PhotoLab is the second-best RAW processor on the market — technically superior, yet missing some truly fundamental features.
I already responded to the recent DxO survey with requests for things like radial masks, local tone curves, and flexible color grading (and other basic and advanced features). But honestly — these aren’t future wishlist items. They should’ve already been in v8.
What we still need:
• Radial masks & local curves — standard tools in all modern editors,
• Support for plugins,
• True “Edit With…” integration — not just Nik Collection,
• Cross-platform editing history — Mac keeps it after restart, Windows erases it.
It’s absurd that Nik Collection offers powerful tools DxO users can’t access from within PhotoLab — while Adobe and Capture One users can.
PhotoLab could be #1 if it embraced openness and modern editing architecture.
Anyone else waiting for DxO to finally step forward?
DxO tracks and prioritizes requests for new features individually, based on the votes they receive. There are already individual feature requests for each item you listed. It will help if you search for them and upvote them.
Hi @Tembo Is it the case that you’re new’ish to PhotoLab - coming from another application ? … Just wondering, 'cos most of the “must have” features you listed are not considered by PhotoLab’s experienced users as being gaps in its offerings. PL does things a bit differently; it might just be that you need more time in working with it.
Other than radial masks, I don’t think the requested features are things only an inexperienced PhotoLab user might want.
I would echo @Egregius in saying that @Tembo should search and vote for existing feature requests and add any missing ones.
I would say that a request for plugins is too vague. @Tembo needs to be specific about what capabilities they want a plugin to have. The more you ask for, the harder it gets.
I also have no idea what “true ‘Edit With…’ integration” means, so I would recommend spelling this out.
I’d also like to have radial masks and a tone curve tool for local adjustments.
However, the Nik Collection traditionally works with JPEG and TIFF files, not RAW files – so a RAW conversion is required first.
Alternatively, for supported camera-lens combinations, you can use the standalone version of FilmPack, which performs some corrections and noise reduction, but is less sophisticated than PhotoLab.
I have used Photolab since V1 and have used all versions since. I am afraid that DXO have a very different approach to other software companies and have steadfastly ignored user requests for features that have been standard in other software for years eg true geometric radial masks, so simple to implement and so useful for those that have experience with them. They don’t even offer targetted highlight, shadow, midtone control but stick with their original broad impact controls which are now 8 years old with no improvement. Yes, I can work around this but it takes a lot of effort compared with moving a couple of global sliders in C1. They obviously have the technology to do this but choose not to.
I find DXO a strange mixture of technical excellence lens profiles, noise reduction and then marketing driven. No other company could get away with splitting core functionality between several products. My main converter is C1 which is regarded as expensive but a full suite of PL/Viewpoint/FilmPack is more expensive.
However, it appears to be a successful formula and has a dedicate following so nothing is likely to change.
I basically use DXO as a pre-processor for files that need the noise reduction or specific lens corrections and live in hope for the next version :-).
You might want to look at ON1 Photoraw 2025 if you are looking for alternative software. Noise reduction is behind DXO but it can do far more regarding editing than PL.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment. You’re right that PhotoLab does things differently — and I respect that approach. I’ve worked professionally mainly with Capture One, alsp with Lightroom, and a few AI-assisted tools, so I’m familiar with multiple workflows. What I love about PhotoLab is its RAW processing quality, optocs corrections and noise reduction — truly best-in-class (I’m using it in since v4, and have own one since v8, so I’m not quite “new’ish”).
That said, some of the missing tools I mentioned (like radial masks, local tone curves, plugin support) aren’t just “comfort zone” features from other apps — they’re essentials for modern, non-destructive workflows. Photographers today don’t just want sliders and presets; they need modular flexibility, local control, and seamless integration.
I understand some users are fine without these tools — but silence isn’t proof of satisfaction. My feedback isn’t about personal preference. It’s about modern professional standards. PhotoLab is too powerful to remain isolated.
I don’t think PhotoLab needs to mimic other platforms. But enabling these things requested for a very long time would elevate it from excellent to unbeatable.
I voted +1 in other threads, but it seems to be ignored at all for a few years.