DxO Labs announces DxO Optics Pro v5.2 with a new RAW converter that dramatically improves noise reduction in ultra-high ISO images, plus support for three new camera bodies

DxO Optics Pro v5.2 new RAW converter extends already important achievements in noise removal, detail rendition and color fidelity to images shot at ISOs as high as 25600. The software also adds support for the Pentax K20D, Sony-A350 and Sony-A700 DSLRs as well as the long-awaited DxO Optics Pro Import plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop®.

Paris, France – DxO Labs today announced DxO Optics Pro v5.2, the latest version of its award-winning flagship software application for automatic image quality enhancement for digital SLR camera users, featuring dramatic improvements in RAW conversion for images shot at ultra-high ISOs. The release of DxO Optics Pro v5.2 is accompanied by support for three new camera bodies and an initial library of lens correction modules, bug fixes and improvements including the DxO Optics Pro Import plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop®, and extension of the free DxO FilmPack offer.

DxO Optics Pro v5.2 RAW conversion breakthroughs
DxO Optics Pro v5.0 marked an important milestone in the world of RAW converters by taking the lead in terms of noise removal and detail rendition. DxO Optics Pro v5.2 takes another dramatic step forward in noise removal for RAW images shot at ISOs as high as 25600, while improving the level of details and color fidelity in the photo.

"We are facing a paradox," says Cyrille de La Chesnais, director of the photography business at DxO Labs, "as technology evolves the number of pixels and the amount of noise simultaneously increase so that RAW conversion becomes more challenging."

Frédéric Guichard, Chief Scientist at DxO Labs explains, "Reduction of the pixel size of roughly 30% from 2003 to 2008 and the naturally increasing demand from photographers to shoot at very high ISO reveals new problems with noise related to both the manufacturing of the sensor and the quantity of light hitting it. This means that RAW converters have to cope with higher photonics noise as well as with new sources of noise due to electronic imperfections. The ability of RAW converters to reduce noise while keeping good detail rendition is clearly the key for high ISO shooting."

The noise engine in DxO Optics Pro v5.2 has been improved to take these evolutions into account:

New chrominance noise removal in RAW format is better adapted to the characteristics of each camera body and does a better job of preserving real color nuances.

Multi-scale RAW luminance noise removal allows the software to remove larger noise spots and results in even smaller digital grain size after correction.

Compared with competing RAW converters, for the same level of detail preservation, DxO Optics Pro v5.2 provides a 2-f/stop gain in the shooting latitude at ultra-high ISOs.

Support for 3 new camera bodies

DxO Optics Pro v5.2 adds support for the popular Pentax K20D, Sony-A350 and Sony-A700 DSLR camera bodies and an initial selection of lenses.