yes, an universal truth, which goes the other way too 
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Future Will Tell
And by the way
I hope Iâm wrong
I think that the question about the vignetting is legit.
PL is the best RAW converter on the market, but itâs not just a âmere RAW converterâ of course.
All the corrections and tools included in PL are also there to let you achieve your âphotographic visionâ if you want (as the most of you do). Many corrections can be used with this âdualâ goal in mind.
And itâs true that for some users, to achieve their vision, theyâd like to be able to have âa negative vignettingâ for further editing freedom. This is perfectly right.
So far, we include such a feature in the FilmPack add-on (also available as stand-alone). FP adds many more corrections and creative effects (like grain, light leaks and so on). But even w/ grain, the digitally simulated analog noise is amongst the best (if not the best), because excellent quality is always what we strive for.
We have built our product and our reputation around image quality. All of our engineers work to get the maximum achievable quality. Each time we add/improve a feature we take extreme care to be sure that this will not erode our DNA.
Having said that, next to the âPhotoLibraryâ tab you have the âCustomizeâ tab. If we were only âcorrectionâ oriented, we should have a more appropriate name, like âCorrect/Repairâ, which is not the caseâŚ
DxO PhotoLab is a RAW converter/editing software and we continuously work to improve both aspects.
Steven.
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@StevenL If I could âLikeâ this post more than once I would!
My question was: âWhy was the vignette tool chosen to illustrate a point about creativity?â. The vignette tool is a correction tool not a creative tool. It is designed to correct a lens aberration. The photographer can choose to use it or leave it turned off. It is not intended to be used creatively. Most of the other tools in PL can be used creatively forwards or backwards(e.g. exposure compensation, numerous contrast sliders, vibrancy and saturation, white balance, âŚ). You can âdestroyâ your image all you want to with these tools. Itâs beyond me why the vignette tool was chosen to demonstrate the point that was trying to be made.
With respect to creative vignetting, as you and @mwsilvers point out, FP5 elite has that tool and itâs even named âcreative vignettingâ if a user is uncertain. Another technique is to use control points to create a vignette. I use this technique quite frequently, though usually in the NIK collection 3 tools rather than PL but PL has this capability too.
The idea that PL is âjust a plug-in for Lightroomâ is laughable.
IMO PL3 Elite+VP3+FP5 Elite+ Nik Collection 3 is the best and most comprehensive RAW developer/editor on the market.
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Thanks @rrblint (AKA Mark)
Itâs a âbalancingâ game: we do need to provide the best tools that let you achieve the best possible result and at the same time we have to provide different workflows and options to accomodate all types of user. Thanks to all the feedback you provide us in the first place, we are able to nourish our thinking and further improve our products line⌠
Steven.
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Iâm sure itâs no surprise if I say I completely agree!!!
Mark
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Canât ackknowledge this or deny this. (because i didnât test all rawdevelopers out there.
) But that it is one of the best i am sure.
I want to say a thing about toolset amounts.
I am a house renovater, my house, and collected knowledge and tools to get results i wanted.
A experienced carpenter told me oneâs after the question which tools are mandatory a few things.
- Know your tools, which you have and how they work.
- Get skilled in using them to the hole nine yards.
- donât buy a tool for just one job.
- A overload of tools just break your back and doesnât help to acomplisch you goal.
- use the tool as it should be used and donât be fool. (limbs and body injurie.)
6 your mind limits the hand not the tool.
I chose DxOPL along this guideline.
What are my main objectives, what do i need to acomplisch my goal?
Can i use other tools to get my main tool working better? Filling the gabs.
The main toolset was expensive, DxOPL suite Elite, but testing against a benchmark and other develop applications i needed this to get 80% done.( edit: after i choose DxO as my new raw developer i started to checkbox the tools which are there which i need.)
In this 80% was the prime denoise and optical module 75% of the work improving my output. 25% was learning to use the other toolset. Controlpoints are magic and difficult to grasp unless you understand itâs selection algoritm.
Selective tone vs contrast advanged (filmpack) together they are much stronger then the dxo pl only set.
If you understand the tools weaknes and how itâs shines then you can create a workaround by blending two or more tool-strenghts together.
Thatâs how i see DxOPLv3, a lean toolbox with a balanced set of top tools. And yes there are things/tools i canât pick but most are non-important or with a workaround to mimic.
(and for those things i realy want added i use the dutch goalkeeper methode: Fire a wall of reasons, requestâs,examples to the DxO staff so they canât mis the callâŚ
)
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This is an example of what I wanted to achieve with the Radial Filter.
Right now, I have to start with photo editing in PL. including of coarse local Adjustments.
Including darker corners vignette in NIK color.
Then exporting to Affinity for final Dodge and Burn with âRadial filterâ
Doron,
Very nice! I presume the attached image is the one that includes the use of the radial filter in Affinity. I think it would be useful to see the exact same image with and without Affinityâs radial filter applied. Can you also attach this image in its state just prior to exporting it to Affinity? Without a direct comparison itâs very difficult to see the extent of any improvement resulting from the use of the radial filter. Additionally, it I think it would also be useful to know what characteristics you adjusted when using the radial filter.
Did you use the Nik collection for any other purpose other darkening the corners?
Mark
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Thanks Mark
In A.F I apllied Radial Filter & Watermark.
In NIK Color I apllied Vignette & Pro Contrast (I think it was Pro contrast finally)
Here is a JPG file of what was expoerted to A.F.
It was exported as TIFF file 16 bit 99MBâŚ!
This edit was âfast and dirtyâ
I would like to try getting kind of effect, as you can see here in this link.
