DXO Labs releases Photolab 4

DXO Labs released Photolab 4 today. It has a number of new and upgraded features, but the most important one for many people may be the new version of their PRIME noise reduction. Deep PRIME AI does not replace their already stellar PRIME noise reduction, but is in addition to it. As a result, Photolab 4 now has three different ways of reducing image noise, HQ, PRIME, and Deep PRIME

Deep PRIME takes the noise reduction quality of PRIME to a whole new level. It's only available for raw files so it doesn't have the flexibility of a standalone program like Topaz's Denoise AI which will also work on JPEGs. However, I have been beta testing Deep PRIME for more than 7 months and also have a license for the latest version of Topaz Denoise AI. As a result, from my personal experience testing over a long period of time and on a wide variety of images, DXO's Deep PRIME has set a new noise reduction standard.

Deep PRIME takes far longer to process images than PRIME unless you have a supported graphics card. Generally speaking, supported graphics card GPUs will process Deep PRIME images 3 to 5 times faster then a computers CPU alone. Since PRIME NR still does not make use of a graphics card's GPU, the new Deep PRIME wiill actually run much faster than PRIME if you have a supported card.

There are several other worthwhile enhancements as well such as a history file with image settings, new usability design features, a color picker for the color wheel, a watermark feature, a new batch rename feature, and some additional design refresh changes as well as several more minor feature updates and tweaks.

mwsilver wrote in post #19141416
DXO Labs released Photolab 4 today. It has a number of new and upgraded features, but the most important one for many people may be the new version of their PRIME noise reduction. Deep PRIME AI does not replace their already stellar PRIME noise reduction, but is in addition to it. As a result, Photolab 4 now has three different ways of reducing image noise, HQ, PRIME, and Deep PRIME

Deep PRIME takes the noise reduction quality of PRIME to a whole new level. It's only available for raw files so it doesn't have the flexibility of a standalone program like Topaz's Denoise AI which will also work on JPEGs. However, I have been beta testing Deep PRIME for more than 7 months and also have a license for the latest version of Topaz Denoise AI. As a result, from my personal experience testing over a long period of time and on a wide variety of images, DXO's Deep PRIME has set a new noise reduction standard.

Deep PRIME takes far longer to process images than PRIME unless you have a supported graphics card. Generally speaking, supported graphics card GPUs will process Deep PRIME images 3 to 5 times faster then a computers CPU alone. Since PRIME NR still does not make use of a graphics card's GPU, the new Deep PRIME wiill actually run much faster than PRIME if you have a supported card.

There are several other worthwhile enhancements as well such as a history file with image settings, new usability design features, a color picker for the color wheel, a watermark feature, a new batch rename feature, and some additional design refresh changes as well as several more minor feature updates and tweaks.

I am downloading the upgrade right now, so we'll see how it goes. I'm upgrading from PL1, and I was already very happy with that.

The speed upgrades are certainly welcome.

mickeyb105 wrote in post #19141510
I am downloading the upgrade right now, so we'll see how it goes. I'm upgrading from PL1, and I was already very happy with that.

The speed upgrades are certainly welcome.

I presume you have the Elite version of Pl1 and are considering the Elite version of PL4. The main performance upgrade is for the new Deep PRIME feature which you do not have in PL1. And, that speed boost is completely dependent on whether there is support for the specific graphics card in your computer.. Since you never upgraded from PL1 you'll see a number of changes from what you have been using.

Yes, I'm upgrading from the Elite version.

I've got a three-year-old HP Omen, which had a good graphics card when I bought it--no idea if it holds up now to what I would need for the speed benefits, though.

It's going to be interesting to see what my $70 upgrade bought me.

mickeyb105 wrote in post #19141578
Yes, I'm upgrading from the Elite version.

I've got a three-year-old HP Omen, which had a good graphics card when I bought it--no idea if it holds up now to what I would need for the speed benefits, though.

It's going to be interesting to see what my $70 upgrade bought me.

If you have a 3 year old HP Omen, since they were built as gaming machines, the graphics card is very likely sufficient. Do you know what graphics card you have?

