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DxO Labs releases FilmPack3 film simulation software

Sep 6, 2011 at 19:09:24 GMT

SOFTWARE NEWS DXO

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DxO has released FilmPack 3, the third version of its sliver halide simulation processing software. The latest version, announced in June, now includes the ability to mimic up to 60 famous black and white, and color films, based on calibration from professional prints, giving what the company claims is the most precise film simulation on the market. Version 3 adds new film looks and color filters. It also brings a greater degree of control, including HSL sliders, a channel mixer for optimizing Black and White conversions and, at customer request, the ability to add vignetting. The software is available in two versions, 'Essentials' and 'Expert,' which offer different levels of function, with introductory pricing starting at $49/€49/£49 for the Essentials version.

Press Release:

DxO FilmPack 3 Brings Classic Film Looks Back to Digital Photos

September 6, 2011 – DxO Labs today announces the immediate availability of DxO FilmPack 3 at a special launch price starting at $49, until September 30.

DxO FilmPack 3 allows photographers from beginners to experts to authentically recreate the magic of dozens of black & white or color film stocks on their digital images in one click, offering limitless creative options.

Legendary black & white film photographer Sebastio Salgado, who recently migrated from silver halide to digital, said, "DxO FilmPack has become a must-have step in my photographic workflow to render the unique Kodak Tri-X® grain on my large-format prints."

What's new?

User-friendly interface (Windows and Mac)
New film looks
Additional color and B&W conversion controls
Multiple plugins for better integration with the workflow

Unrivaled film fidelity

Building on its unique 10 years of recognized expertise in characterizing digital and film-based photographic systems, DxO Labs has worked with world class film processing facilities, Picto in Paris and Duggal in New York, to develop a unique film profiling process that ensures the most precise film simulation available on the market today. Users can easily give their images the appealing grain, color, saturation and contrast of famous film stocks, recalling the deep history of photography and rich legacy of each film look.

"Our thorough approach to accurately characterizing the unique rendering of each film allows DxO FilmPack 3 users to faithfully apply the visual signature of many iconic silver halide films, some of which are not available anymore, such as Kodachrome®," said Jerome Meniere, CEO of DxO Labs. "We put a strong focus on authenticity for all DxO FilmPack 3 renderings, developing our software in partnership with expert photographers having extensive knowledge of both film and digital photography, to ensure unrivaled film fidelity."

Boundless creativity

In addition to 10 new film looks and 10 new color filters, DxO FilmPack 3 also features new tools that provide photographers with full control of their images:

Creation of customized film looks
Hue/saturation/lightness sliders for additional color creative control
Channel mixer for extended Black & White rendering styles
Creative vignetting to give images a particular look - Noise removal tool for more authentic grain rendering

Ease of use

DxO FilmPack 3's interface has been completely revamped. Photographers can now easily choose among the numerous built-in film looks thanks to the user-friendly filmstrip. This means that beginners can obtain good results with a single click, whereas experts will take advantage of all the advanced functionalities to fine-tune their pictures. The batch mode allows users to process hundreds of images at once for unparalleled productivity.

For optimal flexibility, each DxO FilmPack 3 license includes the standalone application as well as plugins for Adobe® Photoshop® CS4/CS5, Adobe® Lightroom® 3, Apple® Aperture® 3, and DxO Optics Pro 6. In addition, DxO FilmPack 3 can be used as a Smart Filter in Adobe® Photoshop®. All can be simultaneously installed on two computers.

Availability and pricing

Compatible with Mac and Windows, DxO FilmPack 3 is available in two editions, Essential and Expert, which differ in terms of available film renderings and features.

A free 31-day trial version of DxO FilmPack 3 is available on DxO Labs' website, and allows testing its functionalities on your own pictures (http://www.dxo.com/intl/photo/free_trial_version).
DxO FilmPack 3 is available immediately from the DxO Labs e-store (www.dxo.com) and from popular photo stores at a special introductory discount of up to 30%:

USD:
• DxO FilmPack 3 Essential Edition: $49 instead of $79
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Edition: $99 instead of $129
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Upgrade from DxO FilmPack 1 or 2: $39 instead of $49

EUR:
• DxO FilmPack 3 Essential Edition: €49 instead of €79
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Edition: €99 instead of €129
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Upgrade from DxO FilmPack 1 or 2: €39 instead of €49 (Suggested retail prices, including VAT)

GBP:
• DxO FilmPack 3 Essential Edition: £49, instead of £69
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Edition: £79, instead of £99
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Upgrade from DxO FilmPack 1 or 2: £29 instead of £39 (Suggested retail prices, including VAT)

Comments

Total comments: 24

I have a memory problem when using the FilmPack 3 with 50 mega pixel files. 16 GB RAM Win7 Pro 64 bit. TIFFs wouldn't open, so I used JPEGs, but then it won't save correctly (I get a black image) and gives a memory error. Previews didn't work with the 50 mega pixel files. This is after I restarted my computer and just used the FilmPack.

It worked fine with my 22 mega pixel files.

Anyone have an idea?

Bill

0 upvotes

It's very silly to be selling to the UK at 1:1. The UK is a very expensive place to live compared to the US. Even at $49 and £30, where the price is currency converted properly, the US buyer still has an easier purchase.

I wonder what their justification can be. Does DxO actually have a presence in the UK, because that might explain some of the ridiculous markup? Otherwise it looks like greed.

