DxO PhotoLab 9 Challenges Lightroom for Editing Workflow

Summary

Photographer Matt Day has abandoned his Adobe Lightroom subscription after a two-month trial of DxO PhotoLab 9, which he used as a daily editing tool. PhotoLab 9 offers a catalog-free workflow, allowing direct file editing without importing, and organizes images through a project system. Key features highlighted include DxO Smart Lighting for automatic exposure balancing, film emulations, advanced noise reduction, and a native scanned film optimization tool. Day also noted the software's one-time purchase price and its cloud-free operation as significant advantages over Adobe's subscription service.

Key points

• DxO PhotoLab 9 offers a catalog-free editing workflow, unlike Lightroom.
• Features include Smart Lighting, film emulations, and advanced noise reduction.
• A native scanned film optimization tool is available, with an add-on for color negatives.
• PhotoLab 9 is a one-time purchase and does not use cloud servers for file processing.