DxO PhotoLab 5 Review: RAW Perfection

DxO PhotoLab has long been a top contender among the crowded field of RAW processing software. With its roots in precise optical testing and correction, DxO has leveraged their vast knowledge base to create a powerful yet approachable photo editor. The latest version, PhotoLab 5, further improves the winning formula with new features and refinements while staying true to what makes the software great.

In this in-depth DxO PhotoLab 5 review, we‘ll take a detailed look at all the key features, test performance, compare it to popular alternatives, and help you decide if it‘s the right choice for your photo editing needs. Let‘s dive in!

About DxO

To understand what makes PhotoLab unique, it helps to know a bit about DxO as a company. DxO has been scientifically measuring and analyzing camera and lens performance for over 15 years. They produce detailed reports showing how well lenses and sensors handle things like sharpness, distortion, vignetting, noise, and other optical characteristics.

All of this carefully measured data goes into creating correction profiles that are built into PhotoLab. So when you open a RAW file, the software automatically knows exactly how to counteract any lens quirks or weaknesses to produce an optimal image. Very few if any other photo editors have this level of behind-the-scenes knowledge to draw upon.

PhotoLab 5 Features

Smooth Workflow

PhotoLab 5 welcomes you with an attractive, uncluttered interface that puts the focus on your images. The layout follows a typical left sidebar, main viewer, and right sidebar structure shared by most photo editors these days.

Along the top you have quick access to the main modules: PhotoLibrary for organizing your images, Customize for applying adjustments, and Export for outputting your finished photos. It‘s all very logical and easy to navigate.

One thing I appreciate is that hovering your mouse over most tools brings up a concise popup explanation of what it does. This makes it easy to explore the interface and quickly get a handle on all the various options at your disposal without constantly referring to a manual.

Elite Image Quality

Of course, the heart of any RAW processor is image quality, and this is where PhotoLab truly shines. DxO has applied their vast knowledge of camera and lens traits to create a RAW processing engine that produces simply stunning results.

PhotoLab supports over 60,000 camera and lens combinations. The specific optical modules for your gear are downloaded on demand so they don‘t take up space if you don‘t need them. Any supported lens is automatically corrected for distortion, vignetting, chromatic aberrations, and edge softness.

General RAW processing is equally impressive, with great color rendering, sharpening, and noise reduction even at default settings. PhotoLab consistently produced cleaner, more detailed images compared to other RAW converters I tested.

Magical DeepPRIME Noise Reduction

The real star of the show is DxO‘s latest and greatest noise reduction technology, DeepPRIME. This harnesses the power of artificial intelligence and deep learning to achieve truly astonishing noise reduction with minimal loss of detail.

In my testing, DeepPRIME was simply in a league of its own, capable of salvaging images shot at ISO 25600 or even higher that I would normally discard as unusable. No other noise reduction I‘ve used comes close to retaining this level of color fidelity and fine detail while smoothing away noise.

DeepPRIME does require a fairly powerful computer for optimal performance; it can be quite slow on older systems. But the spectacular results are more than worth the wait for high ISO images. It‘s like getting an extra couple stops of usable dynamic range out of your camera for free.

Capable Image Organizing

The PhotoLibrary in PhotoLab 5 does a respectable job helping you sort and manage your image collection. You can apply ratings, flags, and color labels. Images can be organized into Projects (similar to collections in Lightroom).

There‘s a handy search feature that automatically detects different types of metadata so you can quickly find shots with specific ISO speeds, focal lengths, f-stops, etc. The Manage mode gives you access to more advanced options like creating virtual copies, adding IPTC information, and applying presets during import.

While PhotoLibrary doesn‘t match the power of Lightroom‘s catalog features, it covers all the essentials most photographers need. Professional users with huge archives may still prefer to stick with a dedicated asset manager, but PhotoLibrary should be more than sufficient for the needs of enthusiasts and even many working pros.

Refined Local Adjustments

PhotoLab 5 includes a full assortment of local adjustment tools for targeting your edits to specific areas of an image. In addition to the expected brushes and gradients, you also get access to Control Points powered by DxO‘s exclusive U Point technology.

Control points work as kind of blend between a brush and a smart selection. You place a point over the area you want to adjust and PhotoLab automatically selects pixels similar to the ones under the control point within an adjustable radius. This makes it quick and easy to perform things like darkening a bright sky or enhancing a single color without having to carefully brush around complex edges.

With the latest fine-tuning options added in PhotoLab 5, control points are more powerful and precise than ever. When combined with the more traditional brush and gradient tools, they give you a full-featured toolset for all your local editing needs.

Style and Creative Enhancements

PhotoLab includes dozens of presets that can be used as quick starting points or for creative stylizing effects. These cover a wide range of looks from basic "Landscape" or "Portrait" options to more dramatic "Cinematic" or "Cross Process" choices.

You can easily customize any preset to suit your taste, or create your own from scratch and save them for future use. PhotoLab also supports custom camera profiles (including DCP and ICC) for simulating different film looks or adapting to specific lighting conditions.

Support for Fujifilm X-Trans

Fujifilm shooters will be delighted to hear that PhotoLab now offers full support for the unique X-Trans sensor format used in most Fujifilm mirrorless cameras. The special demosaicing required for X-Trans RAW files was noticeably lacking in previous versions of PhotoLab, so this is a huge and very welcome addition.

