Problem with DNG files created by DXOPureRaw when used in Affinity Photo

[Equalizer]

The DNG files created by DXOPureRaw are incorrectly interpreted in Affinity Photo. This leads to a purple discoloration in the highlights. This problem also occurs in Luminar AI. Interestingly, this bug does not occur in Luminar 4, Photolemur, Aurora HDR and Photoshop CS6. So it's a bug that only occurs in Affinity Photo (and Luminar AI). See sample images. Why is that? Please help.
I'm using the latest version of Affinity Photo and Windows 10.
 

 

 

 

 

 

[walt.farrell]

You might check the other threads dealing with DXO Pureraw and Affinity. Perhaps one of them will help:
https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/search/&q=dxo pureraw&quick=1

[Equalizer]

Many thanks for your help.  But I've already read that, but here, too, there are no solutions that help.  The problem only occurs with the DNG or jpg files generated by DXO.  For example, if I generate a DNG with the Adobe DNG Converter, there are no problems.  Lights are white.  I think that the DNG generated by DXO deviates from the norm and therefore the error occurs.  Affinity's RAW converter doesn't seem to be able to cope with this either.  Programs like Darktable, RawTherapee and Luminar AI also have the problem.  Interestingly, however, the error does not occur in Luminar 4, the predecessor of Luminar AI.  This could mean that the RAW engine has been changed in Luminar and there is an incompatibility here.  It's a shame, because I use both Affinity and Luminar and would have liked to use DXO PureRaw as a preparation for my RAW development.

[Max P]

Hi

 

     I'm just trying with the Dng

  view the dng found in the link  ( the pink area corresponds to an overexposure, as an indication ). 

   Okay,  I have DXO photo lab 4.3.1, minor coorection on the raw sony A1,  no Pureraw .

  you should report this fact on the DXO forum and support

 

 

[walt.farrell]

14 hours ago, Equalizer said:

Affinity's RAW converter doesn't seem to be able to cope with this either.  Programs like Darktable, RawTherapee and Luminar AI also have the problem.

As there are several affected programs, I would suggest that the issue might be in DXO and you should report it to them.

[Equalizer]

First of all, thank you very much for all the advice. I tried around a lot myself.

I agree that there is a problem with the DNG file created by DXO. This is a linear DNG in which the Bayer interpolation, application of the lens profiles, noise reduction and sharpening have already been carried out and noted in the DNG file. The other areas such as brightness, colors, white balance etc. have not yet been changed and are fully available for editing.

And this is where the DNG file generated by DXO differs from a DNG file generated by the Adobe DNG Converter. In this case only the Bayer interpolation is carried out. The rest stays as it is. It is not a linear DNG. And then when I open this DNG file in Affinity Photo (or Luminar AI, which I also use) there are no purple spots in the burned out lights.

I conclude that the DNG file generated by DXO does not adhere to the DNG conventions and, depending on the RAW converter, problems then arise.

What puzzles me is that in the predecessor of Luminar AI, namely the Luminar 4, none of these problems occur with the DNG file generated by DXO. This leads me to suspect that the RAW engine and the implementation of the recognition of a DNG file by Luminar AI is different from the RAW engine of Luminar 4. And that in turn leads me to conclude that there is also a problem with the serif RAW Engine there. If you activate the Apple Core Engine in Affinity Photo on a MAC computer, the problem does not occur.

All in all, I conclude from this that there are RAW converters that don't quite get along with the DNG file that DXO generates, because it deviates from the conventions of a DNG file. This currently applies to the RAW Engine from Affinity Photo (Serif RAW Engine), Luminar AI, RawTherapee and Darktable. The RAW engines of Adobe Photoshop, Luminar 4, Photolemur, Aurora HDR 2019 and Apple Core Engine have no problems.

I have already reported the problem to DXO (so far without feedback) and Skylum (Luminar). The people from Skylum now want to take a close look at my DNG files.

[PetervL]

Thank you for your research. To me it makes sense. Much appreciated.

Peter

[MEB]

Hi @Equalizer,
This is something we are already aware of/logged with the devs.
Do you mind attaching the DNG file generated by DxO PureRAW shown in your first post please?
Thanks for your report/feedback.

[plattis]

Hello,

I would like to bump this one as I am seeing these purple spots in overexposed parts of DNGs processed through DXO PureRaw 3 when editing in Affinity Photo. The purple is not there when using e.g. Luminar Neo.

[MEB]

Hi @plattis,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
I've bumped/updated the existing report. Unfortunately this is still an issue in the latest beta so there's no point in installing it just for this.
Thanks for your feedback.

[Equalizer]

The problem with purple spots has been known for a long time. But unfortunately Serif is not working on a solution. And even with Affinity Photo V2 nothing was changed, the same RAW engine, the same error, no improvements. Too bad. Here potential is given away little by little. And if it goes on like this, I'm out of here. Meanwhile, I use Affinity Photo almost not at all. Many functions that other manufacturers have long since AI-supported, are in Affinity Photo only with much effort feasible.

On the subject of DXO...the problem is actually quite simple: DXO does not create "real" DNG, i.e. those with real RAW content. These are linear DNGs, which are no longer RAWs, unlike the DNGs created by Adobe's DNG converter.

[Equalizer]

It's not quite that simple after all. Other manufacturers manage to do that as well. And in this respect, this would also be expected from Serif. But I also sent that to DXO at the time. In fact, Serif and DXO tested and used my material in a longer process. And the error was reproducible. But they did not find a solution.

In an earlier version of Luminar (I think version 4) I had no problems. With Luminar AI they were there again. And also initially in NEO times the purple spots were there again. I had also informed Skylum about the problem. My error was reproduced there as well.

But there was no continuous solution until today.

By the way, I do not use any software from DXO for this reason. For sharpening and denoising I switched to Topaz. Topaz has the advantage that firstly real DNGs are created. And secondly, Topaz can also process non-RAW images. That is an huge advantage.

[Affinity Info Bot]

The issue "Develop Persona: issues (highlights rendering) with DNG generated by DxO PureRaw/DeepPRIME technology." (REF: AFP-4444) has been fixed by the developers in internal build "2.1.0.1781".
This fix should soon be available as a customer beta and is planned for inclusion in the next customer release.
Customer beta builds are announced here and you can participate by following these instructions.
If you still experience this problem once you are using that build version (or later) please reply to this thread including @Serif Info Bot to notify us.