Camera ReviewRonMartBlog

REVIEW: DxO PureRAW 6 — The King of RAW Detail Recovery?

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TL;DR ⚡

DxO PureRAW 6 is a powerful detail-recovery tool that can revive surprising amounts of information from RAW files, but it is too slow to justify on every image.

PureRAW 6 consistently recovered more detail than I expected, especially from files I would have otherwise considered limited or borderline throwaways. The tradeoff is speed, which makes it most compelling for important keeper images rather than bulk processing.

Table of Contents

1. Who it’s for and who should skip
2. Before & After
3. Side by Side Shots in Lightroom
4. Closing thoughts
5. Related articles

Who it’s for

• Photographers who want the best possible detail recovery from RAW files, not just “good enough”
• Pros or serious enthusiasts restoring older, sentimental, or hard-to-replace images
• Shooters willing to trade speed for maximum image quality on select photos

Who should skip

• Photographers who are already happy with Adobe or manufacturer RAW conversions
• High-volume shooters who need fast turnaround and cannot wait on long processing times
• Anyone expecting it to fix motion blur, missed focus, or fundamentally bad captures
• Anyone shooting mostly HEIC or small RAW formats, since DxO seems built around full RAW support first and is not especially friendly to HEIC workflows

Before & After

Before | After f/2.8 for 1/30 sec at 44 mm ISO 6400 [0 EV, Pattern metering, Flash fired, Manual with EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM]

Before | After f/5.6 for 1/160 sec at 200 mm ISO 12800 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM]

Before | After f/5.6 for 1/125 sec at 105 mm ISO 65535 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS]

Before | After f/2.8 for 1/200 sec at 155 mm ISO 25600 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM]

Before | After f/22 for 1/13 sec at 24 mm ISO 25600 [0 EV, Other metering, No flash, Aperture priority with NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S]

Before | After f/5.6 for 1/25 sec at 16.5 mm ISO 5000 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR]

Before | After f/4 for 1/100 sec at 18.3 mm ISO 6400 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with 24-70mm F1.8-2.8]

Before | After f/2.8 for 1/125 sec at 90 mm ISO 10000 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS]

Side by Side Shots in Lightroom 📷

The photos below are the test photos used for my review. Click any photo to open to see a larger size.

Click here to view the entire gallery of images used for this review.

This 2012 image was the first file I threw at PureRAW 6 to decide whether it was even worth reviewing. The recovery in the hair, eyebrow, and eye detail stopped me cold. I genuinely couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Naturally, my next move was to see whether any of the tools I already use could beat it. They couldn’t.

Canon 1DX, f/2.8 for 1/30 sec at 44 mm ISO 6400 [0 EV, Pattern metering, Flash fired, Manual with EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM]

Even Canon’s own DPP couldn’t match what PureRAW 6 did with this image. It honestly felt like I had unlocked a kind of magic—something powerful enough to make me want to go back through my older photos and see how many of them could be given new life with better sharpness and detail. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

This one gave me a pretty funny surprise. It was shot at ISO 10,000, and PureRAW recovered enough detail that I suddenly realized my daughter had colored her face with a highlighter—something that was completely lost in the original file.

Sony a7R Mark III, f/2.8 for 1/125 sec at 90 mm ISO 10000 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS]

Notice how the hair by her cheek and the marks on her face are recovered, while the skin still looks natural and believable. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

The Sony RX100 V is an impressive camera, but its tiny sensor can only do so much at ISO 6400. Even so, I was shocked by how much detail PureRAW was able to recover from this image.

Sony RX100V, f/4 for 1/100 sec at 18.3 mm ISO 6400 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with 24-70mm F1.8-2.8]

Notice how well the wires and the tonal detail in the rocks are restored, especially considering this came from a 1-inch sensor camera. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

This was another one of those “are you kidding me?” results I never saw coming. The shot was taken after sunset at f/22, ISO 25,600, handheld at 1/13 sec, and yet the amount of detail PureRAW recovered from the Kazaridaru is remarkable.

Nikon Z 7, f/22 for 1/13 sec at 24 mm ISO 25600 [0 EV, Other metering, No flash, Aperture priority with NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S]

Even the gravel and wall texture are recovered well enough given what was asked of the camera, but what really stands out here is the color recovery. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

Since this was shot handheld at 1/25 sec with no support, some motion blur is baked in, and PureRAW is not a magic fix for that. Still, the restored color pops and the detail recovery is strong enough that, viewed as a full image instead of a 100% crop, it is a legitimately impressive restoration.

