BETTER THAN LIGHTROOM! DxO Photolab 8 is the BEST photo editing app!

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Sponsored because we love it and think you will too! Get a free trial of DxO PhotoLab 8 at SDP.io/TRYPL Buy PhotoLab 8 at SDP.io/BUYPL & use 15% coupon TONY

[@TheReillyDiefenbach]

I have owned every version of DXO from Optics Pro 1 to the present.) They are all inferior to Lightroom/Photoshop in every way but noise reduction, where it is now a tie. Handling of highlights and shadows with DXO's so called Selective Tone sliders is a non selective bad joke compared to Lightroom's Develop panel. Any experienced user of PL knows this, which is why DXO would like you to spend yet more money on FilmPack7 to get the workaround, luminosity masking. Now that Lightroom has AI noise reduction, there is no reason for me to blow any further cash on Photo Lab upgrades. Thanks again, Adobe! I'll spare everyone the lengthy laundry list of things you can do with LR/PS that you can't with PL.

[@theshawnmccown]

@@TonyAndChelsea You've proven yourselves trustworthy over all the years of coaching those interested in photography. You two shouldn't have to explain your decision.

[@jamiegarton8518]

Does this mean you have switched from Lightroom to DxO PhotoLab 8?

[@bhootz]

Hope you also cover other softwares such as Luminar Neo/On1 Raw for reviews, since they have 30 days free trials and we as consumers get a very fair and unbiased apples to apples comparison of softwares. Your videos, I feel are the most extensive comparison videos on photography and me choosing the sony a7rv as my recent camera, was thanks to your videos.

[@kotolows]

Promo code is not working for the upgrade. Is there another one that works?

[@TheXone7]

I recently quit Adobe and joined DXO and Davinci family. Good by Adobe, you're getting what you deserve!!!

[@TheReillyDiefenbach]

A soaring stock price you mean?

[@QatarVegan]

⁠@@TheReillyDiefenbach. Adobe’s stock price has fallen 10.72% in 2024. (1 Jan - 25 Sept).

[@exshenanigan2333]

Switched from FCP to DaVinci as well. Both program itself as well as the pricing is how software business should be done. They give it away if you buy a camera, meanwhile Sony is trying to charge subscription for their software to use with their camera.

[@elac70]

Bought PL7 10 days ago, had no idea PL8 was about to come out. Was a little miffed and wanted to see how much the upgrade would be. $0 was my cost to upgrade to 8. No longer miffed, and very happy with DxO

[@spandel100]

I wish On1 would do this as well.

[@mltv5736]

Rly..? How..? I bought it around 3 weeks ago the same as you, and i am beeing charged 109$ US for an upgrade :/

[@elac70]

@@mltv5736 just logged into the DXO website where it shows my software. It then showed which ones had updates available. Just clicked the link there. Just double checked the email from my photo lab seven order and it was from September 15. So I guess nine days before yesterday.

[@Sanjuro555]

@@mltv5736 from DXO help center: "I recently bought DxO PhotoLab, am I eligible for a free upgrade or anything else? This information applies to versions: 7 If you purchased DxO PhotoLab from August 18, 2024, you should have received an email with a personalized limited-time offer if you agreed to receive our offers and announcements (Newsletter). Unfortunately, no exceptions will be made for purchases prior to this date."

[@spandel100]

@@mltv5736 Maybe email them and complain.

[@jbradford721]

So... remember how you always made a point of not being sponsored by camera manufacturers so you could give unbiased reviews?? This video is sponsored by DxO and lo and behold you think it's the best thing going.

[@felix.laak0441]

Absolutely agree. Thats not what he says he stands for, and its not what we want

[@supertrexandroidx]

Well then, go watch someone else who does zero sponsored spots. Because guess what? If they aren't doing them now, they likely will in the not too distant future. There's very few content creators who can afford to invest in this much expensive gear over a long period of time with zero third-party investment. Being sponsored does not automatically equate to being a "sellout" or giving dishonest reviews. If you think Tony is guilty of either, no one is forcing you to keep watching.

[@MrBillkaz]

He shut up and use their coupon code lol

[@SoothingNatureByaamir]

Is it going to be same dxo pure raw every time new update arrives you have to buy update , this is what i am facing eventually they will be on the same page

[@dobleuxyz]

I stopped using Adobe years ago. Here are my alternatives: Lightroom - Capture One Premiere Pro - Davinci Resolve Studio After Effects - Fusion (available inside Davinci Resolve) Photoshop - Affinity Photo Illustrator - Affinity Designer InDesign - Affinity Publisher

[@marcp.1752]

Lightroom Alternative(s) - DarkTable, RAW Therapee (both OSS, OpenSource free), Photo Ninja Photoshop - Affinity Photo, Gimp

[@dobleuxyz]

@@marcp.1752 I've tried the open source alternatives for Lightroom and the experience has been really, really bad. A little obsolete as well. Capture One isn't perfect but it has a one time payment option with AI masking and other useful stuff. Good enough for me. The same goes for Gimp. The only FREE software options that I can recommend a 100% are Blender and Davinci Resolve (not studio). Hope that changes soon.

[@3runjosh]

audition - fairlight

[@dobleuxyz]

@@marcp.1752 I tried them but didn't have a good experience. Really slow and buggy.

