'Rule' system for DeepPrime is enabled/disabled

DeepPrime is amazing, and I have to admit I don’t really adjust the default settings at all I find it to be so good.

I often shoot with two different cameras, and they have differnt ISO characteristics.

What would be brilliant (imo) as a system that I could set ‘rules’ for when DeepPrime is to be enabled for an image or not, thus removing the need for me to remember to switch it on or off for certain images.

Example:
If camera is a Nikon Z6ii, always enable DeepPrime at ISO 1600+, and disable for images with an ISO lower than that.
If camera is a Nikon Z50, always enable DeepPrime at ISO 800+, and disable for images with an ISO lower than that.

I think that’s a great idea. I used a similar feature when I used Light Room and really miss such feature in PhotoLab.

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Why bother? DeepPRIME improves images even at low ISO because it can reveal shadow detail

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@CHPhoto, the rule is much simpler: Switch DeepPrime on. Finished.

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@Joanna & @Ralf_Brinkmann

My M1 Mac can output DeepPrime images very quickly, but it still seems unnecessary extra processing for images that simply don’t need it because the original output (for lower ISO settings) from the camera is totally acceptable (different people are going to have different opinions on ‘acceptable’).

In addition, my laptop takes over a minute per image to process with DeepPrime enabled. And it is not that old (3.5yrs, Dell, Intel i5 CPU). And that can make it a very long task when exporting even a small set of images. On my laptop I really don’t want to export an image with DeepPrime enabled if I really don’t need it.

I agree that rules would be good for this particular adjustment.

For cross-reference: a similar feature request already exists:

DeepPrime is not just intended for removing noise from high ISO images. DxO recommends using DeepPRIME on every image regardless of the ISO, and most of us here agree with that approach and do just that. It is amazing how it will improve virtually any image.

Mark

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We must

I am with you on this. It is not a denoise tool only. It has a specific demosaicing process hence the recommendation from DXO. I have included it in my standard preset.

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I think the rule should be “unless you have a need to turn off DeepPRIME, leave it on.”

I’ve never met an image of mine that DeepPRIME did bad things to, and even on a lowly Intel-powered Mac Mini with (the slower) PL4, I was able to handle the export times by batching them at the end of my processing workflow and leaving the computer to do its thing. Between PL5 and Apple Silicon, I only leave it alone if I’ve got LOTS of photos to export.

But… I do have some “rules” I follow with the level of DeepPRIME that I apply. For my aircraft shots, I like to leave it at the default 40, but find that to over sharpen natural subjects, where I prefer 25. So I have simply built two presets for the two different cases. When editing a bunch of photos, they normally fall into one category or the other, so I apply the relevant preset and then go through treating each photo with whatever it needs, which occasionally means turning DeepPRIME up higher or even more occasionally, down lower.

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If the Search option in PhotoLibrary was a bit more sophisticated it would go some way towards what’s wanted. You could search for Camera Model (= specified camera) and ISO (>specified value) to filter only the images wanted and then apply Deep Prime to them in the Customise tab. Unfortunately, at present you can only search for a specific ISO value not all values above a specified value.

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Most folders would only contain images from one camera (I could see a group setting where that might be different). As you point out the easiest way to deal with DeepPrime is to select all the photos and apply it en masse.

There’s good reason not to auto apply DeepPrime early in the process, as adding noise reduction during processing slows down previews (and in the case of DeepPrime doesn’t even get the user accurate previews).

It’s best to apply DeepPrime at the end of the session. I’d be happy to have an option for no full image noise reduction preview for DeepPrime except the tiny window in the sidebar and only added on Export. That would make processing faster and simpler, particularly additional fine tuning after the first export.

It feel that the people quoting the DxO guidance suggesting it is recommended that DeepPrime is enabled for all images are either/or:

(i) Not listening to the people who say that this means exporting a batch of images takes a really long time on their computers.

(ii) They may only export a few images at a time so a minutue or two export time per image does not bother them.

