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DxO's PhotoLab 9 promises actually useful AI features
DPReview News |
| PhotoLab 9 features AI Masks to make retouching faster and easier. Image: DxO |
French software company DxO has announced PhotoLab 9, its latest Raw editing platform. DxO says this is its most powerful Raw editor yet, offering improved masking capabilities, newly added batch renaming and support for iPhone HEIF and ProRaw files.
It's no surprise that AI features are at the forefront of the software announcement. DxO added AI Masks tools that use AI to create "pixel-precise selections in an instant." The tool is very similar to Lightroom's AI Masking option, which automatically creates masks of common and prominent subjects for users to select from.
Within PhotoLab 9, users can create these in three ways. They can hover and click on different parts of the photo or draw a box around an area that contains the object. DxO also added Subject Types, a list of predefined objects users can select from, including sky, people, faces and hair. The Subject Type option can also be "intelligently copied and pasted between images" or saved as a preset. When used as a preset, the mask is contextually aware of the selection, so it will automatically adjust for each image. It promises to make retouching much faster.
The AI Masks aren't the only way to make selections, either. DxO's U Point Technology was the predecessor to AI, allowing for intelligent masks based on image content using color and contrast information. DxO combined the new AI Masks with its U Point Technology, allowing for more control over selections.
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| Local adjustments allow users to adjust noise in only select areas. Image: DxO |
With the help of the new masking and selection tools, PhotoLab 9 gains the ability to make local adjustments for noise reduction (using DeepPrime) and lens sharpness (with DxO's Lens Sharpening Optimization). With local adjustments, users can selectively reduce noise in heavy shadow areas or only sharpen key subjects, for example.
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| The DeepPrime XD3 engine is now out of beta. Image: DxO |
PhotoLab 9 also adds support for Apple iPhone HEIC/HEIF and ProRAW file formats. Photographers who use their iPhone will now be able to keep their editing in one platform if they are DxO users. Additionally, DxO said that its DeepPrime XD3 engine for intense processing on demanding files is out of beta and compatible with all X-Trans cameras.
Finally, DxO added some workflow functionality as well, including batch renaming. Files can now be batch renamed, including an automatic setting for names using image metadata, EXIF information or custom text.
DxO PhotoLab 9 is available now. A new license costs $240 while an upgrade costs $120.
Press release:
DxO PhotoLab 9 introduces a new era of editing, adding exceptional AI Masks, high-precision local adjustments for DeepPRIME denoising and sharpening, and more
New features also include powerful batch renaming, a host of improvements for a smoother workflow, and support for Apple HEIC/HEIF and ProRAW files.
Paris, France: DxO, a pioneering force in photo editing software for more than two decades, today announces the launch of DxO PhotoLab 9, the world’s most advanced end-to-end RAW photo editing software. Version 9 introduces masking powered by AI that guarantees supremely accurate selections, allowing photographers to create local adjustments with more precision than ever. In addition, new features include: local adjustments for denoising, demosaicing, and Lens Sharpness Optimization; a range of workflow upgrades for a smoother editing experience; powerful batch renaming options that use metadata; and support for Apple HEIC/HEIF and ProRAW images.
"Version 9 is a major step forward in RAW photo editing," explains Jean-Marc Alexia, VP of Product Strategy. "The AI-powered masking offers unmatched accuracy, and when you combine this with all of the other features in PhotoLab 9, it’s probably our biggest upgrade to our flagship editing software of the last twenty years."
Introducing DxO AI Masks, the new standard for automatic object selection
The new AI Masks harness the power of artificial intelligence to create smart, pixel-precise selections in an instant. Users can quickly create masks through three different methods: hovering and clicking on different parts of the photo; drawing a box around the area of an image that contains the object to be selected; or choosing from various Subject Types, a list of predefined objects, including sky, people, faces, and hair.
The list of predefined objects offers more than just quick selection. For example, if a photographer selects "Hair" and makes some adjustments, these changes can be intelligently copied and pasted between images, or saved as a preset that is contextually aware of the selection. Complex retouching becomes faster, smarter, and effortlessly consistent.
Combining DxO AI Masks and U Point Technology™ to achieve unmatched precision
By integrating effortlessly with other Local Adjustments tools, AI Masks deliver an unparalleled level of flexibility and control. Selections can be refined using DxO’s renowned U Point™ technology: using a combination of AI Masks, Control Points, Control Lines, Graduated Filters, and the Brush tool, photographers can create highly complex masks that would otherwise be too sophisticated for even the most advanced AI. This offers a significant advantage over competing tools, where refining complex selections can be laborious.
Exceptional control with local adjustments for targeted noise reduction and Lens Sharpness Optimization
For photographers who demand the most precise control, DeepPRIME noise reduction technologies and DxO’s exclusive Lens Sharpening Optimization can now be targeted using local adjustments. While PhotoLab’s automated processing already delivers outstanding results, this gives users the ability to fine-tune their image with a supreme level of detail, especially given that the new AI Masks — combined with existing local adjustment tools — offer incredible precision.
A smarter, faster workflow
DxO PhotoLab 9 brings a host of workflow improvements designed to make photo organization faster and more intuitive. New features include image stacking, a Favorites system for folders and projects, and direct access to the Project palette from Customize mode. And as part of a cleaner, more versatile editing experience, you can also easily relocate folders that have been moved.
Powerful batch renaming
DxO PhotoLab 9 introduces a powerful new batch renaming tool, giving users full control over how original and processed files are named. Filenames can be automatically generated using image metadata, EXIF information, or custom text, streamlining organization and post-processing. Users can also create and save their own presets, making it easy to apply consistent naming conventions across entire projects or workflows.
Support for iPhone images
Version 9 introduces support for Apple’s iPhone image formats — HEIC/HEIF and ProRAW — making it easier than ever to edit photos taken using iOS devices. This expanded compatibility ensures a seamless workflow for photographers who want to harness the power of DxO’s renowned image processing tools with photos captured on their iPhone.
Unrivaled noise reduction and detail extraction for X-Trans sensors: Introducing DeepPRIME XD3 X-Trans
Two years ago, DxO introduced DeepPRIME XD, the ‘eXtra Detail’ engine designed to use more intense processing for taking on the most demanding files. The technology continues to evolve, ensuring unprecedented results for images captured at extreme ISO levels.
Today, DxO is proud to announce that, following the technology preview released as part of DxO PureRAW 5, DeepPRIME XD3 has emerged from beta and now processes RAW files from all X-Trans cameras.
The image quality is unprecedented, able to recover noise and retrieve details from images captured in very low light like never before.
Price and availability
DxO PhotoLab 9 is available today from the DxO website (shop.dxo.com), for macOS and Windows machines:
New license 239,99 $ - 239,99 € - 219;99 £
Upgrade from DxO PhotoLab 7 or 8 119,99 $ - 119,99 € - 109,99 £
A 30-day trial is available from dxo.com/en/dxo-photolab/download.