[@dobleuxyz]

@@3runjosh yup

[@Alysuis]

I tried DxO and I did like it. I was able to get nearly the exact same final image as I was with LRC. The only reason I went back to LRC was for the work flow but I'm considering buying DxO 8 and getting used to the workflow in that program. This is mostly a moral choice for me at this point.

[@teamvigod]

I looked on their website and it appears you have to pay to upgrade to each new version. So the initial price is $229for elite then each upgrade you will pay for probably $100 maybe? I am on Photography Lightroom plan $10/month. So my initial purchase breakeven is almost 2 years and then each upgrade every year would be like paying for my photography plan (which includes LR Classic, LR, Photoshop). Unless you are prepared to be stuck on the version you buy in 2 or 3 years it looks like DxO will cost more due to initial up front cost and ongoing upgrade fees. If I am wrong somewhere here somebody please correct me. I was hopeful until I saw the pricing and upgrade fees

[@dredigi0]

@@teamvigod I see your point But how often would you really be updating? Other than the latest AI features, How much is Adobe really changed in the last 2 years?

[@teamvigod]

@@dredigi0 I would update every year most likely. Will DxO always update old version to work on the latest Mac OS version and if not you must upgrade. Also there will probably be big moves in AI features for the next 5 to 10 years most won't want to miss out on.

[@Photoandcargeek]

@@teamvigod that is how Lightroom and all Photoshop products used to be receipt that it was way more than $100. You didn't have to pay for the new version if you didn't want it because unless you changed camera or operating system, your version of the software would work forever. You can't face everything for free and here you have to choose between owning something forever which might become restrictive or useless with age or, pay a monthly subscription.

[@77dris]

@@teamvigod No. Look at the post above by elac70. He bought PL7 recently and was able to upgrade to PL8 for $0

[@TaylorHuston]

This is great for a sponsored post, but the fact that it's sponsored makes it feel more like a sales pitch. I'd need a truly unbiased, deep dive comparison to LrC before I'd consider switching. I don't love all of the things Adobe does, but to completely swap to a new software, a new workflow, deal with all my existing catalofs and edits and everything, would be a huge undertaking.

[@paulscottfilms]

Yes I know and I agree but I woke up in a nightmare of Photoshop nightmare of context menus and the garbage they make in AI. You can switch back to former versions. But the Empire is falling. I am still there because I bring PSD layers with transparent backgrounds into Premier. Adobe has always been high-handed and arrogant to work with.

[@thomaskihr329]

Simply get the free and fully working Demo-Version of DxO and check out yourself. I will switch from LR to DxO, cause the results convinced me. Tried Capture One as well, but they really get crazy with their pretty pricy monthly fees. I don't regret to change, even my workflow has to be adapted a bit ;)

[@supertrexandroidx]

This software has a lot of great reviews, just Google it. Also, use the free trial and make your own evaluation. I'm gonna try it out after I sell my first child for my next camera. ;)

[@MartimDurao]

Sorry Tony, I don’t buy it, I don’t think you’ll change to DxO. I think you would change to Capture One. You’re to over excited, it sounds like just a sale push… it doesn’t fit you.

[@dobleuxyz]

Captura One is really good. This video feels more like a sponsor than anything.

[@GreasyFox]

Except Capture One says perpetual licenses will no longer include new features, functionality after purchase. So they are moving towards subscription based method, just like Adobe.

[@dobleuxyz]

@@GreasyFox it includes all the features of the latest version at the time of purchase but no major updates. To me that's fine. The features it has right now are more than enough. It already has color grading tools and AI masking, I don't see what kind of new feature would make me feel like I'm missing out on something, my workflow is really simple.

[@Banquet...]

I tried Capture One a few years ago. I didn't like the way it organised files and when the new version came out, the upgrade price was hardly any lower than the standard price. I think I worked out at the time that if they brought out a new version every year, It would be about the same cost as the Lightroom sub to stay up to date. I'm just saying this because I'm someone who's not interested in switching from Lightroom to Capture One, but I'll check out Dx0.

[@_SYDNA_]

Thanks for highlighting the dXO product. Have always wondered. Like access to the features without having to learn a new file storage system. How accurately and quickly can you mask a person with it?

[@leedodge4227]

I like that raw files in folders are ready to be processed and don't need to be imported.

[@breadandcircuses5644]

To me this is one of the main reasons to get it.

[@Cucumiso]

adobe idea of reinventing cataloges drives me nuts

[@shortie8512]

To me this is one of the worst things about DXO, not being able to download images off my memory card, organise the images downloaded into folders by date, automatically apply keywords, meta data, even presets at import is a massive flaw in the product. I would need to use another product alongside DXO. I want a one stop shop where I can do everything, DXO is too far away from this and has limited editing capabilities like no portrait masking, I can do everything in one place in LrC and only go to PS for occasional finishing, DXO would require me to manually edit every photo one at a time using PS or Affinity whilst I can apply portrait masks across 100's of photos in seconds in LrC

[@FelanLP]

I use Lightroom on my android device and I hated the update when they did it. I prefer to having to import files. This makes easier to track how done you are with a batch of photos.

