Please pardon my NOOB to this forum. I’m a DxO Optics Pro/PhotoLab user since 2007, with hundreds of thousands of processed images. I understand the workflow and the concept of correction modules for body/lens combinations.
What I don’t understand is why there are no/none/ZERO correction modules for photographs taken with iPads (using the internal camera/lens). There are correction modules for 14 iPhones, including the current models. Why hasn’t DxO made correction modules for any iPads?
Any why is there ZERO mention of this rationale ANYWHERE on DxO’s website or documentation? It’s as if “iPad” is the “Voldemort” of DxO’s Harry Potter remake.
I’m not asking for a native iOS version of Photolab… My Mac handles that fine. But without camera modules for the iPad, I’m having a hard time seeing the continued relevance of PhotoLab (or any DxO software) in my Architectural/Construction Survey work.
I get that DxO might not want to cannibalize One sales. If that’s the reason to ignore the iPad, DxO needs to stop believing their own PR hype. For field work, I need a tablet in a rugged case without any additional protrusions. And it helps if it doesn’t look like a camera, because most of the pictures I take are of things that will become problems/rework items for the people that are letting me walk around the jobsite in the first place. Low-profile photography is MUCH better in these situations.
first let me ask you a question, a lens correction profile for iPad would be interesting if you shoot RAW images, do you ?
If not, images from the iPad don’t need any correction, actually it would do more damage than good.
For now we don’t have iPads in our planning, we might reconsider it but it won’t be right now.
Interesting reason for taking pictures with an iPad. For my eyes people holding up their iPad to take a picture stand out like a lighthouse. I’d rather use a smartphone to take pictures secretly. You can even pretend to take a selfie.
And if your work is for documenting items: do you really need the sophisticated lens corrections of DxO for that?
Sorry for questioning your motivation. But I wonder how much of a common use case this is.
Marie, please forgive me in advance if my tone is off-putting:
DxO has included iPhone correction modules since the iPhone 4 (DxO OP 8.3.0), but several of those can’t shoot RAW, either. Let me ask you an interesting question; why do you use RAW shooting as an exclusionary bar against iPad correction module development when by DxO’s own “Supported Cameras” listing, few supported iPhones are listed as having RAW capability?
Does that mean that DxO’s correction modules for iPhones 4 - 6s+ are correcting non-RAW images? And if so, does that “do more damage than good”?
Why do you say that “images from the iPad don’t need any correction”? If that’s true, what a revelation to photographers everywhere!
As for correction profiles only being “interesting” if one is shooting RAW, I remember DxO advertising for years that your corrections were desirable whether you shot JPG or RAW. Yes, I know RAW has benefits, but when your company was asking me and anyone else to pay our money to help your company grow and survive, DxO had many examples of why correction of Jpegs was VERY INTERESTING! Now it seems that when you have our money, anything that questions your decisional basis or implies that you may have additional work to do becomes “uninteresting”.
Your patent dismissal (on flimsy technical justification that contradicts current and past practice) is disappointing. Maybe I don’t “need” DxO in my workflow after all.
Calle,
The environment in which I am working accepts the presence of an auditor with an iPad/tablet. The stance and gesture I incorporate when taking site photos is much closer to that of “writing and taking notes” than it is to that of parents taking photos of kids at Disney World (both arms at full extension, swiveling their body around to change the angle of view, etc.).
Access restrictions at these sites commonly mean that I cannot take a separate camera onsite, but an iPad is accepted. A DxO one would be pushing my luck, and would be questioned by all who noticed it. Also, I would probably unintentionally break off a DxO One in short order in this work environment.
As for the “Need”… I guess I don’t need any DxO product. But I bought it and have used it for 12+ years to enhance my photo quality and workflow. And I’ve paid upgrade fees for all the versions since 2007, including Elite versions. Do most people “need” an iPhone correction module? No. But it’s there and it enhances the results and the workflow.
Few of our photos meet an arbitrary “Need” standard. If that’s the standard we’re held to, the only justified use case would be one where a professional photographer would either make or lose a sale based upon the use/non-use of DxO Software. How many of your photos have NEEDED sophisticated lens corrections in that case?
Is my specific situation a common use-case? No.
Are there enough iPads in use (in ALL use-cases) to justify a correction module for each? I’d think so, especially since there is only one body/lens combination per iPad.
Don’t worry about my specific use case. I’m asking why there are no iPad correction modules AT ALL? Is no one doing photography with iPads that meets the illustrious use-case justification standards of DxO?
If not, it sure seems odd that iPhones have met the correction module justification threshold since the iPhone 4.
Why am I the only person that thinks this is an issue?
It has been evident to me that many photographers bring iPads out into the field. And DxO has long promoted and released both JPEG and RAW lens correction modules. So color me confused, too - astonished, even. Marie, please clarify your statement.
@Marie,
Almost a week after others and I called out your response as both technically flimsy and directly contradicted by current and past DxO practice, you haven’t even attempted a follow-up response.
It seems we were right on all counts.
How can I go over your head to get answers regarding IF iPad correction modules will ever exist, to lobby for their creation, and to give senior DxO Management feedback about the situation and your customer service?
correction of lens depends a lot on optical defects and if image is a JPG it also depends of camera processing.
For photo from iPad or iPhones, JPG from the camera have been processed by the camera. Optical defects have been decreased digitally. We still have some little vignetting or distorsion DxO optic lens profile will reduce but lot of people can find image from camera acceptable.
When I say any correction can do more damage than good I’m speaking about lens sharpness. Images have been so processed by the camera to look sharp and contrasting that when you try to do something on it you only increase residual artefacts. So, by default, DxO lens correction profile for iPhone don’t correct lens sharpness. But slider of intensity will have an effect so if you want to add some you can.
We have same behavior with JPG from drones, it’s not something to be angry at. Issue I mentionned here really depends on the sensor. For example hybrids cameras (like Sony A7 or Canon M) also decrease optical defects on JPG images but there is some visible residual defect to correct with DxO lens profile.
When we support RAW from iPhones or drones we get unmodified image from the camera and then our correction can work at their best.
When DxO claims our correction are also good for JPG images it’s not a fake but it will depend on the kind of lens and camera you have. For example a simple 18-55mm kit lens on an hybrid can be largely improved with DxO lens correction profile both on JPG and RAW.
Marie,
You have repeatedly answered a question that I did NOT ask.
What I DID ask was, why are there no/none/ZERO correction modules for photos taken with iPads.
Please don’t once again detail the issues of correcting jpegs with in-camera processing, drones, hybrids, or how you really, really want RAW images.
Yup, got it; I’ve been using DXO Optics Pro/Photolab for a decade. I’m NOT asking how it works or why RAW images give better results; I knew that before I asked my initial, unrelated question.
I AM and HAVE BEEN asking why DXO has produced 14 correction modules for Apple iPhones, but ZERO correction modules for Apple iPads?