Last updated on March 9, 2022
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DxO PureRAW offers three types of photo processing:

  1. In standalone mode, followed by the export of the processed images to your usual photo editing program.
  2. Via the Lightroom Classic plugin.
  3. Using the controls included in the right-click menu of the file explorer window on your PC or Mac.

Workflow in standalone mode

The first step in the workflow when using DxO PureRAW 2 in standalone mode is to do the following:

Add photos

DxO PureRAW 2 does not allow you to import images directly from a camera or memory card. To do so, you’ll need to transfer the images to your hard drive using any software or device of your choosing. Once they’ve been added to your hard drive, DxO PureRAW 2 allows you to either add photos by navigating to the folder where they’re saved, or by dragging and dropping them onto the program’s screen from a Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (PC) window.

The first time you use DxO PureRAW 2, the view that allows you to add photos is empty and instead suffest the following buttons and explanations:

  1. + Add photos for processing (explanation and button in the image display area).
  2. Drag and drop (explanation in the image display order).
  3. Download sample RAW images (to try out the program, for example).
  4. + Add photos you would like to process (button in the top bar).

Add photos

First method for adding photos:

  1. Click on + Add photos for editing/processing (either in the middle or top bar). If you do not have RAW files, or if you would like to run tests on images other than your own, you can use the samples by clicking Download the sample RAW files.
  2. A system window will open: Locate the number and folder of photos you would like to add.
  3. You can select either the single folder that has your images or one or several individual images
  4. Click on the Open button.*
  5. The contents of the folder or the selected images will be shown as thumbnails in a section that also displays the date (DD month YYYY). If the images were taken at different dates, there will be as many sections as there are dates.
  6. The top toolbar shows the path to the volume and folder containing the added photos. If the images are spread across different folders and even volumes, the top bar will show multiple paths.

*As soon as DxO PureRAW 2 uploads the images, the optics modules dialog box opens (see the paragraph Installing and managing DxO Optics Modules below).

Second method for adding photos:

  1. Open an image folder in a system window (Finder on Mac, File Finder on PC).
  2. Type the name of a folder or a selection of images, then drag and drop the item to the DxO PureRAW 2 screen. You can use this method even if there are already thumbnails present on the DxO PureRAW 2 screen.
  3. The remaining steps are the same as with the first method.

Third method for adding photos:

Fourth method for adding photos:

In the Finder (Mac) or File Finder (PC), right-click on an image or a selection of images, then, in the context menu, select Open with DxO PureRAW 2.

Installing and managing DxO Optics Modules

When you add images to DxO PureRAW 2 for the first time, the program will automatically ask you to download and install the DxO Optics Module(s) that match the equiment used to take the images. This information is included in the photos’ EXIF metadata.

This step will also happen when you process images from Lightroom Classic or as part of the File Finder (PC) or Finder (Mac) workflow. For more information on these particular workflows, see the sections on these topics in the user guide.

DxO Optics Modules improve lens performance and correct the following lens flaws:

Downloading and installing DxO Optics Modules

After you have added your images, if no DxO Optics Modules are installed, a window will automatically open suggesting that you download and install the DxO Optics Modules that match the camera and lens used to take the photos.

To do so, you will need Internet access. This screen is made up of the following sections:

  1. DxO Optics Module detected and ready to download.*
  2. Other combination: If the suggested DxO Optics Module does not match the equipment you used to take the photo, you can check this option to stop the program from making any optical corrections.
  3. Download the selection: Start downloading the DxO Optics Module(s). If you do not use them immediately, they will be suggested again the next time you add photos taken with the corresponding camera and lens combination.
  4. Save: Confirms that you want to apply the DxO Optics Module(s)
  5. Cancel: Closes the window without downloading or installing the module.

*In the event of any ambiguity, for example if the EXIF metadata do not allow the program to determine which lens was used because there are multiple versions or generations available, the window will suggest several possible choices so you can select the correct DxO Optics Module manually.

You can use the DxO Optics Modules in one of three ways:

Managing Optics Modules

The DxO Modules button shows the list of availabled or installed Optics Modules. It also shows their status with a visual indicator and a tooltip that appears when you hover over the name:

  1. No indications (default status): No photos added to DxO PureRAW 2.
  2. Cyan checkmark + No action required:* All the modules for the selected photos have been downloaded and can be applied.
  3. Yellow “Stop” sign + Actions required:* For at least one of the photos, you’ll need to downloading the corresponding DxO Optics Module in order to apply it during processing.
  4. Button with a cyan circle in the upper-right corner + See modules:* Indicates that a new DxO Optics Module is available as a remplacement for the existing module.

