Saving raw files in DXO Optics Pro

2string said:

How do you export raw files with DXO Optics Pro?

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When you save a "RAW" file in DxO, and most other software, what you're saving is no longer a RAW file.

This is one of the greatest failings and confusions caused by DNG - a DNG file can be either RAW data or it can be a bitmap. IMO they shouldn't have included a bitmap option in the specification, or they should make it very very obvious when a bitmap image is being created (a different file extension would be my choice).

Converting the image to DNG just creates a standard bitmap image but encapsulated as DNG, from a content perspective it's functionally the same file you get when you save as TIFF.

The only advantage to using DNG in DxO is that it compresses 16-bit files. For some bizarre reason DxO doesn't compress 16-bit TIFFs.

wkingsie said:

To clear any confusion with your response, the only way to export an edited "RAW" file from DXO Optics is as a DNG.

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As has been pointed out elsewhere, an "edited" raw file is no longer a raw file. Aside from that technicality, it's not even in a raw format.

Phil Hill said:

wkingsie said:

To clear any confusion with your response, the only way to export an edited "RAW" file from DXO Optics is as a DNG.

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As has been pointed out elsewhere, an "edited" raw file is no longer a raw file. Aside from that technicality, it's not even in a raw format.

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Yes, this has been "pointed out elsewhere", but it wasn't clear in your response.

W

wkingsie said:

Phil Hill said:

wkingsie said:

To clear any confusion with your response, the only way to export an edited "RAW" file from DXO Optics is as a DNG.

Click to expand...

As has been pointed out elsewhere, an "edited" raw file is no longer a raw file. Aside from that technicality, it's not even in a raw format.

Click to expand...

Yes, this has been "pointed out elsewhere", but it wasn't clear in your response.

W

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Maybe I'm as confused as others about where this thread is going, but I disagree that you can export an edited raw file as DNG, which is what OP was asking. That's all I'm saying. You would certainly be exporting a DNG image, but it's not raw. I hope this clarifies my reply, at least.

It depends how you define RAW.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Negative

"Digital Negative (DNG) is a patented, open, non-free lossless "raw image format" written by Adobe used for digital photography"

also:

https://photographylife.com/dng-vs-raw

"RAW images, also known as “digital negatives” are truly “raw”, meaning they are almost unprocessed data coming directly from the camera sensor"

As I stated in my first post "the only way to export an edited "RAW" file from DXO Optics is as a DNG.

Other RAW processors like Capture One and Lightroom will import the DNG file and apply the changes made by DXO Optics, though in Lightroom the user will have to set the "Calibration" option to "use Embedded profile" to use the DXO Optics changes"

I state again, both Capture One and Lightroom will accept and import the DXO edited/exported DNG file as a RAW file. All RAW processing tools and options will be available.

This clearly answers the OP's question.

W

wkingsie said:

https://photographylife.com/dng-vs-raw

"RAW images, also known as “digital negatives” are truly “raw”, meaning they are almost unprocessed data coming directly from the camera sensor"

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That is accurate for some DNG files, but not those output from DxO OP.

A DNG file can contain either raw data, something close to raw data or it can contain linear RGB data. A DNG file from DxO OP does not contain raw data, or anything close to raw data, nor does the DxO user guide refer to DxO's DNG export as raw. If you want to call it a raw file even when it contains no raw data, well that changes the discussion.

When OP asked about raw files, I thought he meant files actually containing raw data. My bad.

Phil Hill said:

wkingsie said:

https://photographylife.com/dng-vs-raw

"RAW images, also known as “digital negatives” are truly “raw”, meaning they are almost unprocessed data coming directly from the camera sensor"

Click to expand...

That is accurate for some DNG files, but not those output from DxO OP.

A DNG file can contain either raw data, something close to raw data or it can contain linear RGB data. A DNG file from DxO OP does not contain raw data, or anything close to raw data, nor does the DxO user guide refer to DxO's DNG export as raw. If you want to call it a raw file even when it contains no raw data, well that changes the discussion.

When OP asked about raw files, I thought he meant files actually containing raw data. My bad.

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The OP's original question was:

"How do you export raw files with DXO Optics Pro?"

The answer is:

Export as linear DNG.

...

Here's an informative article on linear DNG:


W

As I understand it the DNG is a container that can house a raw file or a processed file. If you export from DXO the file is processed no matter how minimally.

Adobe has a free DNG converter that will allow you to contain a raw file without processing.

The only DNGs I have came a Canon Powershot running CHDK. Pentex uses DNGs to house their raws too.

Lan said:

Converting the image to DNG just creates a standard bitmap image but encapsulated as DNG, from a content perspective it's functionally the same file you get when you save as TIFF.

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No, there is an advantage to the DxO-generated dng when compared with the tiff format: the dng is not encoded into a colour-space, so if you take it to LR you'll have the possibility to export a true ProPhoto RGB tif file from there. DxO uses the Adobe RGB working space so even if you tell it to export to a ProPhoto RGB tif, the conversion is sub-optimal because it starts from the smaller Adobe RGB. It may be an academic distinction for many intents and purposes but it's worth to mention this, I think.

Also, with the DxO-generated tiff you are limited to the colour profiles found in that raw converter (which are generally quite good). But if for some reason you'd like to use your own input colour profile the dng route allows you to do so from within LR/ACR.

Lan said:

The only advantage to using DNG in DxO is that it compresses 16-bit files. For some bizarre reason DxO doesn't compress 16-bit TIFFs.

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? Version 9 that I used produced dng's three times bigger than the tiffs (it's a linear dng).