[@jjaylad]

@shortie8512 having just done a couple of multi thousand image shoots, I couldn't agree more

[@victorjvanderwoude3102]

A subscription model doesn't work for infrequent users, especially amateurs with a limited skill set, because the cost verses benefit ratio is so low that using a free version of add version seems the best cost effective. I'd rather buy a version even without perpetual updates than pay pay pay for something of limited cost value just so I can fix a few pictures.

[@jeffkogler1170]

Agreed

[@stevegray5709]

Spot on 👍

[@GCI1191]

Darktable is your friend then. It takes some getting used to, but you'll be pleased with the results. There are lots of tutorials here on YT.

[@k_i_m_m_o]

If you skip DxO PhotoLab updates to the new version, you will lose the right to a discounted upgrade and will have to pay the full price for the new version. You are forced to buy every update. In reality, you won’t save money by using DxO PhotoLab compared to, for example, Adobe Lightroom. Or maybe you will save if you skip a few years of version upgrades.

[@duncanwallace7760]

Tony you said, "Don't want to mess with AI" as if it was AI features in Lightroom are a negative. Lack of AI selection tools in DXO is the main thing keeping me from switching. Lightroom helps me isolate areas of the photographs I want to edit. Select Sky, Subject, Objects then intersect with other selections like gradient filters. I'm sick of Adobe's monthly charges and cloud storage nonsense, so DXO is still really tempting even without AI, especially because they have an upgrade policy, so you don't have to pay the full price again, when a new version comes out.

[@TheReillyDiefenbach]

In other words, you never had it so good!

[@rabellogp]

I agree... The AI selection is super handy and I also think the AI denoising is better than what I can achieve with DXO.

[@tj2375]

Some of us don't like the AI tools

[@stefanwagener]

While I don't like subscription either, at the end the "lifetime license" is not much better than a subscription, because if you want your latest cameras and lenses supported, you basically are forced to upgrade as well because DXO blocks new cameras working in older software. E.g. Nikon Z6 III is not supported in PL5 which was launched just 2 years ago and neither in PureRAW 1. Also for PL5 there is no discount when upgrading to PL8, you pay the full price, and again PL5 is only 2 years old. And if you upgrade PL every version there is only a theoretical difference to subscription, maybe peace of mind, but your purse will suffer the same way ... which should be no surprise as the development effort needs to be paid either way.

[@ElmerLa]

@@stefanwagenerThere is one big difference between paid upgrades and subscriptions: you cancel your subscription you no longer have access to the software while if you don’t pay for upgrades you still have access to the last version you paid for.

[@jw48335]

Moved away when Adobe was moving to subscription model and over to dxo years and years ago. Never felt limited, never missed Adobe at all. Love the "film pack" from them too.

[@18yearsoldnot]

You only get the film pack in the full version right?

[@bertnase9933]

But in the end you pay the same while updating every year... And you get PS, LRC, LR, LR mobile for 10 bucks a month....

[@18yearsoldnot]

@@bertnase9933 great point but does lightroom integrate with the apple or google photos library? Also you can't do any photomerging on the mobile apps anyway and in my experience dxo filmpack (included in optics pro version) spanks lightroom for professional looks

[@zionstuart1927]

CAN LR PRESETS WORK?

[@jw48335]

@@bertnase9933 I don't update every year and I only buy during Black Friday when they do like 50% off. Last time I bought was 4 years ago. They also offer reduced pricing for upgrades.

[@michaelkokot6349]

Been using DXO labs since version 3 and have been very happy with it. It is great for doing batch processing. Especially sports photos and fixing noise. As Tony said they have for years been the best at noise reduction. At about version 5 however I needed to up the power of the PC as the noise reduction is a highly CPU-intensive operation. Been on version 6 for a couple years and been trying out version 8 and will be purchasing the upgrade soon. Local adjustments are very powerful so watch some videos on how to do that.

[@filmzfilmz]

I actually like this video because u actually gave Adobe time to fix there problems and they still messed up, this video was posted at the correct time 💪🏿

[@b-rphotos4687]

Been using since DXO 3. Have always been pleased. I've heard that DXO 8 was out and improved. Haven't upgraded yet, but I will very soon. DXO has always been the company for me.

[@chazman75]

Wait for black friday sale

[@AndrewDubinin]

I became Adobe-free about a year ago, replacing LRC with PhotoLab 7 (now PL8) and Photoshop with Affinity Photo 2. Yes, work flow is different, but I think it's worth it.

[@johnhirsh353]

are you satisfied with DxO as a digital asset manager? Organizer?

[@AndrewDubinin]

@@johnhirsh353 DxO is not a proper assets manager, Photo Supreme is what I personally use.

[@macjeffff]

I don’t mind the sponsorship, since it’s Tony. I don’t think he would hawk junk. He’s getting paid to demonstrate software that is known to be high quality. I appreciated the video.

[@wanderlust0120]

Yeah my thoughts EXACTLY! They have done so much for the community that they can put these videos in a separate section and we would still watch. But pretending it is not an ad is a bit much

[@Dan-yy7lk]

But if he's making all the comparisons with lightroom, and not just reviewing it stand alone, its pretty unfair not to mention capture 1.