*The button turns cyan when you hover over it.

If you would like to show the list of installed Optics Modules and those that still need to be downloaded, click on the DxO Modules button in the top bar.

The same window that appears during the downloading stage will open showing the status of the DxO Optics Modules:

  1. Downloaded: The DxO Optics Module is downloaded and installed.
  2. Download available: The DxO Optics Module can now be downloaded.
  3. In use: Indicates the DxO Optics Module is currently being used.

Please note tht you cannot delete a DxO Optics Module. However, these modules are not very big (just a few Mb per module) and will not take up a lot of space on your hard drive.

Selecting photos

Selecting your images means picking the photos you want to process. You can select a single photo, multiple photos, or all photos in a folder.

Selected images are surrounded by a cyan border and feature a checkmark of the same color in the top-right corner of the image. To select photos:

To select all photos shown by DxO PureRAW 2 at once, click on the Select button on the right side of the top bar. When the images are selected, the name of the button will change to Deselect. By clicking it, you will deselect all selected images.

If you want to deselect certain images only, click on the thumbnails with the cyan border and checkmark. However, it is faster to click the Deselect button.

Removing photos

The Remove button, located in the second top bar, lets you remove all the images you’ve added to DxO PureRAW 2. This feature is useful when you need to edit large groups of photos often and want to start fresh with a blank screen when you’re ready to add and process your next batch. Please note:

Processing photos (standalone mode)

After having selected your photos, you are ready to optimize them. Optimization consists of applying optical corrections with DxO Optics Modules, and in proceeding to a partial demosaicing along with noise treatment, in order to generate either a linear DNG file, which preserves all the latitude of RAW files, for final processing in your usual development program, or to generate a ready-to-use JPEG file that you can share or publish immediately.

There are two ways to start processing your photos:

Next, select your processing options:

1/ Selecting the RAW processing method

In the RAW processing section of the floating window, choose by clicking on one of the three available methods:

You have additional options in the Optical corrections section:

*Note: When the overall sharpness option is active, it is the equivalent of a +1.00 setting on the Overall slider in the Lens Sharpness palette in DxO PhotoLab. When this option is disabled, it is equivalent to the default setting in DxO PhotoLab, i.e. 0.00. In other words, by default, the overall sharpness enhancement provided by DxO PureRAW 2 is greater than DxO PhotoLab.

2 / Choosing the output format

The RAW processing window also presents you with the choice of two output formats:

3 / Choosing the destination folder

You have two options in the Destination Folder section:

4 / Starting processing

During optimization, the metadata of the originals is preserved in the optimized images, including the EXIF data of the camera (shooting parameters, GPS coordinates, etc.), author and copyright information, star rating, keywords, and any information that you may have added to the IPTC fields (caption, location, etc.) in your photo management software.

Please note:

Canceling or interrupting optimization

You can stop optimization as follows:

Verifying and comparing photos

After processing your photos, and before sharing them (for JPEGs) or continuing making corrections in your favorite image processing software (for linear DNGs), DxO PureRAW offers you the possibility to check the results and easily compare them with your originals.

Filtering photos

The Add photos screen shows all the images, whether they are optimized or not. If the first ones have a cyan star in the upper left corner of the thumbnail, it may be difficult to distinguish them, especially if you have added many images and have processed only a random selection.

There are two filters located in the center of the main top banner that allow you to separate the processed photos from the originals:

  1. Processed button: Displays only the thumbnails of the processed images.
  2. Unprocessed button: Displays only the thumbnails of the original images.

When you use these buttons, the thumbnails of the filtered photos are automatically selected (cyan border and checkmark). You can also click on both buttons to display both optimized and non-optimized photos at the same time. To disable the filters, click on Cancel filters above the buttons.

Displaying, verifying, and comparing optimized photos

Once you have optimized your photos, you can view and check them in a larger version in two different ways:

With the split view, you can easily compare the optimized image with the original, as well as the effects of the DxO Optics Module on defects, sharpness enhancement, and noise. You can zoom into the image at 1:1 (that is, 100%) or you can use the mouse wheel to magnify the image up to 1600% to see the finest details.

You can use the left and right arrows on your keyboard to scroll through the images in the filmstrip. The checkboxes in the square thumbnails of the filmstrip let you select the images, even when you return to the Add photo screen (by clicking on the X button at the top right of the image), thus allowing you to immediately start exporting the selected images to your image editing program (see Working with processed images).

For more information about display and comparison modes, see the User interface page.

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