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    DXO officially announces PhotoLab 8, and it’s available now

    By 20 Comments Third Party Software 5 Mins Read

    Paris, France: DxO Labs, for two decades the pioneering force in photo editing tools, today announces the release of DxO PhotoLab 8, its complete RAW image processing and correction software. Version 8 features the new DeepPRIME XD2s, the second generation of the most advanced noise reduction and detail extraction technology on the market. It now also includes an essential large live preview magnifier. In addition, it introduces Hue Masks for precise local adjustments and an enhanced Tone Curve tool that offers photographers unique features combined with an unprecedented level of control.

    “This is the ultimate editing software for anyone passionate about photography,” explains VP of Product Strategy Jean-Marc Alexia. “The noise reduction and detail extraction is like nothing you’ve seen before, and its refreshed tools and new features give photographers more precision than ever before.”

    Purchase Options

    As always, there is a fully functioning 30-day free trial to try PhotoLab 8 for yourself.

    DeepPRIME XD2s pushes the boundaries of RAW science

    DxO has been at the forefront of RAW processing for more than 20 years, with its continuing research pioneered by the industry’s leading scientists. DeepPRIME XD2s is the pinnacle of this technology, giving unprecedented levels of noise reduction and detail extraction. With it, photographers can use higher ISO settings with confidence, breathe new life into old shots, and enjoy previously unseen image quality from even the latest cameras.

    Improved lens softness compensation

    Even the best lenses lose sharpness towards the edge of the frame. To rectify this, DxO PhotoLab offers a unique approach to optical sharpening. DxO Optics Modules are mathematical models developed from observing the performance of each lens across the entire field of view and focal range. These models ensure precise, incremental levels of sharpening depending on the characteristics of the lens. Software that uses global sharpening cannot compete with DxO’s laboratory-based lens testing.

    With PhotoLab 8, new exclusive lens softness algorithms reveal detail without adding fringing artifacts in high-frequency areas, bringing a new level of performance.

    Preview RAW denoising and demosaicing in full quality

    PhotoLab 8’s RAW processing now includes an essential new feature: a large live preview magnifier that shows photographers exactly how their images will be improved by the software’s DeepPRIME engines, as well as all other adjustments. For example, as well as previewing DeepPRIME XD2s, it shows Exposure, ClearView, Smart Lighting, Tone Curve, etc.

    The tool helps photographers to immediately assess the performance of noise reduction; for example, it’s possible to see how far an image can be pushed when taking advantage of the extra stops of exposure offered by DeepPRIME. Offering a zoom of up to 1600%, photographers can visualize the benefit of class-leading demosaicing and denoising, and it displays every aspect of the edit, creating the most holistic PhotoLab workflow to date.

    New Hue Mask, for precise selection in Local Adjustments

    Precise editing needs pinpoint masking, so along with its legendary U PointTM technology, PhotoLab 8 features new Hue Masks. Powerful and ultra-accurate, these masks let photographers pick out individual hues and hue ranges for targeted editing. For the smoothest, most photographic transitions, photographers can pick from eight predefined hues or sample directly from the image before fine- tuning the selected range, which they can accomplish by using either the Brush/Eraser tool or the micro input and output controls.

    Unique and freshly enhanced Tone Curve with dedicated Luma control

    One of the most powerful tools at a photographer’s disposal, the Tone Curve in PhotoLab is now the best on the market thanks to a number of upgrades.

    Version 8 adds on-image control whereby photographers can edit the curve by selecting the Tone Picker and then clicking and dragging on the part of the image that relates to the tones they wish to adjust.

    The brand-new Luma channel sits alongside the Red, Green, and Blue channels and lets photographers make tonal adjustments without impacting color levels, avoiding unwanted or unexpected color shifts when modifying brightness.

    Four more improvements were made to increase usability. First, it now displays the histogram to guide adjustments. Second, photographers now get a visual cue when making changes to the RGB channels thanks to bi-color tints in each graph using the relevant colors. Third, each point on a curve has an editable number value allowing photographers to dial in very precise changes. Finally, photographers can save their own presets.

    A smarter, faster workflow

    Making editing more precise than ever, PhotoLab 8 introduces a new Compare Mode, letting users set an image as a reference from which to match their adjustments. The main viewer also has a new Correction Rollover that delivers a live preview of effects when the cursor hovers over rendering settings (for example, Color Renderings, LUTs, Tone Curve Presets) making corrections more fluid. And to boost workflow speed, browsing and loading images are accelerated across the board.

    Price and availability

    DxO PhotoLab 8 (Windows and macOS) is now available for download on the DxO website (https://shop.dxo.com/) at the following prices:

    As always, there is a fully functioning 30-day free trial to try PhotoLab 8 for yourself.

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    Go to discussion...

    20 comments

    2. How good is printing from PhotoLab, without using explicitly Nik Sharpener for output sharpening? I'm quite pleased with Lightroom workflow and results, but looking for an alternative.
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    3. I’m curious what the XD2s denoiser delivers over its predecessor, DxO hasn’t updated https://www.dxo.com/technology/deepprime/ yet.

      I’ll save the 30 day trial for my fall trip, I hope pureRAW 5 gets announced in time for black friday discounts :)

      For the record I love PhotoLab.

