Top PhotoLab 2 features
One of the most impressive features in DxO PhotoLab
2 is ClearView Plus. This helpfully analyses the image
for haziness and reduces it, resulting in sharper details
and greater contrast over parts of an image affected
by atmospheric haze or mist. Lots of raw editors
have a dehaze feature, but this is defi nitely one of
the best. Another top feature in PhotoLab 2 that will be
appreciated by landscape photographers is the Prime
Noise Reduction command. This applies an extra level
of noise reduction on exporting the photo. It typically
takes a few minutes to complete, but it’s worth it for the
fi ne degree of noise reduction you’ll see in your photos.
DxO says that in terms of ISO and noise, it will typically
give you the equivalent of an extra stop of light,
meaning for example, you can shoot at ISO 400 and
get the same results as you’d expect at ISO 200.AI Landscape
Enhancer
Within the range of Luminar Looks
is an intriguing option called the AI
Landscape Enhancer. This employs a
combination of two forms of artifi cial
intelligence (AI). First, the ‘Accent AI
Filter’ analyses your image, detecting
the content and boosting detail
where appropriate. Second, the ‘AI
Sky Enhancer’ automatically detects
and enhances the sky. Both these
effects have sliders that can be
fi ne-tuned to control their overall
strength (and both can be applied
individually within the fi lter menu if
you prefer to combine them with
other effects). These landscape-
specifi c features are among some
of the best in Luminar 3, and they’re
especially appealing if you prefer not
to spend too much time editing
your photos.
Luminar 3
Landscape Looks
Luminar 3 is a feature-rich editor with
several excellent tools geared specifi cally
towards landscape photographers. After
opening a raw fi le in the editor, we can
choose from a range of different preset
‘Luminar Looks’. These are one-click
effects for boosting an image, and
they include a dedicated landscape set
with options like ‘Dramatic Landscape’,
‘Morning Fog’ and ‘Warm Sunset’ (used
here). Once you settle upon a preset, you
can control its overall effect on the image
with a simple slider. For more control, you
can delve into the panels on the right to
fi ne-tune all of the different settings that
go into making the preset, or start afresh.
Here you’ll fi nd lots of typical raw controls
like Colour Temperature, Exposure and
Dehaze, as well as more unique tools like
a Foliage Enhancer, Polarizing Filter and
Microstructure effect. It’s worth pointing
out too that these effects – and any other
combination of fi lters – can be applied to
separate layers, which makes it possible
to use them selectively over different
areas of your photo.Revealhazydetail in the scene using DxO PhotoLab 2
Corfe Castle, Dorset,
in mist, edited
using AI Landscape
EnhancerAFTER
AFTER
BEFORE