The RAW processing software DxO PhotoLab 1.1 keeps improving its local adjustment tools featuring U Point technology

With its easier-to-use design, ability to interface with Adobe Lightroom CC Classic, and improved brush tool, DxO PhotoLab (formerly DxO OpticsPro) now offers the most complete RAW development and processing solution on the market.

Special discounts on all DxO software through December 25, 2017

PARIS — DxO, a pioneer in digital imaging technologies, has announced the immediate release of version 1.1. of DxO PhotoLab (formerly DxO OpticsPro), the first update to its RAW conversion software for Mac and PC. DxO PhotoLab 1.1 offers easier-to-use local adjustment tools that feature U Point technology, as well as a more versatile Brush tool that now lets users adjust their flow and opacity settings. In addition to these new features, the software is now compatible with Adobe Lightroom CC Classic, as well as with new cameras and drones.

DxO PhotoLab delivers a comprehensive RAW and JPEG processing solution featuring optical corrections that are based on mathematical models developed in its laboratories, as well as such exclusive tools as PRIME denoising technology and DxO Smart Lighting’s exposure calibration. To allow photographers to apply local edits, DxO purchased Nik Software’s U Point technology from Google and incorporated it into DxO PhotoLab. This local editing technology lets users perform complex selections, which used to require a significant amount of time and painstaking manual brush work, in just a few clicks. In fact, DxO PhotoLab is the only software to fully integrate U Point technology within a non-destructive RAW workflow.

An easier-to-use design and new settings options for the Brush tool

DxO PhotoLab 1.1 offers an improved photo comparison mode to better display local adjustment settings. Photographers using the Windows version of the program can now view their image with and without local adjustments.

The Brush tool has also been updated with two new settings options, Flow and Opacity, which allow users to apply more nuanced masks and manage transitions more naturally.

Compatibility with Adobe Lightroom CC Classic

DxO PhotoLab includes a photo transfer feature that lets users process RAW files in Adobe Lightroom in a fully integrated and non-destructive workflow. Users can simply transfer their images from the Adobe Lightroom catalog to DxO PhotoLab, edit them, then send them back to Adobe Lightroom in .DNG format for further processing as needed—all in just a few clicks. This double-layered, non-destructive workflow gives users maximum flexibility right up until they’re done applying their very last adjustments. Now available through Adobe Lightroom CC Classic, this workflow gives Adobe software users access to DxO PhotoLab’s powerful automatic corrections and local adjustment options.

New camera and drone compatibility

DxO PhotoLab 1.1 can now support photos taken with the Canon EOS M100, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and Tough TG-5, the Sony RX10 IV, and the DJI Mavic PRO and Phantom 4 PRO drones. Thanks to DxO PhotoLab’s advanced RAW conversion technology, which is based on calibrations made for each sensor in DxO’s laboratories, photos taken with any of these cameras will be automatically corrected to account for any defects in their lenses. Images now look better than ever, thanks to DxO PhotoLab’s revised lens sharpness correction feature, which delivers a high level of detail in photos taken with medium ISO settings while still controlling noise.

Prices and availability

The ESSENTIAL and ELITE versions of DxO PhotoLab for PC and Mac can be downloaded from the DxO website (shop.dxo.com) and from specialized retailers for a discounted price through December 25, 2017:

DxO PhotoLab ESSENTIAL Edition: $99 instead of $129
DxO PhotoLab ELITE Edition: $149 instead of $199
(Suggested retail prices, including tax)

Photographers with a license for an earlier version of DxO OpticsPro can purchase a discounted upgrade license for DxO PhotoLab by signing into their customer accounts at www.dxo.com.

Photographers who purchased or updated a DxO OpticsPro license on or after September 1, 2017, can upgrade their software for free.

A fully-functional, one-month trial version of DxO PhotoLab is available on the DxO website: http://www.dxo.com/us/photography/download.

CIPA released the October worldwide shipment data and its bad news only: This was the worst October ever. This is surprising because last year we had the big sensor shortage because of the Kumamoto Sony sensor fab damage. Dpreview writes:

Compared to October 2016, only 78 percent of DSLRs were shipped globally, but 112 percent for mirrorless, indicating that mirrorless is continuing its rise while simultaneously cannibalizing market share from its DSLR cousins. Most of the mirrorless shipments are going to the Asia region, though, which still accounts for more than 50 percent of all mirrorless cameras shipped. Globally, mirrorless is now 36 percent of the total market for ILC.

The World’s Widest Professional Pinhole Lens is on Kickstarter.

For $12,795 the new 75mm lens can be yours at BHphoto.

Many camera players are struggling making profit in the camera business. Seems like Leica has no such issues. Despite having a crazy wide portfolio of all kind of cameras (compacts, APS-C, FF, MF…) they just reported “strong revenue growth”:

Leica Camera AG records strong revenue growth for the 2016/2017 financial year and bucks the downward trend in the camera market

The Leica Camera Group achieved revenue of almost 400 million euros in the past financial year 2016/2017 (31 March 2017) and can therefore look back very positively on the previous twelve-month period. With strong revenue growth of more than six per cent, Leica bucked the overall downward trend in the global camera market, which declined by around 10 per cent in the same period.

In the first few months of the current financial year 2017/2018, cumulative growth stands at 15 per cent, thus underscoring the positive global performance of Leica Camera AG. Despite a market environment that remains challenging, the CEO of Leica Camera AG, Matthias Harsch, once again expects a record-breaking result for the 2017/2018 financial year. As a result, the revenue of Leica Camera AG has increased more than fourfold since anchor investor and majority shareholder Dr Andreas Kaufmann came on board in 2004.

The main driver of growth is the systematic realignment of the company that has taken place in recent years. In particular, the setting up of an in-house Retail Distribution division has made a major contribution to revenue growth. Leica now has 90 monobrand stores around the world, which are vital in terms of promoting brand experience in the context of photography. ‘China is our number-one growth market,’ says Matthias Harsch, who is planning 20 to 30 new stores in the country alone. The Group is now strengthening its presence in the service sector with the Leica Akademie brand in order to boost the appeal of photography amongst younger target groups.

The extremely successful technology and brand partnership with Chinese company Huawei in the field of mobile phone photography makes Leica one of the world’s leading providers of smartphone lens applications, a burgeoning technology segment that serves as a global basis for new product ideas and applications in photography.

The entry of Leica into the eyewear segment (glasses) – a move that was completed in 2017 – offers further potential for strong revenue growth in the years ahead. Operating under the name of Leica Eyecare, the company will systematically tap into this global market in conjunction with its technology partner Novacel.

Leica (press text here) just announced this stunning Noctilux-M 75mm f/1,25. It all a giant piece of glass!

The lens will ship sometimes in early 2018 and cost 11.900€. You have to love Leica for still doing lenses nobody else does :) and nobody of us can afford :(

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Blog article at Leica and image samples at Leica.

This camera collected over one million dollar on Kickstarter. And starting from today you can found it through Indiegogo. What a crazy success story this is!

TCSTV posted this video with Rob Galbraith:

With the Sony A9, Panasonic G9 Fuji X-T2, we’re seeing mirrorless camera makers start to target the last DSLR stronghold, sports and photojournalism. This week Rob Galbraith is joining us to discuss how much progress has been made, and what mirrorless cameras still need to tackle to completely dominate the industry.