DxO PureRAW

DxO PhotoLab, DxO's full RAW editor, is a post-production tool that focuses on adjusting the parameters of a picture after it has been taken. While that is useful for photographers and editing enthusiasts, a simpler tool like DxO PureRAW can also make a real difference. PureRAW does not run on the camera: it is a desktop program for Windows and macOS that pre-processes RAW files on the computer, using DxO's demosaicing, AI-based denoising and optics corrections to create pictures with high clarity, greatly reduced noise and corrected lens softness.  

The software can be used either as a plug-in for Adobe Lightroom Classic or as a standalone program. After the shoot you copy the RAW files to the computer and add them to PureRAW, which opens with a slick and rather intuitive interface. The processing window shows the number of selected pictures and lets you choose the denoising engine (DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD variants in current versions), switch corrections for distortion, vignetting, chromatic aberration and lens softness on or off, and set the output format and folder. The corrections rely on DxO's camera and lens modules, which the program downloads for each camera and lens combination.

DxO PureRAW cleans up RAW files with AI denoising and lens corrections, giving sharper, cleaner images for further editing in any photo editor.

Features:

• Works both as a standalone program and as a Lightroom Classic plug-in
• Several denoising engines, including DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD 
• Pretty pleasant and work-suitable interface with a dark design that is easy on the eyes
• JPEG, DNG, and TIFF exporting options
• A process queuing system for batches of imported images 
• Regular updates that add support for new cameras and lenses
• AI-based demosaicing and denoising that makes correcting noise and softness a fast and effective process

Everything mentioned here makes PureRAW a solid tool for photographers who shoot RAW. It is not a full photo editor - after processing you continue editing the files in Lightroom Classic, Photoshop or another program - but it stands out for the quality of its noise reduction and lens corrections. PureRAW was first released in 2021 and is built on the RAW engine of DxO PhotoLab. It is a paid program sold as a one-time licence without a subscription, and a free trial is available. The program requires online activation and can then be used offline for up to 37 days at a time.