[@Dal1970again]

He will hawk whoever pays him - KZbin is a business, not a charity

[@galanonim8137]

I switched to DxO PL 7 a few weeks ago and left Adobe. Now, I’m using DxO PL8, DxO NIK Collection, Luminar, and Affinity Photo, and it's absolutely fine. The workflow of Adobe LR/PS was a bit better, of course, but it’s necessary to teach Adobe a lesson.

[@chrisgrylls9132]

I love DXO Photolab and have been using it for about 3 years. I hated Lightroom for all the reasons you mentioned, but most particularly, I wanted to use my own catalog structure and not one inflicted on me by Adobe.

[@RobiRB7]

For me, DxO Photolab is the best. I have Photolab 7 and will update to version 8 in November when there is a discount.

[@michaelwebb4500]

Tony, thank you so much. I’ve been trying to get started with Lightroom for years but can’t get by setting up the libraries. I have ADD. So complexity is my enemy. Based on your KZbin I downloaded the trial software and in 25 minutes I was up and running this is great. You and Chelsie are my go to KZbinrs for photography

[@kjellhmyhre2374]

This really seems and sounds like a commercial ...

[@panzer3279]

Yes, Tony won't be as excited if it was not sponsored and would find some flaws lol. But the DxO app seems good.

[@3runjosh]

well it is sponsored by the company

[@VanceWorldTravel2]

It's more than a sound... it is. And I am sure he would say "They are paying me for this video" but since he is getting compensated for referrals, he is most definitely getting paid for this video... directly or not.

[@Steven_Loy]

that's because it is. Tony says as much at the beginning of the video.

[@stuartriley]

Excited to see what you have done with the DXO product and how it works. 🎉. Thank you Tony!

[@gadjox]

Yes. Absolutely. I got consistently better results with Photolab. Mainly because of the RAW processing. But my experience is limited..

[@allisonmanninghogarth75]

Thanks Tony. I needed this recommendation. It came at the right time. I bought it and getting ready to write my 'Dear John letter' to Adobe after 8 years. As a photo hobbyist I can't justify to continue with the monthly amount.

[@chrlmlln9018]

Dear, Tony, I fully agree with you on every editing corrections, made with care and highly intelligent software developed by DxO! I do not have PS but only the Elements so now I will purchase this DxO Photolab version 8! A big THANKS to you for this excellent tutorial! Wishing you and your family every blessing! Cheers from Sweden!

[@qbgabe12]

I’ve been using DxO since the Optics Pro days, and its noise reduction and optics optimization are absolute game-changers. The improvements in technical quality are remarkable-you’d have to spend significantly more on a higher-end camera AND lens to achieve the same results

[@careylymanjones]

Absolutely agree about the noise reduction. High-ISO is no longer a problem, with PL's noise reduction capability.

[@looptimelapse]

oh boy coincidentally I've been using DXO for the past week, and for the first time ..bro it's a GAME CHANGER and i guess i was just living under a rock all the time

[@elram2649]

I'm interested in the skin retouching results. In your experience, is it faster and more natural-looking than LR? I want to edit my portraits faster as I do all the work in my business, so I'm looking to speed up things so I can rest from time to time. Much thanks!

[@andrewbassett709]

In my limited experience it doesn't seem faster but I got some good results with dxo.

[@ngrabowskiphoto]

This video comes in the best time possible, I'm actually looking at PhotoLab software for a while and I'd love to see more maybe a bit longer and in depth analysis of it. I know it'll try it as soon as I replace my old computer. Thanks Tony. PS. I don't mind it's sponsored it shows what it does.

[@dragonfly656]

I ditched Lightroom when they moved to subscription and happily moved to DXO. Much easier and more powerful. No need to upgrade ever until I buy a new camera or computer.

[@maikydb]

THANK YOU! I hate the subscription's of Adobe and especially what you get for it. This looks like something I would actually use more and get more out of then what I get with Adobe.

[@morbly]

I think those pictures turned out looking like they've been tone mapped, not enought contrast, like an HDR image translated to SDR

[@SterlingSanders]

My thoughts exactly, all I could think for every edit was "BLEH..."

[@jakelindsay6251]

It's true. I love DXO PL but it's not great for subtle edits. I like it because of it's default handling of the RAW, the film pack integration, keystoning correction tools, the denoising, and of shockingly it has the best print module I have found. But the Tony's edits showed how easy it is to get heavy handed with DXO.

[@18yearsoldnot]

@@jakelindsay6251 I thought that was his fault for going too far with the slider to be fair.

[@gregorylagrange]

The eagle picture for sure. Tone mapping in Corel Paintshop would do the same thing. The gradient mask looks like a handy feature. But all these programs have versions of the same capability. Layers and the same old feathered brush with a layer mask to do the same thing. But it may do some things better than others. Like the noise reduction may be better. So it's good that's it out there for an alternative.

[@toms206]

Some poor editing on Tony’s behalf. Issues with the highlights on the final pic. The eagle can’t believe he framed it so bad from the start. Overall DxO didn’t blow me away based on this. Nothing you can’t do on LR. Plus he is making look as good as possible as being paid. If paid by Adobe would this review be the same?

[@geoffclarke5901]

i have used DXO PL since PL4 and i love it. the noice reduction in PL8 is amazing. its so easy to use. Its really the best i have used.

