I really like the DXO software for its lens correction and lens softness features. However, for image touch-ups and fooling around with colors/exposures, I find the interface clunky and I much prefer Lightroom. Thus, my work flow goes something like this: DXO 6.1.2 (auto corrections) -> DNG file -> import into Lightroom -> touch up -> export JPEG. For the most part, this works fine. However, I am finding specific situations where some goes very wrong. Consider the following image and its 100% crop (the picture will not be winning any awards BTW, but it serves the purpose of my illustration):
[attachment=21540:DSC_0551_DXO.jpg]
[attachment=21543:DSC_0551_DXO_crop.jpg]
This is an image taken with my Nikon D90, processed in DXO with NO corrections applied, and output as a JPEG. At the same time, I've also output a DNG file and imported it into Lightroom (I've tried 2.5 and 3.0 Beta 2). All settings in lightroom are left at default (e.g. no white balance, etc..). When I look at the files in lightroom (or export as JPEGs), I see this weird green areas in locations where there are some blown highlights. Full picture and 100% crop below:
[attachment=21541:DSC_0551_DXO_LR.jpg]
[attachment=21542:DSC_0551..._LR_crop.jpg]
Note that this doesn't happen when processing the original NEF file directly in LR, bypassing DXO completely. Note that the DNG file output from DXO also looks this way when viewed with the picasa photo viewer. Also, these green blown out areas do not appear anywhere in DXO. Finally, it doesn't matter what settings I apply in DXO, I see similar greens areas in the DNG files in any program other than DXO.
So my best guess (and I'm not an expert in this area) is that when DXO de-mosaics the DNG, some highlight are completely blown out (and thus appear as white, as they should), but some of the highlights are only blown out in certain colors. In other words, green is not blown out for whatever reason, and remains in the image.
Does this seem like a reasonable explanation? Has any one else had any experience with this? Any suggestions as to how to solve this? I'd really like to keep my work flow similar, as I like the auto features in DXO, but really prefer LR for everything else. I've noticed this effect in some other less-extreme-lighting pictures before, but until now just thought it was part of the actual lighting, not a figment of the DXO DNG conversion.
Thanks in advance for anyone's help!