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Author Topic: Alt to DxO Optics  (Read 6576 times)

soboyle

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Alt to DxO Optics
« on: December 02, 2006, 11:35:39 am »

I like what DxO does for lens distortion correction, but I dont need all the other tools that come with it, and @ $300 for the 5D, it too expensive for distortion correction.
Any suggestions for alternative software that works well for correcting lens distortion on my kit?  5D, 17-40 f/4, 50 1.4, 70-200 f/4. Something that works well in a CS2/bridge and lightroom workflow would be optimal.

Misirlou

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« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2006, 02:25:33 pm »

Quote
I like what DxO does for lens distortion correction, but I dont need all the other tools that come with it, and @ $300 for the 5D, it too expensive for distortion correction.
Any suggestions for alternative software that works well for correcting lens distortion on my kit?  5D, 17-40 f/4, 50 1.4, 70-200 f/4. Something that works well in a CS2/bridge and lightroom workflow would be optimal.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=88259\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

PTlens is excellent, and very inexpensive. It doesn't perform all of the lens corrections possible with DXO (See the examples I posted a month or two ago about volume anamorphosis for a good example of a correction unique to DXO), and it doesn't take focal distance into account. But it does remove most of the serious lens errors in most of my shots. It also covers a whole lot more cameras and lens combinations. Check out the PTlens web site for a pretty good comparison. I believe it's www.epaperpress.com.
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Hacker

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« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2006, 08:38:24 pm »

There is one more:

http://www.nurizon-software.com/en/acolens/

Even more $$ than DxO
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Hacker

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« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2006, 08:41:13 pm »

There is one more:

http://www.nurizon-software.com/en/acolens/

Even more $$ than DxO.
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marcmccalmont

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« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2006, 05:53:24 am »

I was first put off by the price of DXO optics but after a year of use I love it, think of it as a $300 upgrade to all your lenses! Your entire lens collection (if supported) get sharper and the 5d exaggerates vignetting, DXO removes it. DXO is one of the better raw converters once the settings are correct (noise retain fine details 90%, lens sharpening .50% etc) Try the free trial before you decide on a lesser product.
Marc
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Marc McCalmont

soboyle

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« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2006, 09:49:35 am »

I have been using the demo, and have been impressed with what I have seen with the lens distortion correction.
I've been turning off the other parts of the software, prefering to control exposure and sharpness further down the line in post processing.
But perhaps I will have a closer look at the lens sharpening features. If it can correct for the softness that the 17-40 lens has, without leaving sharpening artifacts, it could be worth the entry fee.

erick b

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« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2006, 10:15:06 am »

PTLens is even better faster and cheaper
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marcmccalmont

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« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2006, 01:24:34 pm »

Quote
I have been using the demo, and have been impressed with what I have seen with the lens distortion correction.
I've been turning off the other parts of the software, prefering to control exposure and sharpness further down the line in post processing.
But perhaps I will have a closer look at the lens sharpening features. If it can correct for the softness that the 17-40 lens has, without leaving sharpening artifacts, it could be worth the entry fee.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=88578\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Try a lens sharpness of +.50 and in noise reduction retain details 90% It is a much better raw converter than most give it credit for. I get much better results than say ACR. You will save a lot of time by defining a preset and applying it first then setting the lens distance. Other corrections later in photoshop.
Marc
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Marc McCalmont

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« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2006, 09:02:18 pm »

Thanks for those tips Marc. I have been using it for some time now and can't do without it anymore. The recent free upgrade to V4.1 and free Filmpack till the end of Dec are very nice. The customer support is extremely quick as well.
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Glen

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« Reply #9 on: December 22, 2006, 07:42:12 am »

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Thanks for those tips Marc. I have been using it for some time now and can't do without it anymore. The recent free upgrade to V4.1 and free Filmpack till the end of Dec are very nice. The customer support is extremely quick as well.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=89643\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Does not seem to support lenses like the 24L, 50L and 85L. Wonder what the frequency of adding lenses are like.
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Arizona

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« Reply #10 on: December 22, 2006, 10:32:57 am »

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Does not seem to support lenses like the 24L, 50L and 85L. Wonder what the frequency of adding lenses are like.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=91904\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Don't know what body you are shooting with but under the 20D (which I shoot) the list does show the 85L is supported. I have an 85/1.8 and while it isn't supported, it has no distortion anyway and the rest of the software does work with the images just fine, just the distortion features and half of the sharpening feature do not. I process images with that lens very successfully in DXO even though it is not supported.
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Glen

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« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2006, 09:02:03 pm »

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Don't know what body you are shooting with but under the 20D (which I shoot) the list does show the 85L is supported. I have an 85/1.8 and while it isn't supported, it has no distortion anyway and the rest of the software does work with the images just fine, just the distortion features and half of the sharpening feature do not. I process images with that lens very successfully in DXO even though it is not supported.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=91928\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Shooting with a 5D. The 85L is the f/1.2 and not the f/1.8. Seems expensive for me if it covers a few lenses that I have.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2006, 09:03:00 pm by Hacker »
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Arizona

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« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2006, 02:39:53 pm »

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Shooting with a 5D. The 85L is the f/1.2 and not the f/1.8. Seems expensive for me if it covers a few lenses that I have.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=92708\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

That is weird. The 85L is supported for the 20D but not the 1.8. The 1.8 is supported for the 5D but not the 85L.

It still corrects for CA on the 1.8 on the 20D and most other features work with it. The lens softness doesn't work but that lens is not soft so not to much to complain about.

All in all I like DXO so much that I will live with it and wait for more upgrades when they come. A recent review complained about less resolution than with ACR and other converters but once I get my image in its final state for print or web work, the DXO always looks to have a lot more resolution than the others even when sharpened less. The clarity is so much better  as well.
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Glen

alainbriot

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« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2006, 05:27:22 pm »

The 50mm 1.8 is not supported for the 1DsMk2, at least not as of my last update to 4.1...  There are clearly some lacks in lens/cameras support combination.  Hopefully these will be fixed.  

There is also the issue of srgb being used as the screen preview colorspace, without an option to change it, and accurate color being visible only at 100% magnification in the preview window.  

4.1 is a major update, and may have been released a little sooner than it should.
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Alain Briot
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