[@x2100]

Oh Yes! I can stop paying Adobe subscription for Lightroom. I don't use cloud storage anyway, so this is perfect.

[@edruttledge342]

I have been using DXO Photolab 4 for the last couple of years and I am presently using a trial version of Photolab 8. Much easier to use and more powerful than Adobe applications. For one thing - unlike Adobe, there is no new naming convention/workflow imposed on the user every six months.

[@d3xmeister]

I use DxO since DxO Optics 6 I think 20 years ago. It was and still is the best raw converter/processor

[@casperradil]

I wish I knew dxo was going to exist many years ago when I started to shoot m43, so I could have used iso6400 and 3200 much more. The way dxo corrects high iso shots from old cameras is like magic.

[@kzbay1685]

Looks good, was going to get adobe, but then saw your couple videos so I waited. Patience pays off.

[@Greb99]

I'm using DxO PhotoLab since version 5 and (besides a few limits with regards to organizing) I'm really satisfied. However, this video sounds indeed more like an ad than anything else.

[@Sunrazor]

Used DxO Photolab for years now. It's simply better. The noise reduction is way way more efficient and keeps more detail than LR.

[@TheReillyDiefenbach]

No, it doesn't, but don't let that stop you.

[@Teeb2023]

_"It's simply better."_ As pointless words go, they were the most pointless.

[@allisonmanninghogarth75]

Thanks Tony for this video. I had short listed DxO Photolab and your video helped me seal the deal.

[@Chris-tf7gi]

I'm still using Adobe Lightroom 6, the last stand alone version. It makes me use my skills to go in and do things that new programs do automatically. AND I couldn't be more pleased with your recommendation, Tony. I've felt I could use a worthy upgrade for quite a few years now and refuse to get a subscription to the program I already paid for. (To Adobe's credit, the stand alone version does still work.) I'm sold. Looking forward to seeing what vintage lenses DxO supports. NOT to Adobe's credit at all, the lens profiles in Lightroom 6 are from 2015. If this is really better than Lightroom, lets see some more tutorials on some basic editing steps like your Lightroom videos. This is basically free for me with all the money I have not paid Adobe for subscriptions. (Take that Adobe.)

[@steveeb9567]

Also still using LR6. Agree about having to to be more creative. DxO PhotoLab 8 looks promising through...

[@RamsesTheFourth]

Yeah im using 5.7 version.

[@DAVE_WHITE]

I have been using DXO since ver 5 remember the pure raw features are also in DXO 3rd tab over it is great software except it will not let you rename files when you export them That is the only feature I wish it had.. It allows you to add a suffix to the file only.. the batch export is great. very good program!!

[@robertgeorge8166]

For me personally I have good respect for the Northrop’s. This is a good alternative to Adobe.

[@LeoDodier]

Thanks Tony, just purchased DXO through your link. You guys are the best!

[@pelanth]

A few years ago I had DxO for less than a year. Then I got a new camera (from Nikon D610 to Z6) and found out that I needed to buy the latest version to support the new camera's files (customer support told me this). Considering the more than $200 price tag ($200 for the initial version and $200 for the version upgrade) and having the software less than a year, I thought that was a pretty terrible deal. So hopefully they don't that anymore, but they aren't getting my business again.

[@teamvigod]

Yeah I pay $10/month for Adobe Photography plan (LR, LR classic and photoshop). I'll always be behind in terms of out of pocket with DxO versus Adobe with DxO's pricing here. Up front I'm 2 years to breakeven and then any upgrades and I'm once again playing catchup for 2 years almost. I don't see how the no subscription fee is of any benefit vs Adobe here when the total costs for initial license and then upgrades down the road end up costing more

[@aneelodhwani3961]

@@teamvigodif you don’t change your camera all the time you don’t have to buy a new product. That’s how the value of DXO is much better. Plus it’s less complicated to setup and use.

[@anupew3276]

looking at its pricing few weeks back it was 230€ and 99€ for upgrade (so maybe 180$/70$ in US as you dont get hit with taxes as much), so its not full price for an upgrade anymore...

[@ianyorke2617]

DXO obviously took note of the issue you raised and is not the case now, you can go and see the list of supported cameras against DXO version on their website. I think they go back 2 versions.

[@jovelinoalmeida4704]

i do not understand these people when comparing prices : 🤔any decent photographer has Photoshop.... and Lightroom is included in the monthly price so : Lightroom cost nothing

[@JulioAvalos3000]

Thanks, Tony. Going back to Adobe has been keeping me up at night.

[@richardsisk1770]

I have used DXO Photolab and DXO Optics Pro it’s former iteration for many years. It’s better than the Adobe ACR etc.

[@karlgunterwunsch1950]

And how often did you use a current Adobe version? Probably you didn't!

[@richardsisk1770]

@@karlgunterwunsch1950 actually once in a while. I have the subscription for Lightroom and Photoshop so now and then I try ACR.

[@NilesHeckman]

DXO Rocks! So good. Such a great interface.