      As for the XD2 update. I was privy to the release candidate version of the software and I think I have seen some improvements in detail after noise reduction is applied. I need more time with it though, sometimes we see what we want to see. I just installed the official release and will actually go through some head to head testing with some midrange ISO images.

      How good is printing from PhotoLab, without using explicitly Nik Sharpener for output sharpening? I'm quite pleased with Lightroom workflow and results, but looking for an alternative.

      I hae printed with PhotoLab before, but I wouldn't say the experience is any better or any worse than Lightroom. Now, I don't really do much in the way of output sharpening because I use a lot of textured papers.
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    4. For the record I love PhotoLab.

      As for the XD2 update. I was privy to the release candidate version of the software and I think I have seen some improvements in detail after noise reduction is applied. I need more time with it though, sometimes we see what we want to see. I just installed the official release and will actually go through some head to head testing with some midrange ISO images.
      Same here. So much so, I was just about to stop using the R5ii and go back to my now back-up of the R5.
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    5. For the record I love PhotoLab.

      As for the XD2 update. I was privy to the release candidate version of the software and I think I have seen some improvements in detail after noise reduction is applied. I need more time with it though, sometimes we see what we want to see. I just installed the official release and will actually go through some head to head testing with some midrange ISO images.



      I hae printed with PhotoLab before, but I wouldn't say the experience is any better or any worse than Lightroom. Now, I don't really do much in the way of output sharpening because I use a lot of textured papers.

      What do you consider midrange ISO?
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    6. Does PL8 support WYSIWYG yet? My biggest peeve with PL6 was that denoising wasn't visible before export and the most used tools would only be visible if you zoomed in. I dislike LRs "let's generate a huge DNG" approach to denoising, but at least all the edits you do are visible without jumping through hoops.

      For me, PureRAW does a much better job, the before/after slider is great at showing, spoiler alert, the before and after :)
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    9. ? Could you give more detail ?
      It suits my needs better than any RAW converters and combination of software. It removes more noise and squeezes out more detail, and I find it fast and easy to use for the actual processing and culling of a large number of images. If you are not cropping much and the images don't need much processing I guess it's not such a big deal.
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    10. I've been using PLE since v1. Just over 6 yrs now. Its great software, While I don't do much printing with it, the times I have always worked as expected. Like others mentioned I would not expect there to be ground breaking differences between it or Lr for printing

      I started using it strictly because I had a bunch of 3rd party glass Canon DPP didn't have lens profiles for and I'd rather not rent software. (That topic has been exhausted) so to each their own. I'm on v7 of PLE and FP now. I might get 8 or just wait for 9.
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    11. 3200 and below. Though I should do 6400 as well... I try hard not to get up there.
      I typically use Deep Prime XD starting at 6400. I’d love to not get up there, but when you need to stop action without great lighting (e.g., high school night lighting), and ‘use a faster lens’ isn’t a viable option (already at 300/2.8), you need higher ISOs.
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    12. 3200 and below. Though I should do 6400 as well... I try hard not to get up there.
      I've tried 10,000 and it was definitely more than PhotoLab 7 could do and still look like a photo [edit: in my opinion]. I'm hoping this version can handle it, but even so, how long will it take to process on older hardware?
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    13. I typically use Deep Prime XD starting at 6400. I’d love to not get up there, but when you need to stop action without great lighting (e.g., high school night lighting), and ‘use a faster lens’ isn’t a viable option (already at 300/2.8), you need higher ISOs.
      What is the absolute highest ISO you feel Deep Prime XD can handle without becoming artificial looking?
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    14. What is the absolute highest ISO you feel Deep Prime XD can handle without becoming artificial looking?
      For me, it depends on the use case. If I’m downsampling an image to post on the Internet, I will go up to 25600. For images, I’m going to print, I don’t typically go above 3200 (and therefore I don’t use deep prime).
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    15. I've tried 10,000 and it was definitely more than PhotoLab 7 could do and still look like a photo [edit: in my opinion]. I'm hoping this version can handle it, but even so, how long will it take to process on older hardware?
      What is the absolute highest ISO you feel Deep Prime XD can handle without becoming artificial looking?

      I have on occasion gone up to 20k and 32k. Here is a Dunnock at iso 20k and a Kestrel at 32k. Both are 100% crops (1 px = 1 px of original) and are not the full image downscaled.

      2_309A0186-DxO_Dunnock_iso20k_XD aut.jpg309A8462-DxO_Kestrel_Hovering_iso32k.jpg
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    17. I love the workflow of DXO PL7 and feel the masking whenever I need to use it looks much more natural than in LR. I think the luminance masking works so much better in DXO than in LR. Just returned from Greenland and support for my R5MII was not available from DXO but was in LR so I ended up using the R5 much of the time because it was so painful having to resort to LR when I used the MII. I have to say, I haven\'t printed from DXO yet, I\'ve just put my files on a thumb drive and used the print module in LR, but I\'ll have to give DXO a go. The only thing that prevents me from completely giving up my LR/PS subscription is I still do occasional layering compositions and it took DXO 6 wks to support the R5MII after I switched and if I hadn\'t had my R5 or LR, I would have been in a world of hurt during that time.
      Catherine
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    18. They look much better than my results andI don't think I would know you used if you hadn't told us. As always your photos are fantastic
      thats because the light is good
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