DxO Photolab 4 noise reduction

snakebunk

I've never liked the noise reduction in LR, I rather have a little bit of noise than use it, but the demosaicing and deep prime noise reduction in DxO Photolab 4 is something completely different. I've started to do demosaicing, lens corrections (lens sharpness) and deep prime in photolab, export the images back to LR as dng-files and continue from there, and I am really happy with the result.

Is anyone else doing this or have you found another way to improve on the image quality in LR?

This is a description of what I do: https://www.squarepixel.photography/article/dxo-photolab-4s-second-best-new-feature

snakebunk

PS. For an example, see these Wood Duck images shot with a D810 and ISO around 4000. The noise is almost gone and I think the colors and details have improved: http://www.snakebunk.com/animalia/aves/anseriformes/aix/#aix_sponsa

spraynpray

Can you post the original shot so we can compare please? The feathers on the wood duck seem to lack detail and I would like to see how much was there in the first place.

snakebunk

@spraynpray: Check the link again, I added a LR only version below the first image. I think the lack of detail is because the bird was really close and part of it is simply out of focus. I cannot see any lack of detail in the in focus area around the eye.

retread

I open my shots in photolab 4 and export as a 16 bit .tiff to capture one 21. Deep prime works great when I have a high ISO image.

snakebunk

Nice.

spraynpray

Thanks for adding the LR version snakebunk. It does show that the result is much better than LR only for sure.

snakebunk

Yes, I think it is rather amazing. I could of course work more with the noise reduction in LR to make it a little better, but I would loose detail and get that strange plastic look.

daveznspace

Love dxo. All high iso images go thru there.

Since I didn't go along with topaz labs extortion attempt (the refunded all my money thank god) I don't use their Denise ai either.

What I kept was https://projects-software.com/denoise Pro 3. It's way different and I love it. If you join the mailing list just about everyday they do a huge drop on an apps price, like Denise pro 3 went from $99 to $29.

It's good stuff and no one really knows them

MrFotoFool

I don't use Lightroom or DxO. However I have the NIK suite of plugins that I use with Photoshop Elements. Nik Define, one of the programs included in the suite, is for noise reduction and does a great job in my experience. The noise reduction tool built into Photoshop Elements is nowhere near as good because it tends to make the entire image less sharp. Nik Define reduces noise but keeps the main subject of focus sharp. (The other NIK plugins are great as well).

retread

I have DXO Photolab and the NIK collection. I used the NIK collection with Photoshop Elements for a while. Used Define for my denoising. When I first got Phltolab I started using the noise reduction in it or Define. I am now using Photolab and Capture one. Deep prime denoising in Photolab is the best I have used. I like the NIK collection and don't use them as much as I maybe should. I only use Elements now for adding text when I need to.

retread

Is anyone having trouble upgrading photo lab? They reject my credit card. The credit card company says they have no record of the rejection. I have been using my credit care other places with no trouble. Upgrading to capture one 22 was not a problem and worked as it should.

dcisive7

I'm a pretty staunch DXO Photolab 5 user for most of my processing in general. However I recently decided to try the trial of the Topaz DeNoise AI/Sharpen AI package. I was very doubtful at first but a good friend and fellow photographer urged me to give it a try. So I took some shots with my R5 at ISO25,600 in very low light on the subject being some cut glass bells in a curio in our near dark livingroom hanheld no less. What transpired literally rocked my world. I've used pretty much EVERY program and noise reduction program out there and I have to tell you NONE of them come close. Yes NOT even the DXO Deep Prime. The file I ended up with was literally devoid of ANY grain (DXO couldn't quite get there) and applying the sharpening program from Topaz allowed for literal removal of the movement blur that resulted from hand holding in such low light. So I'm here to tell you there is simply NOTHING like it. Here is a sample I shot after working it in Topaz's programs. The RAW file 25,600ISO shot was of course full of grain at 100%. https://pbase.com/image/172256650

Capt_Spaulding

C&%P. Now that I finally seem to have figured out Pure Raw and Cap 1, you come along and dangle another shiny bauble in front of me.

Ton14

@dcisive7 For years I have been using Topaz modules, only Topaz Mask is left and this piece of software is also starting to become obsolete by other fast methods.
Last November I ran about 2500 high ISO (between 3200 and 12,800) through Topaz Noise AI and DxO Pure RAW. The result was that both programs performed well, but of about 100 photos, DxO Pure RAW came out better, with 50 of Topaz Noise AI having some artifacts in it that were really unacceptable.

That was the main reason for me to choose DxO Pure RAW, furthermore the DxO Pure RAW processing and my workflow with it is much faster and easier than with Topaz Noise, but in my world the software that you can work with well and quickly is always the best.

snakebunk

I agree with Ton14. But I think it is easy to download trial versions and try them out yourself.

Ton14

@snakebunk That's the way I always do it, I have DeNoise from Topaz and Sharpen AI. Every time an upgrade comes out, I test it first. For example Sharpen in Cap 1 is better and much more subtle than in Sharpen AI from Topaz, Topaz Sharpen over-sharp very quickly and is slow.

I always look for a fast, as simple as possible workflow and time has taught me, I had that for about 10 years with Lightroom and Photoshop (90% Lightroom). Two years ago I switched to Capture one and Affinity Photo with a very short learning curve, mainly because I don't want software with a monthly subscription. Furthermore, the improved and faster hardware always plays a major role.

The De-noise in Capture One works fine and Pure RAW I use mainly from ISO 6400 onwards, but that is an automated process in a Cap 1 Session for me now: drag selection of photos, click and let it go.

daveznspace

First thing to remember here is the actual shot, what I mean is the closer the subject is or the more the screen is filled the more detail you'll get in original shot and in the grand scheme of things the higher you can go with iso and the easier the noise is to remove and still retain detail. A far away and small on sensor subject will lack detail so don't expect any noise software to do much good.

DxO pureraw is fantastic but another step. My high noise ones go thru pureraw then into Photolab where fyi... you can still add additional noise removal if needed. But the great thing is I can do the whole edit in photolab way faster than topaz labs DeNoise can even render and output.

Don't forget that topaz denoise also sharpens and IMO, not in a good way.

If I don't need high iso nr I'll use franzis Denoise Prodjects 3 Professional. No one but me ever brings them up. Even though it will do an auto mode you can really get into a ton of options (great for setting up presets for different cameras). Like astro settings, full or cropped camera, camera body, iso shot at, goes on and on. and it's on sale cheap all the time. There is a version 4 but it looks like it's windows only.

link here

retread

I export to capture one from photo lab and sometimes ad more noise reduction there.
Setting up a new computer I upgraded to capture one 22 without a problem. DXO will not except my credit card. I am using it other places without a problem. Card company says they have no record of rejecting my card. What is a good replacement for photo lab? I like the program and use some of the tools regularly (still using my old computer). I am just tired of all the hassle and run around.