $100 on software right now especially since I just bought Acdsee a month ago, but I think I might have to do this so I feel comfortable shooting raw again.

I just did some testing - I find that if I output from DxO directly to a jpeg, it seems to work fine. I would essentially be just doing some cropping from there in Acdsee.

I still need to play with the unsharp mask a bit - if I can do a little sharpening with the DxO process I will have it made.

I'm wondering why unsharp mask is unchecked by default with the default settings. Can anyone tell what settings they are using for sharpening with DxO?

Thanks

[rawr]

Can anyone tell what settings they are using for sharpening with DxO?

I don't have a default. The sharpening really varies with the scene and the lens, and what I want or need to do on an image or set of images.

In terms of workflow, I mainly use DXO to provide a 'second opinion' on a difficult scene or shoot, after I've first imported my RAW+ files into Lightroom.

I still use LR due to it's tagging etc and organisation tools, and also I think it renders high-ISO output from RAW better than DXO. (DXO tends to be a bit more heavy-handed with luminance NR than Lightroom).

Whenever I use DXO with my Pentax DSLR's, it is to open DNG files and output JPG's or TIFF's, and it does a great job, particularly since it is so easy to do exports in multiple sizes and formats all in one hit with DXO, which you can't do easily in LR.

I've also found recently that DXO does a very good job in improving and processing older images I had taken over the years with JPG only point and shoots like my older Fuji FinePix's. It has brought a lot of those older JPG's back to life, even though it lacks any special modules etc for the cameras I used. That has been very useful as I am putting a lot of older stuff into flickr, and DXO has helped make a lot of those old JPG's look great.

[Schraubstock]

Hi
As to the sharpening comments of this thread may I suggest you have a look at this plugin/stand alone software I have been using for many years. It offers probably the most comprehensive range of option of any sharpening programs.

The Plugin Site - FocalBlade - Main

I think there is a free version available but a whole suit of plugins runs under the name of "Photowiz" and has to be bought.

Greetings

[causey]

Here's a discussion you might find interesting:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/60418-dxo-will-support-k-7-a.html

Someone suggested a set of presets by the end of the thread.

This isn't the only thread on DxO. Just use the "search" function to find others.

"Is DxO difficult?" If you want to use DxO's presets or someone else's, I d say it isn't too difficult to figure out how it works. The hard part is to experiment with its functions to create presets that you like, since then you have to figure out the specific functions, to produce various combinations of functions, and to repeatedly compare the results.

Overall, I find it pretty intuitive, though.

[stormtech]

Thanks for all the input folks -

I am continuing the trial version - I have a week to make a decision before the discount expires.

I'm really glad I found DxO - thanks for posting the link for the discount.

[stormtech]

Thought I would post a little follow up -

I've been enjoying the trial while experimenting with it. One thing has pushed me over the edge to buy it.

I've never been 100% happy with my DA 16-45 f4 lens for some reason. In certain circumstances the images seemed to be a bit soft, and it seems to underexpose a bit compared to my other lenses with the same camera settings.

As I started searching for a replacement, which I still might buy (Tamron SP 17-50 2.8), I did a bunch of test shots and ran them through DxO.

DxO cleaned up the images very nicely including getting rid of most of the softness and seemingly equalizing the exposure.

I'm sold!

[rawr]

Yes, those lens modules can be powerful because not only do they handle lens distortion correction, vignetting etc, but they also do some sharpness improving deconvolution.

Another PF member also uses DXO with the 16-45 and says it turned that lens into a Zeiss for him.

[yusuf]

I haven't used DXO. Just wondering, I don't have any DA lenses which seems to be only supported by DXO. Is it still useful?

[causey]

I'm quoting myself)
Here's what I wrote in another thread:
"DxO is a very useful piece of software. It employs a process called 'deconvolution' to greatly improve the overall quality of photos. (From Wikipedia: "In optics and imaging, the term "deconvolution" is specifically used to refer to the process of reversing the optical distortion that takes place in an optical microscope, electron microscope, telescope, or other imaging instrument, thus creating clearer images.") In addition, it automatically deals with vignetting, distortion, CA... But what I particularly like about it is its capacity to allow one to create various settings that combine exposure compensation and a special 'lighting' effect. The software's amazing results owe a lot to the fact that DxO works with individualized combos of camera bodies and lenses (modules) such as the ones posted above."

DxO's combinations of lighting effect and exposure compensation yields a kind of HDR look--and the great advantage of this pseudo-HDR is that it can be done in bulk. For me, this capabiolity alone is worth $100.

I have been using my own "HDR" preset for two years, and a few months ago DxO makers also realized they could just create a "HDR" preset out of the existing functions. But I find theirs a bit too strong.

[rawr]

I don't have any DA lenses which seems to be only supported by DXO. Is it still useful?

Yes, it's still useful, but it works best if you have both a supported body and a supported lens, naturally. Whether it's $99 useful is a matter of opinion.

It still supports all recent Pentax bodies PEF/DNG's, and you can tune the lens optical corrections etc manually to a great degree. I have several Tamron and Sigma lenses that DXO doesn't support on Pentax mount. But it still is able to do good work on images shot with those lenses because the DXO modules for my K-x and K200D have image enhancement tweaks to reflect the characteristics of the body.

It also does a good job on plain old JPG's from any camera, although there are sometimes quirks with that (eg for some reason the DXO noise-reduction options for JPG's shot with my Fuji point and shoots suddenly stopped being available for no reason, after working fine for a long time beforehand).

EDIT: as of Dxo v6.6, the DXO noise reduction options/sliders work again for all images, even those taken by un-supported cameras. So that is now fixed.

[MSM]

For the DXO users: How does the flow work with say aperture 2? I was thinking of buying aperture 3 as an upgrade, when I started thinking of DxO. I like the lens correction and noise/sharpening features that are not great on aperture 2. Do any of you use Dxo and Aperture? Can you use DxO as a stand alone? I don't really get into the PP as I should. I don't use Photoshop/elements, just Aperture for now. Also I take it that if a lens is not supported you can still use the features but there is not a simple one click auto "do it" button. Sorry for the basic questions.

Thanks, Mark