Based on my tests with a number of X-Trans RAW samples, the results from PhotoLab are excellent, retaining great detail and color without the odd artifacts that often plague third party X-Trans processing. It‘s not quite on par with the special sauce Capture One brings to X-Trans, but it‘s very close and more than good enough for most users.

Flexible Exporting

Once you‘ve perfected your photos, PhotoLab makes it easy to share them with the world. You can export to JPEG, TIFF, or DNG formats at a variety of quality settings and color spaces. There are options to add watermarks, sharpen for screen or print, and apply output-specific adjustments like JPEG compression or DNG color profiles.

You can also send images directly to other photo editors like Lightroom, Photoshop, or Nik Collection for additional stylizing or retouching work. More advanced options include things like file renaming, output to multiple formats simultaneously, and automatic resizing to a target resolution or print dimension.

Performance

PhotoLab is generally quite speedy and responsive, though this can depend on your specific computer specs. On my Core i7 PC with 32GB RAM and SSD drive, importing and browsing photos in the PhotoLibrary is virtually instantaneous even with high resolution RAW files.

Applying adjustments and viewing the results at 100% zoom is equally snappy. The exception is DeepPRIME noise reduction, which takes a few seconds per image as it crunches away in the background – but again, this extended wait for AI assistance is well worth it for the amazing results.

Exporting batches of finished images is also nice and fast. Sending a set of a dozen full resolution RAW files out as high quality JPEGs took just under 30 seconds. Your mileage may vary depending on your settings and hardware, but PhotoLab is undoubtedly well optimized and efficient in its operation.

Comparisons to Other RAW Processors

So how does PhotoLab stack up against popular alternatives like Adobe Lightroom, Capture One, and ON1 Photo RAW? In many ways, it‘s more a matter of taste and specific needs than any software being outright "better" than another. That said, PhotoLab definitely holds its own and even outshines competitors in a few key areas.

For sheer RAW processing quality and optical corrections, PhotoLab is arguably the best in the business. Its lens and camera-specific profiles simply produce cleaner, sharper, more accurate results than any other software I‘ve used. And DeepPRIME is unquestionably the current king of the noise reduction hill.

The big sacrifice compared to something like Lightroom is image management and asset organization. While PhotoLab‘s tools are capable for most users, they can‘t match the power and flexibility of Lightroom‘s mature, industry-standard library features. For professional workflows involving huge catalogs of images, Lightroom still reigns supreme. Just be prepared for notably inferior noise reduction and slightly less crisp RAW conversions.

Capture One has long been a favorite of studio and landscape photographers thanks to its excellent color handling and extensive customization. With the addition of the new color wheel in PhotoLab 5 and included camera profiles, that gap has narrowed. PhotoLab also produces noticeably better results from X-Trans files now. Capture One still has superior tethering support for studio work, but PhotoLab is the better all-around choice for most users.

ON1 Photo RAW is probably the closest direct competitor to PhotoLab in terms of features and interface. It matches or slightly exceeds PhotoLab in terms of image organization abilities and built-in effects, but lags behind in RAW conversion quality, lens corrections, and (especially) noise reduction.

Pricing and Upgrade Options

DxO PhotoLab 5 is available for $219 in the "Elite" edition, which includes all features, or $139 for the "Essential" edition that omits DeepPRIME, some local adjustment options, and a few other higher-end capabilities. If DeepPRIME matters to you (and it should), the Elite edition is really the way to go.

Owners of previous PhotoLab versions can upgrade to Elite 5 for $89 or Essential 5 for $54. Those coming from other DxO software like ViewPoint, FilmPack, or the old Optics Pro can also get discounted pricing.

While not the cheapest option on the market, PhotoLab is very fairly priced considering the advanced technology under the hood. The one-time pricing model is also refreshing compared to the subscription treadmill of options like Lightroom.

Final Verdict

DxO PhotoLab 5 is a truly excellent RAW processor that produces top-shelf image quality with minimal fuss. The headline DeepPRIME noise reduction puts it in a class of its own for rescuing high ISO images. The auto-correction profiles for specific lenses and camera models are second to none.

Throw in the streamlined workflow, solid image management, and powerful local adjustments, and you have a well-rounded package that should meet the needs of a wide range of photographers. Those coming from Lightroom may miss some advanced cataloging features, while Fujifilm shooters will probably still prefer Capture One‘s special X-Trans magic, but for everyone else, PhotoLab is a compelling and highly capable choice.

Pros:

• Absolutely top-tier RAW processing quality
• Incredible DeepPRIME noise reduction
• Best-in-class lens corrections
• Straightforward, customizable workflow
• Support for X-Trans RAW files
• Flexible local adjustments including U Point
• Attractive one-time pricing

Cons:

• Lacks some pro-level library management features
• DeepPRIME requires a powerful computer for optimal speed
• Fujifilm processing still slightly behind Capture One
  Who Should Buy DxO PhotoLab?

• Quality-obsessed shooters who want the best possible RAW conversions
• Low light/high ISO photographers seeking magical noise reduction
• Former Lightroom users looking for a well-rounded alternative
• Owners of the the supported 60,000+ camera and lens combinations
• Budget-conscious buyers who prefer one-time pricing over subscriptions