There are Photolab users here who export more images than just a few at a time, and need to do so in a reasonably timely manner. Yes, a faster computer is an option, but a new machine costs money and needs to be factored into budgets along with other business costs. ie Money does not grow on trees.

I also consider replacing my laptop after just 3.5yrs as being too soon. It was a $1500 laptop when new and not a baseline model by any means.

FWIW, my laptop exports a 24mpx image without DeepPrime enabled in about 15s, which is acceptable (as is the image quality) for me.

So please folks, realise that different people have different needs and hardware than yourselves. Just because something isn’t of use to you doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be invaluable to someone else. We’ll see how many votes it gets and only time will tell if DxO implement it or not.

Have a great day everyone, and happy picture taking and editing :slight_smile:

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I use DeepPRIME for 100% of my images. Many others here do the same. Since that is also the recommended approach by DxO, it is probably unlikely that they would invest the time and effort to come up with a rule approach like the one you are suggesting. I would prefer they spent that time optimizing DeepPRIME processing speed.

Mark.

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It’s a waste of energy if you do not need it all the time. I actually prefer to have a bit of noise, as long as it is only luminance noise. I have used deep prime only rarely so far, and even when I used it, I did not see any significant difference. The files from a modern camera are already so good. Maybe my standards are lower than yours, but I think you should respect other people’s opinions and needs. For me, colors, consistency in a portfolio of images, and speed and fun of editing are of far higher importance.

I respect your opinions and needs… You posted and I responded with my opinion on this subject which differs from yours. My opinion was based on my extensive experience with DeepPRIME, my close relationship with many of the regular users on this site, my knowledge of DxO’s design intentions for DeepPRIME and their historic approach to implementing new features. I apologize if you thought I was, in any way, being condescending.

Mark

I think the issue with this proposal is that it won’t appeal to many people. Conversely smartening up the filtering system, by adding ISO and camera body, would make this a much simpler task and add extra value for a lot more people, and therefore more likely to get additional votes and more attention from DxO.

I’ve never run a photography business, but it seems to me like “users here who export more images than just a few at a time, and need to do so in a reasonably timely manner” are business users. If you cannot charge your clients a little more to refresh your laptop at a higher frequency, perhaps invest in a little automation (Hazel will do it on a Mac, I don’t know about Windows) that will make this an easier task — i.e. automatically sort your photos into folders based on those attributes, so you can quickly apply the relevant DeepPRIME preset on the whole lot in one go (and even move within PL afterwards if you want them all back in one place).

Unless you are using auto-ISO on your camera, there is no need to have a mechanism to detect ISO. Simply have more than one preset: one with DeepPRIME included and the other without.

Also, as @zkarj points out, it is often the level od DeepPRIME that can be as important as whether it is applied or not.

The problem with your suggestion that DxO allocate resources to your particular “need” is that there are already several ways of choosing which images to apply, which do not require any changes.

If, as you seem to infer, you are a professional photographer, then it would seem you are not accounting enough time for processing, which is every bit as important as time spent taking the images.

Think back to the days when photography included factors like push and pull processing, printing proof sheets, choosing from the proof sheets, printing the best individually, showing them to the customer, going back to the darkroom to print the selected images, etc. And you are trying to convince us that having to wait for your images to be exported is so all fired time critical that you are going to lose customers?

Yes, I know we are supposed to have the “magic wand” that is digital but that doesn’t necessarily mean “instant”. But, if you do want faster, as @zkarj suggests, buy a better machine. If you can’t afford that then maybe you are working too cheaply.

Having a rule system that selects different (custom) presets depending on camera model (and possibly more parameters) is useful imo.

I therefore propose (and vote for) a more general mechanism.

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I always use one folder per camera. After importing pictures I apply my Standard Preset for this cam to all pictures. Then sort pics by ISO and apply Deep Prime to all pics with ISO greater than or equal to xyz. Easy.

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