[@garybliss5673]

Folks -- Tony is absolutely correct here. i've been a DXO user since 2005, but still have to drop back to PS for a few needs (e.g., adding text, or merging certain external images). But honestly, now i do that only once a year or less. For a former darkroom geek, it doesn't feel like a different workflow, whereas PS does with constructs like layers and their tool palettes. And DXO's denoise and optical corrections are always the very best. -- gary ray

[@captinktm]

I love it 12 months ago LR was king. I have tried a few of the alternatives and even though I hate the file system in LRC I still think it's the best and great value for money. Don't forget folks when you buy DXO you can't use it on two computers as the wife and I do with LRC. Oh and when they bring the latest PL9-10-11 you have to pay for them as well, I will simply get a firmware up date which of course cost me no extra. I never thought I'd say it but you sounded like a sales guy for DXO.

[@Neopulse00]

Kinda glad you made this video. Had no idea DxO had its own editor, I always thought they sold plugins. Good to know.

[@bluesscribe]

I have had it for years, and updated from year to year, the new version has gone up significantly.

[@rickfarber4243]

I still prefer C1 to adobe. It has better tethering functionality and they don't handcuff you with the subscription.

[@rgreeneish]

Yes they do. But I prefer them also.

[@KJ-md2wj]

I really liked C1 for Fujifilm, but I'm not buying the new version since support for Fujifilm was stopped. For adding Text and other quick work I bought PhotPad from NCH for little money but very good results and very easy to use. It's a best buy for me.

[@daenu]

C1 is good , used it for years. But their buy model got horrible. Bad performance on Apple Silicon. I’m looking for an alternative now and dxo is one of them.

[@danielosborne8228]

Been using DXO for years, great product.

[@Flyers8810]

Do a review on Capture one. IMO their color fidelity is better than anything else

[@vincent4805]

Thanks Tony. Just switched after watching your vid, turns out my adobe subscription expires in under a month so perfect timing. One-off dxo price isn't much more than 1 year cost of adobe (the package with lightroom classic), and as a hobbyist I don't edit photos that often (mainly holiday pics, a few trips a year). After 3 years if subscription I've cancelled Adobe membership. I hope more people can do the same to teach them a lesson.

[@KrunchyJD]

I have DXO7 and adobe Lightroom. I honestly think DXO produces better pictures. Only benefit of Lightroom is better masking

[@alankefauver6187]

I've used PL since PL6. The three things I miss are 1. Subject select for masking, and 2. You can't go back and forth into Photoshop like you can in LrC (which would obviate the need for subject masking) 3. Sharpening to go with their amazing NR. PureRaw4 actually has some sharpening in it, so I don't know why the same control isn't available in PL8. (Watch for a PR5 shortly...can't say how I know this)

[@MrMartin246]

There is a sharpen tool in the Detail section, it is called Unsharp Mask. But it is sharpening despite the name. The noise reduction also does some kind of sharpening, so does the Lens Softness Compensation tool. So many ways to do targeted sharpening

[@rainycajun]

Comical that this video started (for me) an Adobe ad.🤣

[@kennygeorgeonline]

Me, too!😂

[@rbolwell]

@@kennygeorgeonline 🤣me three

[@FyahAlex]

The color rendering is definitely much better than LR/PS. My only reason to still keep the Adobe products is because I do a lot of run and gun photography and I do utilize the generative AI features of PS fairly often. PL is a great alternative to Canon’s DPP 4 which is outdated and clunky. I can use PL8 as my base, export as a TIFF and then do my finishing in PS.

[@joshuaa3075]

How does it compare to Darktable?

[@Celestialrob]

I use Lightroom Classic but intensely dislike Adobe. Will definitely explore this as an alternative. Thank you!

[@peterbrowning1251]

I refuse to use subscriptions. This could be what I'm looking for, thanks.

[@youngbloodalan]

why?

[@humandroid53]

Do you have a phone contract, a broadband contract, an electricity contract? It's all a type of subscription.

[@randallkirk3489]

Great Video! I purchased DXO PL8 Elite yesterday. Absolutely love it!

[@mcoffroadinaz4075]

No subscription... sounds like a massive improvement already.

[@MacawAviculture]

Thank you for sharing this! I have been using Lightroom 6.14 and PS CS6 because I refuse to subscribe to Adobe. It seems like folder-based photo management is severely lacking in DxO8 compared to Lightroom.

[@Pvince73]

Nice! But does DxO allow me to transfer my Lightroom catalogue and collections with more than 200 000 items (including videos) and almost 2 decades of daily work on keywords, geotagging, titles, descriptions, stars, flags, color labels and copyright metadata? And what about the xml sidecar files? Can i still manage my selections of files with metadata filters with DxO?

[@linohype]

also interested in the possible outcome. anyone experience?

[@rbolwell]

When is installed DXO, i saw it installed a plugin for lightroom that allowes you to brong your RAW files over from LRto DXO PL. I've yet to check it out though.

[@linohype]

@@rbolwell nice. update us with the results when done, thx

[@MiguelMorenoGP]

I have been trialing Photolab 7 and Capture One in order to ditch Lightroom, and I love both. The only thing is Photolab is clunky and a bit slow even on my M1 MacBook Pro. I really need to try this new version, cause it's a no brainer for the price of the perpetual license. And adding the Nik collection is really powerful

[@ericpanzer8159]

Unless this can selectively and accurately darken every background, soften every face, and whiten every eye and tooth automatically on everyone in 120 photos in a matter of minutes, I ain't dropping Lightroom for this. I know we're feeling salty about Adobe, and we should absolutely sick the government on them for some of their shady business practices; but I'm not going to fall on my own sword by giving myself hours of photographic busywork in a futile attempt to rein them in.

