DxO Optics PRO 5.3 Elite

The DxO Optics PRO 5.3 Elite makes atomated processing of RAW images sound like a real time-saver, but do the results make the grade?

The ability TO manipulate RAW images has revolutionised digital photography. Using RAW conversion software it is possible to make significant changes to uncompressed picture data without losing quality, but coaxing top results from RAW images can be a slow process, so imagine a software package capable of ‘batch’ processing your RAW files, while still adjusting each image individually. Sounds too good to be true? Well, that’s exactly what DxO Optics Pro v5.3 claims to do. Intrigued? Read on...
 
Features
DxO Optics Pro offers more features than most RAW conversion packages. It not
only corrects optical flaws automatically, such as chromatic aberration, vignetting and lens softness, but will also adjust geometric issues like converging verticals and barrel distortion, not usually possible in RAW conversion. The way it works is different, too. Optics Pro has analysed the optical performance of a vast range of camera and lens combinations, identifying their flaws and what adjustments are required to correct them. All of this data is then stored in ‘Modules’, and during the installation process you’ll need to download the Modules specific for your camera equipment. Optics Pro then uses this information, allied to the EXIF data in your images, so it knows what camera hardware and settings have been used, and what corrections it needs to perform. Optics Pro is also available as a Photoshop plug-in, boasts integrated Lightroom functionality and works with RAW and JPEG files.
An additional feature of Optics Pro is its improved Noise reduction process. By removing Noise before it performs the demosaicing process (that’s the bit where the exposure and lighting gets adjusted), much cleaner results can be obtained.
A benefit of this approach is you can achieve usable results from images shot at incredibly high ISO sensitivities, such as ISO 25,600.

Interface
The interface has an up-to-date and stylish design, and while initially there does seem to be a lot to get to grips with, it is intuitive to use. There are four different work areas, or tabs – Select, Prepare, Process and Review. The Select tab allows you to navigate your files, choose images to process, and drop them into the project area. At this stage you can just hit the Process Now button and Optics Pro will make the corrections automatically.
For a greater degree of control the Prepare tab allows you to make specific adjustments to characteristics like Exposure and White Balance, to name just a few, before you process the image. In the Process tab you can configure output options, including saving converted files to DNG so you can continue to make adjustments later in Lightroom or Photoshop.
Finally the Review tab allows you to evaluate the corrections made with a number of different views including a side-by-side before and after comparison.

Performance
Installed on a PC with 2GB of RAM, Optics Pro ran smoothly with no frustrating delays as you switch between tabs, or adjust the sliders. Hit Process Now and on average our 15MB RAW files took 30 seconds to complete. If you’re working on a handful of files this is fine, but crunch a few hundred images and it’ll be working away for hours, although you can just leave Optics Pro to it and get on with some other tasks.
Overall the results are pretty good, correcting many optical flaws, like vignetting, softness and distortion accurately and automatically. It also made a decent job of adjusting the lighting on incorrectly exposed RAW files, ensuring detail was retained in both highlights and shadows. That said, better exposures can be achieved by adjusting the lighting manually than leaving it to Optics Pro.
Not all chromatic aberrations were removed automatically either, but again with some minor tinkering to the control sliders in the Prepare tab better results were obtained. The noise reduction is impressive – on images shot at ISO 25,600, Optics Pro removed more Noise than was possible with Adobe Camera Raw and with better colour saturation, too. The only complaint here was the results did tend to look a little ‘waxy’ in certain areas.

Value & Verdict
If you’ve got Elements 6 (£60) then many of the corrections Optics Pro can perform can already be achieved via either Camera Raw or the image-editing area, so it’s not an essential item if you’re on a budget.
Optics Pro’s unique selling points, though, are the Noise reduction algorithms that enable you to get better quality from high ISO speeds, and the automation of the RAW conversion process that gives optically corrected results specific to the particular camera and lens you have used. Whether all this automation is necessary depends on the number of files you’re processing, and how quickly you need to do it. For working pros this could be a real bonus, but for enthusiasts, handing over the RAW conversion process to software may take away the enjoyment of seeing your images take on a new lease of life in post-production.
Optics Pro does, however, remove some of the time (and pain?) involved in RAW conversion, so, if you’re after optically accurate results at the touch of a button, give the free trial download a go. If you like the speed, results and ease of use it offers, then the £126 asking price isn’t unreasonable.