2 upvotes

Hello,

DxO is a European company. So, the "real price" to compare the 49£ with is 49€, and not $49 which is the result of an extra effort we decided to make for our American customers.

Indeed, this makes the FilmPack sightly more expensive in £ than in €, but, at 49£, FilmPack is still very good value for the money.

Axel

0 upvotes

Not sure that this offers much over FP2 except a new interface.
I was hoping for more advanced toning controls but these are exactly the same.
Will probably give the upgrade a miss although at least this seems to be priced better in the UK.

1 upvote

Hi,

The Expert version of FP3 which you get when you upgrade from FP2 does come with quite some new features, like: noise reduction before you apply the film look, more advanced control on the color channels and on B&W conversion, and the possibility to save your settings as a new film look for later reuse.

And, last but not least, both version of FP3 also now come as Lightroom and Aperture plugins in addition to the Photoshop and Optics Pro plugins offered by FP2.

For all the details about these new features, here is what you need:
http://dxo.com/intl/photo/filmpack/nouveautes

Axel

1 upvote

Rip off prices...I won't buy DXO stuff until they get their exchange rate mechanism sorted out... 3! =$1.59 or so today, NOT 1:1!!!

1 upvote

Hi Gerard,

As just mentioned below, DxO is a European company. So, a fair comparison would be between 49€ and 49£.
It's true that we are making a big price effort for our American customers, but we think that at 49£ FilmPack is great value for the money.

Axel

0 upvotes

Axel
Thanks for the reply. I note what you say about DxO being European. It does not justify, however, discriminating against consumers because of the their location.
Why can't we all buy in USD??? or for that matter Euros???
DxO would be no worse off, but the consumer would be better off. I think you are losing customers.
Regards
Gerard

0 upvotes

Gerard,
I see your point. As far as I know, we are strict on the currencies for taxes and custom fees reasons.
But, if you want to buy FilmPack for $49, it may be available at a major e-tailer which name starts with an A... (http://amzn.to/nOPwof). I didn't tell you :)

Axel

1 upvote

When are companies going to realise $1 does NOT = £1?

Thanks a lot!

3 upvotes

Hi Matt,

First, DxO is a European company. So, the "real price" to compare the 49£ with is 49€.
So, indeed, the price of FilmPack is slightly higher than 49€ in the UK, and we are making a serious effort on our price in $.
But, we think that FilmPack at 49£ is still very good value for the money.

Axel

0 upvotes

You know what would be great? If instead of blabbing on and on about how legendary they are, bla bla bla which we all skip over anyways, they actually listed out what the new film looks are.

0 upvotes

Here are the complete lists (color and B&W) ;)
http://dxo.com/intl/photo/filmpack/available_film_looks

1 upvote

The Photoshop plugin for Windows is 32 bit only - doesn't support 64 bit.

0 upvotes

Indeed, there is a 32 bit limitation for the Photoshop plugin of DxO FilmPack 3. But to be 100% precise, it's in fact Photoshop that needs to run in 32 bit, not you OS.
For example, the plugin will work on your favorite Windows 7 64 bit, but you'll need to start Photoshop in 32 bit to use it.
We know it's an annoying limitation and the team is working hard on a solution that should be available quickly.
And, BTW, all the other plugins (Lightroom, Aperture, Optics Pro) and the standalone application work perfectly on a 64 bit system.

1 upvote

Thanks for the clarification.

0 upvotes

Just not the same as pulling a freshly minted roll of E6 from the reel...that's magic.

0 upvotes

Once again the Brits are fleeced - $49 or £49. $49 is currently a hair over £30. Not that I'd want this stuff anyway.

2 upvotes

I won't buy plugins from nik software or any other company that does this. The apple app store doesn't do $1=£1. Alienate users and over price your software and we won't buy it. Companies like hdrsoft that allow you to pay in dollars are rewarded with my custom.

2 upvotes

I agree. We all know how Adobe rips off the Europeans too by charging well over thecconversion rate. Just how difficult is it to sell in $s and convert that day by the going rate. Or if that is too hard set the rate at an average over the last few months say.

1 upvote

Yep, agree.

0 upvotes

Me too, I'm an ex-pat Brit living on the mainaland EU zone and have lived also in China and Taiwan. These companies try to screw the Brits more than anyone else in the world. I will _never_ buy from Dx-rip-off now. We should all do what the Brits do well, "vote with our feet - straight to another company". "Axel from DxO Labs" if you're still watching, please pay heed - this kind of attitude will do you no good at all - time to repair the damage before it gets worse...

1 upvote

In a private message I have challenged Axel to respond publicly to these, and my original, comments about his company's [insert your own wording, let's suggest ripping off for starters] pricing. He has, predictably, not yet responded. Of course he hasn't - it's indefensible, that's why. Good to see more negativity than positivity now about what, let's face it, is not even a particularly technically impressive and, well we know this now, overpriced, product. I look forward to dxo, and I challenge them to do so, revising their pricing structure for non-$ purchasers.

0 upvotes

Hi guys,

First, sorry Halibut for not answering more quickly, but something went wrong with your Private Message.
Next a quick reminder: DxO is a European company. Hence, the “real price” is 49€ and not $49.

So, yes, the price is slightly higher than 49€ for our British clients, and, yes, we are making a big effort on our price for our American customers. But, you can't compare this with the price policies of American companies like Apple or Adobe.

But, overall, we think that at 49£ FilmPack is still great value for the money, but of course you have to judge for yourself and the photos you want to make.

Axel

0 upvotes

Total comments: 24


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