[@ViewsAtF8-h7w]

Sounds like photography is your business. So many peopel though are just hobbyists taking landscapes, travel and pictures of family. For that use case we aren't needing to crank out hundreds of photos per week for clients. This is where a subscription from Adobe makes sense and is also a tax deduction anyways.

[@NinPossible]

Wow, the UI looks more friendly too. Thank you for the recommendation! :)

[@sleepyatdawn7648]

Capture one is vastly better than lightroom.

[@mjklein]

Affinity Photo is better than Capture One, IMO.

[@SterlingSanders]

People always say this but never explained why they think that.

[@sleepyatdawn7648]

@@mjkleini use both in combination, affinity photo is a competitor of Photoshop, not Lightroom.

[@JeevesTCW]

I'm still using the old Photolab 4 which works great for me. I am a travel photographer shooting with M43 cameras and when I occasionally shoot at higher ISO's the Deep Prime feature (albeit processor intensive) really helps to remove one deficit of the M43 system.

[@patatipatata9726]

Thanks for the tip. By the way, with all due respect, Chelsie looks amazing on the picture!

[@CoenradJMorgan]

There are many RAW developers and YES I have have used it from the first version BUT Lightroom has one huge advantage, the catalog. If DXO could import LR classic catalogs, and process Panorama images YES but not at the moment, I have always used DXO products because they are excellent but without LR catalog compatibility, it’s THE plugin to LR.

[@houserhythm]

The problem was never finding an alternative to Lr. But there's nothing (sadly) that can do everything that Ps does.

[@bbasiaga]

Affinity 2 is getting closer every version.

[@NCloyd51]

Thank you this sharing DXO PHOTOLAB 8 with excellent examples. And yes I’ll switch 😋

[@ShayneWolfe]

As someone who edits real estate every day, I still found myself going back to Lightroom because its built in HDR is just better unfortunately. Hopefully that changes.

[@dominiclester3232]

As a Nikon shooter it was a nice surprise to click “like” on one of your videos! 😂

[@openmind06]

Wow these comments are making me question how smart the viewers are because the first frame says “THIS VIDEO IA SPONSORED BY DX0”. Some people just want to argue online.

[@elram2649]

This! 🔥🔥🔥

[@stephenpartridge686]

After our first overseas trip to Europe back in 2005 I found a lot of odd optical distortion issues with images taken with the 350d and Tamron 18-200, i found a programme called DxO and tried the trial, it corrected all the issues automatically so I bought version 4 and was able to batch process 4000 images with one click, back then it didn't do much else apart from corrections but it was awesome!!

[@irutgers]

I’m taking the trial now… thanks for the recommendation!

[@NickDelDuca]

Tony is shillin but at least it's for a good company. DXO is great software.

[@QuicknStraight]

Man earns a living. Shocker.

[@careylymanjones]

It ain't shilling, if it's the truth. The Smart Lighting slider is handy AF. You can either do full manual exposure slider, or select varying levels of highlight priority, to protect your highlights, without using up your highlight slider's range.That's fantastic for shooting sunsets. Between Clear View, Micro Contrast, and the lens softness correction profiles, I never touch Unsharp Mask. The denoising really is an industry leader. Much better than LR, and a good competitor for Topaz AI.

[@lax123rock]

Dx0 Vs Capture one? Which one would you choose?

[@Photoandcargeek]

1. I know DxO is a great company but sponsored video kind of hurts the point of the video. 2. One of the things i use all the time on LrC is batch process... Can it do it? 3. AI is very impressive on LrC, i use (rarely) the removal tool and recently have discovered how revolutionising AI denoise is. AI denoise is like having a 10-year upgrade to your camera if not more.

[@sertocd]

He knows it. But money is sweet.

[@xdrew707x]

Why not just try it? There's a free trial before you buy

[@anupew3276]

2) Yes it can 3) DxO is supposed to have currently the best denoise on the market by far. Thats not just an advertisement, its basically what everyone comparing different editing software say.

[@karlgunterwunsch1950]

@@anupew3276 That was the case until Adobe came up with denoise. The Adobe algorithm is in another league against the inconsistent mess from DxO...

[@Photoandcargeek]

@@xdrew707x I will. I am on a subscription detox program

[@hauke3644]

Maybe the best PL8 review so far, concentrating on the deciding features. I made a personal raw editor comparison when upgrading from SilkyPix (which wasn’t too bad, by the way) and PhotoLab 2 was the clear winner. Best results in the quickest way. What I don’t like: Some of the essential features are upgrades and the more popular it becomes, the more expensive the updates get, now more than 100 €

[@hakankavas805]

DxO can be good software, but never come to close to LR and PS.Adobe has revolutionized the use of AI in its softwares.Yes there are still some deficiencies,bugs,etc. but this is a development will never end.

