Which of DxO's denoising methods should I use?

This information applies to version(s): 4, 5, 6

Digital noise is something that’s part of digital photography, and usually, it's due to challenging light situations: you increase your ISO to get the shot but in return, this will generate noise in your picture.

But there is more than hi-ISO that can produce noise. Challenging situations can also be images with extra-fine details and texture as well as with boosted shadows (e.g. by using 'Exposure compensation', 'DxO Smart Lighting', or 'DxO ClearView'). On those occasions, noise can arise, and this is why being able to reduce it is the key to gain even more creative freedom.

DxO’s unique denoising technologies help you retain the best image quality on the most challenging pictures.

DxO PhotoLab 6 ELITE Edition provides you with 4 methods to reduce digital noise: HQ (High Quality), PRIME, DeepPRIME, and DeepPRIME XD

DxO PhotoLab 4, 5 ELITE Edition provides you with 3 methods to reduce digital noise: HQ (High Quality), PRIME, DeepPRIME

• HQ:

This method uses a set of algorithms suitable for the simplest situations and it’s the default method used by DxO PhotoLab. Render time is extremely fast, and you can have a full preview on your screen, before exporting the final image.

• PRIME (DxO PhotoLab ELITE Edition only):

This method uses our advanced algorithms to get rid of digital noise in the most challenging situations. PRIME processing is very demanding and leads to longer export time.

Please note: Due to the intense processing power needed, you’re not able to get a full preview of your image before exporting it, but you can get a preview of a particular area of your image. For this, just use the “Magnifier” and drag it over the area you’d like to preview with PRIME.

• DeepPRIME (DxO PhotoLab ELITE Edition only) and DeepPRIME XD (DxO PhotoLab 6 ELITE Edition only):

Those methods are the most advanced denoising technology available today: our neural networks and advanced algorithms will deliver an incredibly high-quality result even for the most difficult shots. If you want to get rid of heavy noise without compromising your image details, this is your best option. DeepPRIME and even more DeedPRIME XD is a very heavy computing process, more than PRIME, but unlike PRIME, it’s GPU accelerated: having a recommended graphics card will greatly improve your overall processing speed!

Please note: Due to the intense computing power needed, you’re not able to get a full preview of your image before exporting it, but you can get a preview of a particular area of your image. For this, just use the “Magnifier” and drag it over the area you’d like to preview with DeepPRIME or DeepPRIME XD.

If your computer doesn’t have a recommended GPU, you can still use DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD without compromising output quality, but the processing time will increase significantly.

Get the most out of DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD with the following tips:

• Be sure to update both your OS and your GPU drivers to the latest version available. DxO PhotoLab automatically detects and selects the best hardware available (CPU or GPU) to accelerate DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD, which works well in most situations. However, on some particular configurations, you may need to manually change this option.  For this, try changing the default value to “Use CPU only” or manually select the detected GPU instead at Edit > Preferences > Performance > DeepPRIME acceleration (on Windows) ; DxO PhotoLab > Preferences > Advanced (on macOS)”.
• DxO PhotoLab has been extensively tested with low-end GPUs (like the AMD RX550 for instance) to find the best balance between rendering time and software stability.
• Under Windows, and only if you own a low-end GPU, you may want to trade some display stutter with faster DeepPRIME processing. For this, you need to change a hidden setting on your computer. WARNING: this may lead to stutter and/or instability. Use it at your own risk! You should not attempt it if you don’t know what you are doing!

Follow those steps:

1. Close DxO PhotoLab.
2. Locate and edit the following file: "C:\Program Files\DxO\DxO PhotoLab 4 or 5\DxO.PhotoLab.exe.config”.
3. Just under the “WinMLUseGraphicQueue” setting, replace “<value>False</value>” with “<value>True</value>”.
4. Restart DxO PhotoLab.

If you do not experience any significant improvement or if your machine acts weirdly, we strongly recommend reverting it back to its default value!

Please note: This hidden setting only works on some low-end GPUs, most graphic cards are unaffected.