Got my version 4 this morning and haven't tried all the new stuff yet, but have tried Deep Prime. On a very noisy file(underexposed at 6400 with shadows lifted about 3 stops) I compared Prime with Deep Prime. The increase in NR and the decrease in processing time are palpable. I thought Prime was untouchable, but Deep Prime is simply no noise remaining, it's gone. Processing time is 40 seconds for Prime, about average. Deep Prime processing time was 26 seconds and didn't even turn on the fan. Has there been an improvement in HQ-(Fast) which is now called just HQ? When I was looking at the preview at 100% I remarked that the file didn't even need Prime, it looked so good!

rrblint wrote in post #19141608
Got my version 4 this morning and haven't tried all the new stuff yet, but have tried Deep Prime. On a very noisy file(underexposed at 6400 with shadows lifted about 3 stops) I compared Prime with Deep Prime. The increase in NR and the decrease in processing time are palpable. I thought Prime was untouchable, but Deep Prime is simply no noise remaining, it's gone. Processing time is 40 seconds for Prime, about average. Deep Prime processing time was 26 seconds and didn't even turn on the fan. Has there been an improvement in HQ-(Fast) which is now called just HQ? When I was looking at the preview at 100% I remarked that the file didn't even need Prime, it looked so good!

There was no discussion about improvements to HQ during the beta testing. I suspect they took out the word word "fast" to make room for Deep PRIME. There was just so much horizontal space available, and something had to give. HQ is also supported by graphic card GPUs and I noticed with my new graphics card it runs a couple of seconds faster than it did before I installed my current GTX 1050 TI.

mwsilver wrote in post #19141639
There was no discussion about improvements to HQ during the beta testing. I suspect they took out the word word "fast" to make room for Deep PRIME. There was just so much horizontal space available, and something had to give. HQ is also supported by graphic card GPUs and I noticed with my new graphics card it runs a couple of seconds faster than it did before I installed my current GTX 1050 TI.

That's interesting. I was unaware that HQ supported GPU acceleration. Maybe that's why it looked better to me in the preview, I didn't export it. Coincidentally I was working with another new program and noticed that the preview with GPU was better than the preview using CPU only; or perhaps I just didn't wait long enough for it to completely resolve. IMO HQ is now as good as anyone else's NR. Any I'm very happy with PL4. Thanks for your work in the beta testing.

A good photo editor with lots of options. However, it is probably best for the experienced post-processor and not for those on the beginner level of post processing.

Here's a video to watch:

https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=cUlsZZqbIh4

rrblint wrote in post #19141655
That's interesting. I was unaware that HQ supported GPU acceleration. Maybe that's why it looked better to me in the preview, I didn't export it. Coincidentally I was working with another new program and noticed that the preview with GPU was better than the preview using CPU only; or perhaps I just didn't wait long enough for it to completely resolve. IMO HQ is now as good as anyone else's NR. Any I'm very happy with PL4. Thanks for your work in the beta testing.

Frankly, before we were told recently I don't think any of the beta testers knew that HQ noise reduction processing could be accelerated with an appropriate GPU, However, it only knocks a couple of seconds off an already fast export so its no big deal.

Picture North Carolina wrote in post #19141749
A good photo editor with lots of options. However, it is probably best for the experienced post-processor and not for those on the beginner level of post processing.

Here's a video to watch:

https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=cUlsZZqbIh4

That depends on the person. Most of PhotoLab's competition is at least as difficult to master for a newbie, and many of them have more extensive learning curves.

Picture North Carolina wrote in post #19141749
A good photo editor with lots of options. However, it is probably best for the experienced post-processor and not for those on the beginner level of post processing.

Here's a video to watch:

https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=cUlsZZqbIh4

Nonsense. I learned post-processing on Optics Pro 8, a predecessor of Photolab. But I must admit that I'm an old darkroom processor and knew what I wanted to achieve, but it didn't take long to learn the tools in OP8 and which to use to accomplish my goals.

rrblint wrote in post #19141833
Nonsense. I learned post-processing on Optics Pro 8, a predecessor of Photolab. But I must admit that I'm an old darkroom processor and knew what I wanted to achieve, but it didn't take long to learn the tools in OP8 and which to use to accomplish my goals.

Mark, based on this response I think you quoted the wrong post.

My '17 Omen 15" has the GTX 1050ti graphics card. I bought it hoping it would be future-proof enough to last a few years.

Right you are, sorry Mark. It is now fixed.