[@careylymanjones]

If you shoot in low-light, high-ISO situations. DxO's denoising is light-years ahead of LR. It's faster, it doesn't require an internet connection, it preserves detail better, and you don't have to send your pics to Adobe. Only Topaz comes close. And that's speaking from experience with PL 7. PL 8 is supposed to be even better.

[@mikehines14]

Love your videos Tony, been watching you and Chelsea for probably 8 years now. You guys are the best! You guys have said many times that you never take sponsorships from photography companies to keep your videos unbiased. While a DXO sponsorship isn't as crazy as Canon or Nikon would be, this does give me a littleeeee bitttt of hesitation. What would have been great is a direct comparison to LR so I can see if DXO accomplishes the same task that Adobe does for less money.

[@subhajitmishra007]

Use Darktable

[@MrSunamo]

It would actually be great to hear unbiased reviews of this and other Lightroom alternatives. I switched to using Capture One and am really loving it, especially the way it applies the color profile for my camera. Capture One also has a powerful tool for fixing and balancing skin tones which has already come in handy.

[@LighthouseandArchitecture]

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me and others options. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

[@SusanTonizzo-d5l]

I just downloaded it, I'm excited to trial it!! Love how you edited your photo's!!

[@dannylaureys1376]

Where do you get $20 a month, I pay $9.99 month for Lightroom and Photoshop

[@careylymanjones]

$20/month was what Adobe charged me for LRC and PS. $10/mo was for web-based LR, alone.

[@rickpopham5400]

I think it depends on how much cloud storage you get. The basic Photography Plan of LRC, PS and 20GB cloud storage is $9.99. I think they charge an extra $10 for 1TB of storage. You really have to look closely on their site to see all the options.

[@woodygreen6826]

@@careylymanjones I'm paying $9.99 for Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and Photoshop with no online storage.

[@Anadrolus]

I pay even less, get 1 year on Amazon during black friday or Amazon days.

[@CharlieGroh]

…if you go for the first “offer” you’ll pay 20 bux, if you search a bit, you’ll pay 10 like I’ve been paying for years…best deal in town and nobody, especially those who aren’t power users, is going to tell me *any* competing software is “better.” I have the ON1 RAW 2024 suite and Affinity, too…all have their uses, but nothing beats LRC and the ability to go up to Photoshop with a click. Nothing. I know DXO has their sh*t together but it cannot match the totality of LRC and PS.

[@Vromiaris778]

I use Photolab 6 and I love it! Pretty sure I'll hold off upgrading again (skipped 7) since I am still able to do everything I need in 6 - this allows the monthly expense to go down even more! Note that DXO still supports 6 - I get updates (new lens / camera modules) regularly - I just don't get some of the new features. When a version pops up with something I must have, I'll upgrade then!

[@stevengoetz6773]

Just keep in mind that DXO only offers upgrade pricing on 2 versions back. If you wait for Version 9 you will have to pay full pop for it, but if you upgrade from 6 to 8 you'll still get upgrade pricing.

[@LeisurePhotos]

@@stevengoetz6773 Thai's fair enough, you can update every 2 years. No need to update every year. That can save alot of money. Isn't it?

[@j-jayc.635]

How does DXO work with Fuji Xtrans sensors.

[@1BigBucks1]

It was incompatible for a long time but since 2021 it has worked and it's good.

[@johndwilliams]

I believe I read that DXO 8 Isn't compatible with X Trans sensors yet. But you need to check with DXO.

[@careylymanjones]

@@johndwilliams There's a link on the DxO website to a list of camera bodies and lenses they have profiles for.

[@Fordham0815]

I use DxO pure raw and it is just pure magic

[@RafaPolit]

I also have to object to this video’s approach. “You just buy it, no monthly fees”… yeah, but it’s not a perpetual license, it’s a per-version one. So, when v9 comes out, there goes another $100, and, you guessed it, when v10 comes along, another $100. So I think the price comparison showing 10 years of LR subscriptions is really misleading.

[@stefanwagener]

And once you get a new camera or lens you are forced into the new version as DXO doesn't support new camera modules for their older software. Otherwise you would have the option to skip a version.

[@RalphCherubin]

Or you can just choose not to upgrade?

[@sjones1017]

You don't have to upgrade each time. I didn't when I previously used Photoshop before it went to a subscription model. Plus, what I did buy I owned; it wouldn't suddenly stop function if I didn't by the next release.

[@RafaPolit]

@@sjones1017 Fair enough, as long as the OS still supports your version and/or the developers give support for older versions (which is probably not the case). I still think that projecting this to 10 years is a considerable stretch. Are you telling me that in 10 years you will be running v8 on whatever OS and cameras may change in the process? This is probably doable for the LR subscription.

[@stefanwagener]

@@sjones1017 Correct, but you end up almost spending the same money either way: With my 2-year old PL5 I don't get a discount on the new PL8. So I could had spent around 100 bucks for each upgrade or pay 200 now without upgrades in between :(

[@Raima888s]

Thank you! Finally got a replacement for Lightroom :D

[@avid-ii4vk]

Happy with Luminar Neo.

[@Festvangelist]

I am going to try it. Reasonable price point and since I do not have a post process product yet there is no allegiance to any product yet. Not sure if this has the paint brush for fine selective editing but I’ll dive into that. Thanks Tony for sharing. I have 1000’s of raw files and ready for some creative editing.