Free copy of DxO Optics

[dmstraker]

If you're in the UK,  Practical Photography magazine (November issue) is giving away a free copy of DxO Optics (version 11). It's a decent RAW editor and it can export to Affinity, including in 16 bit tiff. I find it less wrestling than Lightroom and offers a simple browser.

[Roger C]

Thanks for the info!

That does seem a surprisingly generous offer. I may well take a stroll down the High Street for a quick glance tomorrow...

[smadell]

If you don't happen to live in the UK, you can click this link:  http://www.dxo.com/us/practicalphotography

My understanding is that this is a totally free copy of DxO Optics Pro version 11 (which is the current version), but is not the Elite version (which offers better noise reduction and some other features). A post on the DxO forum suggested that this may be a "loss leader" in anticipation of a soon-to-be-released version 12. That is evidently speculative, though.

I am currently using DxO Optics Pro 11 as my raw developer (the Elite edition, though) and I find it easy to use, and quite good at its job.

[dmstraker]

Yes, it's the latest version, but non-elite, which misses a few bits like the the super-duper noise reduction. Still a very kind offer.

 

[dna.x]

Thanks for posting this @dmstraker and @smadell! I'm downloading it now

[paolo.limoncelli]

Thanks for posting.

No Fujifilm support... 

[v_kyr]

See:  Why DxO OpticsPro doesn't support Fuji cameras with X-Trans sensors?

Related: Why DxOMark Doesn’t Test Fujifilm Cameras?

[frankster69]

Interesting, thanks, I'm installing as I write this

So here I am, finally getting a camera that can do RAW (yah, ok, I know...), the Panasonic Lumix G6, and all of a sudden I find RAW processors around every corner! Obviously Affinity Photo has it, then I find out my trusted image viewer FastStone (excellent viewer and free) can do RAW conversion, a camera shop over here suddenly offers Corel Aftershot 3 Pro for only 25,- and not a day later I find this!

With so much I'm almost tempted to do a comparison, perhaps I will!

regards, Frank

[Alfred]

1 hour ago, frankster69 said:

my trusted image viewer FastStone (excellent viewer and free)

 

It should be noted that FastStone Image Viewer is only free for personal and educational use. A licence is required for commercial use.

 

[DavidD]

On 11/5/2017 at 11:05 PM, frankster69 said:

Interesting, thanks, I'm installing as I write this

So here I am, finally getting a camera that can do RAW (yah, ok, I know...), the Panasonic Lumix G6, and all of a sudden I find RAW processors around every corner! Obviously Affinity Photo has it, then I find out my trusted image viewer FastStone (excellent viewer and free) can do RAW conversion, a camera shop over here suddenly offers Corel Aftershot 3 Pro for only 25,- and not a day later I find this!

With so much I'm almost tempted to do a comparison, perhaps I will!

regards, Frank

I use Corel Aftershot Pro 3 (alongside of Affinity Photo, of course). I find it very good...

[dmstraker]

Later note...

I'm now using DxO OpticsPro 11 as a front end rather than LR, partly because it seems to do a better job of RAW editing (and some smart stuff it does itself), and partly in rebellion about Adobe taking LR off the standalone shelf. One of the nice DxO things is that it exports very easily in 16 bit.

[smadell]

Hey, dmstraker...

I was also using DxO OpticsPro 11 as a RAW processor. You must know that they upgraded to DxO PhotoLab (which is, for all intents and purposes, version 12 of OpticsPro). The new software has all the bells and whistles of version 11, but also includes local adjustments using Control Points and other stuff they gleaned from buying Nik software. I was skeptical, but I ended up buying the upgrade; the local adjustments feature was well worth the cost!  I have also tried out a variety of products to do RAW development, and I like the results I get from DxO most of all. The user interface is friendly, and the end results are superb.

The big thing missing when you move from Lightroom to DxO is the DAM component. I use Photo Supreme for this, but there are lots of software choices out there that keep you out of the Adobe-sphere.

[dmstraker]

Thanks, smadell. Yes, I've tried all sorts and DxO is my favourite now. The dilemma about upgrading is that I've already go Nik (of course) and, as far as I can myopically see, there doesn't seem that much extra new stuff in PhotoLab.