Versatility, Speed, and Support for Fujifilm X-Trans Cameras
Review by Erik Vlietinck
PureRAW 2 from DxO allows users to pre-process images without leaving Lightroom, and it now supports Fujifilm X-Trans cameras. There’s also improved OS integration with access via context menus, and with an iMac you won’t notice, but on a Windows PC the app now supports HiDPI displays.
PureRAW was awarded the EISA Best Advanced Photo Software 2021 prize upon its release, and version 2 builds on this success, offering new features and greater efficiency. The performance improvement I was excited about, though, didn’t materialize. PureRAW 2 got stuck on “About 1 second remaining” for well over a minute, just like the first version did. You’ll see the promised speed bump only on Apple Silicon machines and on the latest Windows computers.
Admittedly, speed isn’t everything. Integration with editors and even the Finder are features that support a smoother workflow. And guess what? Lightroom Classic users can Right-click on a number of RAW files and have DxO PureRAW 2 process the images, creating newly enhanced Linear DNG files back into the same folder, without having to step outside the application.
If you don’t have Adobe products on your system, you can now simply Right-click an image file and select PureRAW. This works with Windows File Explorer and macOS Finder. On macOS, it goes beyond just opening the file with PureRAW as you get access to some seven Quick Actions.
Of course, the biggest news is for Fujifilm X-Trans camera users. DxO PureRAW 2 supports RAW files from X-Trans sensors, bringing the truly significant benefits of DeepPRIME to Fujifilm X-T photographers. Finally, it also has a host of new camera/lens combinations.
The update to the Optics Modules of DxO PureRAW brings the total number of supported camera and lens combinations to more than 70,000. Alas, it’s only new combinations that keep being added. The Hasselblad HD50 that I once tested, still isn’t available. Some newer models are. ■