Yes I know, she uses P S. tools, I would like to try and get as much as I can just with Radial filters. (Sheâs a great artist by the way)
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Iâm a big fan of her work. I have her e-book, âFrom Basics to Fine Artâ, Black and White Photography - Architecture and Beyond
Mark
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Wow you aim high!
Looked at those imageâs i see the radial effects in the images and that isnât easy to workaround on. And i think with a brush and carefully building you can come close but as easy as place a filter stretch it in form, apply the strength and feathering done that isnât possibleâŚ
I sense the border of improvement against Art. Total not my field of practise.
I ârenovateâ my images which i shot a bit crooked, misadjusted just of. Make the best out it. Thatâs the strenght of the toolbox which is DxOPL.
NIKcollections is more creative, i get frustrated in NIK because of the kind of similair user interface but just different enough to get lost in the how do i get the same command as controlpoint in dxo and because itâs more creative i donât use it much only the monochrome filters and presets because those are looking great.
The DNA of DxO is improvement. And from v1 to v2 the first steps to local corrections some color creativity. HSL. V3 has some more freedom, cloning and repair.(i donât talk about the build of DAM thatâs not customisetab.)
The toolbox is evolving and filling up with more freedom of use. I am really hope that the list of great ideaâs posted here on the forum donât faid out in the mist and be in the list of dxo to see if itâs fit in the framing of the policy and route to go.
I understand the need of your request. And i canât reveal new things which are presented by the launch of v4. But i can say they worked hard to improve present tools and build in new tools. Not all things we users like to have can be implemented in the timetable we like.
The point i wanted to make is: As people say i need a bigger hammer because i mis the nail to much bending it flat, i say practise aiming first so you can hit it straight , then practise hitting it harder so you donât need that bigger hammer.
Stil itâs in all our interest to investigate posible improvements and be discussing those on the forum so the DxOstaff can digest this and use that to proceed forward in improving the product to the liking of the users so new users can be welcommed wile present users stay.
Peter
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Doran,
I hope you donât mind, but I tried to see what I could accomplish using PhotoLab instead of Affinity,
I realize this is probably not the effect you were trying to achieve, but I edited your pre Affinity jpeg in PhotoLab primarily using control points to see how close I could get to your version without putting in too much effort. I also noticed your final version is cropped differently than the jpeg I downloaded so I tried to crop my version similarly.
Mark
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I see you have the Nik collection, Doron - - in which case, I recommend trying out Color Efex Proâs âDarken/Lighten Centreâ filter ⌠Iâve found it to be more flexible & effective than the obviously named âVignetteâ filter.
John M
PS. Very impressive architectural images !
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I did say IMO 
and I havenât trialed them all either, but I have trialed quite a few. Considering DXOâs âtoolboxâ of most excellent lens corrections, a plethora of contrast controls that really work well, Nik filters, and Prime NR all together as a single package, I have never found another RAW developer/editor combination that helps me make my pictures look how I want them to look as well as the complete DXO lineup does. Before anyone asks: yes I have trialed Topaz denoise AI and have found it lacking for my needs.
I realize that what I have described here is my needs and other photographers doubtlessly have other needs that may be better served by other developer/editor packages. For me DXO does nearly all I need it to do. At the moment I am using Affinity Photo when I need a layers workflow, after doing all I can do in DXO. Now if I could just get the staff to implement a layers/masking module, I could stay in DXO 100% of the time. 
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Thanks to all for the replies! Couple quick commentsâŚ
Lots of interesting opinions on what PL needs and doesnât need!!
I would agree PL does a great job of converting raw files.
I would agree PL is lacking in some basic editing tools.
I would agree there is a work around for most any task.
I would agree that most editing programs support a radial gradient tool.
I would agree that most editing programs are offering an insight of what is to come in their next release.
In closing, I would agree PL,FP,VP and Nik collection(I have all) offer a lot of tools, however, in my case, it lacks in one of the most basic and the one I use on most all photos that get extra attention. Iâm not looking for work arounds or sending the file to another program to complete.
I will be standing by for the next release and hope I will be able to continue with PL. However, Iâm prepared to move on, as my tool box is full of editing programs.
Best regards,
Mike
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Thanks John
First thing first - The credit for the point of view of this photo belongs to my Maestro Serge Ramelli⌠I sow such a photo in one of his videos.
About Nik Collection - I am using the free version which was released by google few year ago. Usually I use DXO solely as my P.P. sometimes I like to play with Silver Efex, Color Efex just to get ideas for what creativity can I achieve.
Thanks for the advise I will check the Darken/lighten Center (if it exists in my free version)
Mike
I agree with all of your conclusion But oneâŚ
I would not like to move on to another Editing software since I really think that DXO gives me the best Image quality.
I still remember my Jaw Dropping filling when I saw for the first time how sharp where my photos. It was like I bought a new lens twice expensiveâŚ
All my thoughts about Paradigm/Vision/DNA where because I my lifetime i have seen how âbetterâ products were beaten by other inferior products just because of wrong marketing decisions that were taken because of wrong PARADIGM that no one in the company thought to deny themâŚ
I hope that DXO Pl will keep on for many years and increase their market share.
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Hi Mark
How is the Book ?
Would you recommend it?
Its a large e-book, 425 pages. The first 70 pages are mostly a philosophical but practical description of her vision and how to find your own vision, On page 71 the chapter Composition as a Basis for Creation goes into a lot of specific and useful detail. The next chapter is about the rules of her style of photography with lots of information about using light. The next chapter is How to See in Black and White which includes a description of the Zone System. The next chapter is called the Rule of Grays. . The book continues on with chapter after chapter of detailed information. Its a lot to go through, and much of it may not be of interest to everyone, but, if you want to take your black and white photography to the next level, I recommend it.
Here is the link: https://sites.fastspring.com/juliaannagospodarou/instant/frombasicstofineart
Mark