New Gear: DxO Releases Optics Pro 11 Image Editing Software
DxO has some of the best noise reduction tech around and now it's faster
Many people know DxO for their camera testing procedures, which we use here at Popular Photography as part of our test lab. But, DxO has long been making a high-quality image editing program called OpticsPro and today they’re upgrading it to version 11.
One of the big draws for OpticsPro has been the noise reduction software that it calls Prime. The 2016 version promises to be more effective while increasing speed. I have always found Prime to be extremely effective when it comes to noise reduction, but it does take a relatively long time to apply, especially across several images, so a speed boost is certainly welcome. In fact, they claim it’s up to 4x faster than before.
They have added functions like automatic red-eye reduction, a smart selection system for applying their Smart Light tone mapping tech, and auto micro-contrast which aids in sharpening, but plays nice with fine detail and high-ISO images.
DxO has also added more rating and filtering options and shortcuts, which will help it better compete with other workflow solutions like Lightroom and Capture One, both of which do an excellent job in terms of file management. It doesn’t have to worry about competing too much, though, because it also works in concert with Lightroom.
There are two versions, including a $99 Essentials edition and a $149 Elite edition. The Essential version lacks important features like Prime and Clearview, so it seems like that would be the one you should probably buy if you’re considering it. Even the Essential version, however, provides the optical corrections and many of the other standard editing features.
You can currently download a 30-day trial to see if it’s a good fit for your workflow.
