I have Photolab 8 elite.
I’m not sure what this version includes. Do I also need Viewpoint and PureRaw or does Elite include these two plugins?
Yes PL includes the VP and FP plugin but they have their own license.
PR isn’t a plugin of PL but software, a reduced PL.
Thanks for the answer. Do I understand correctly that I have to purchase, install and license the Viewpoint software in addition to Photolab? Under Photolab Help I can only license Viewpoint, PureRaw is not listed. Does that mean that a license is not required here?
Yes you need a license for VP and FP but if it is only to use it with PL not needing installation, they are already in PL.
You will just have to activate them in PL menus.
PR is software with its own license and installation.
Hi,
Some features considered as standard in other RAW post-processing software are only available when purchasing a license for the corresponding by-product. For example, you won’t get luminosity masking in DPL unless you purchase and activate an FP license (don’t ask about the relationship between luminosity masks and FilmPack, there’s none). Or you you will be unable to flip an image if you didn’t purchase a VP license (unless this changed in DPL 8). This is a very questionable marketing strategy but we’re slowly getting used to this unusual and surprising policy. Basically, if you want to benefit from the whole DxO know-how you have to purchase DPL+VP+FP.
You normally don’t need PureRAW if you have DPL. However, the denoising technologies used in both products are not in sync. DPL now has DeepPrime XD2s while PureRAW 4.5 is still at the XD2 level (which is quite a significant gap since the major problem of DeepPrime XD and XD2 is the generation of visible artifacts - XD2s seems to eventually fix this problem). If you are a Fujifilm user, note that XD2 and XD2s are still not supporting x-Trans files.
Do you think this is a messy marketing strategy ? I confirm.
2 Likes
As a newcomer to the forums, I don’t think this is true at all. Every other post I read continues to mention it, fuss about it, etc. Again, as I posted earlier… a butt-load of complaining and vitriol around here.
Tom
Tom,
Getting used to something doesn’t mean that we agree with it.
1 Like
This is apparent… Just not sure of the compulsion to constantly remind everyone. Over and over and over again.
Tom
That is certainly true. But, from my perspective if one wants the complete PhotoLab experience then the inclusion of Viewpoint and FilmPack, both of which are already coded into PhotoLab is the only option. Using less than all three programs is a compromise. That makes PhotoLab very expensive, but that’s the only way to get everything. I use features in FilmPack and Viewpoint all the time.
The issue here is a marketing issue. In my opinion DXO should only market one version of PhotoLab which includes everything. I think the Essential version should be eliminated altogether. I wonder how many people purchase it only to realize how a hobbled it is.
I have often indicated here that I favor having PhotoLab Elite sold with all the embedded features available, but without the standalone versions of Viewpoint an FilmPack which could be marketed separately for those who need them. It might require an increase in price for PhotoLab Elite, but it should be far less than the current cost of all three programs separately. It would certainly eliminate all the confusion and nobody could complain that in order to get a single feature they would have to buy an additional license. I not aware of any of their competitors using such a convoluted marketing scheme. As they do.
Mark
2 Likes