Fujifilm X-T30, f/5.6 for 1/25 sec at 16.5 mm ISO 5000 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR]

Even details like the wallpaper at the far right edge of the frame are noticeably improved. The out-of-focus flowers also look better, and the textures around the table are significantly enhanced compared to the original. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

What really blew my mind here was the colored bands on the braces. It almost felt like PureRAW was using AI to reconstruct detail that barely seemed to exist in the original, yet the result still looks believable.

Canon 1DX Mark II, f/2.8 for 1/200 sec at 155 mm ISO 25600 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM]

To be fair, this is the second version of this image because the original conversion came out a bit too dark. For this version, I used DxO PhotoLab 9.6.1 with its default preset to push the image a little further than Adobe’s default rendering. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

I almost spit out my coffee when I saw this result. This was a throwaway shot I took just to see how the Canon R6 Mark II would expose the flowers against a very bright background, yet the recovered detail in the drum and pine cone makes this ISO 12,800 image look more like ISO 100 than it has any right to.

Canon R6 Mark II, f/5.6 for 1/160 sec at 200 mm ISO 12800 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM]

With modern camera sensors, PureRAW 6 is capable of recovering an impressive amount of detail. A well-composed image with the right shutter speed no longer has to be dismissed as a throwaway shot just because the original file looks rough. This result proves that, in many cases, the detail really can be recovered. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

Closing Thoughts

I tested eight RAW files from eight different cameras, including images shot as far back as 2012, to see whether DxO PureRAW 6 really earns its reputation for detail recovery. It does.

The tradeoff is speed. Even on my 2026 system with fast M.2 SSDs, those eight files took 38 minutes to process. That makes PureRAW impractical for bulk use, but extremely compelling when image quality matters more than time.

I would not call it an everyday necessity. I would call it a premium restoration tool. Manufacturer RAW software is often good enough, but for paid work or sentimental image recovery where you want the best possible result, PureRAW clearly has a place.

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Quick Look at Nik Color Efex 8 + DxO Discount Offerhttps://www.ronmartblog.com/2026/02/quick-look-at-nik-color-efex-8-discount.html

Camera ReviewRonMartBlog

Sony a1 II + 28-70mm f/2 GM Review: A Five-Figure Dream Camera—But Is It Worth It?

With the Sony a1 II Mirrorless Camera and FE 28-70mm f/2 GM Lens now costing well into five-figure territory, the obvious question is whether this setup is actually worth the money. In this review, I’ll walk through my real-world take on its strengths, its weaknesses, and whether this configuration makes sense for anyone beyond the deep-pocketed few.

Sony a1 II + 28-70mm f/2 GM Review: A Five-Figure Dream Camera—But Is It Worth It? — click to check current price / availability

✅ Pros

• ✅AI-based subject recognition makes autofocus feel smarter and more dependable
• ✅Eye autofocus remained impressively reliable, even at extreme distances
• ✅The FE 28-70mm f/2 GM is a versatile, inspiring lens for almost any creative vision
• ✅Excellent image quality with impressive detail, color, and dynamic range
• ✅Blisteringly fast performance across the board

⛔ Cons

• ⛔The body-and-lens combo is priced well beyond what its real-world gains justify
• ⛔Handling and body design feel more consumer than pro at this price point
• ⛔The FE 28-70mm f/2 GM feels like a great 2016 lens, not a particularly exciting 2026 one
• ⛔Inconsistent hot shoe compatibility with my older Elinchrom Skyport triggers was a real frustration
• ⛔The rear LCD still trails Canon’s fully articulating vari-angle touchscreen in real-world flexibility
• ⛔Reduced-size Sony RAW files caused compatibility issues in some software, including DxO
• ⛔Sony’s higher-speed EVF modes come with a visible drop in viewfinder quality

TL;DR ⚡

For all it offers, the step up from Sony’s cheaper siblings comes at a point where the law of diminishing returns is impossible to ignore.

This is an outstanding Sony flagship combo, but it lives deep in diminishing-returns territory. If you truly need 50MP, fast burst performance, strong AI AF, and premium glass in one kit, it delivers. For almost everyone else, the smarter move is dropping down a tier on the body or lens and keeping thousands in your pocket.

Table of Contents

1. Who it’s for and who should skip
2. Real World Shots
3. Recommended products
4. Closing thoughts

Who it’s for

• Sony shooters who want one no-compromise flagship body for portraits, wildlife/birding, school events, and high-resolution cropping.
• Serious enthusiasts or paid shooters who will actually use 50MP files, fast burst capability, and top-tier AF—and already have the computer/storage setup to support that workflow.
• Photographers who specifically want the FE 28–70mm f/2 GM look and are willing to pay a premium for a fast standard zoom that behaves more like a bag of primes.
• Existing Sony users already invested in premium GM or Sigma Art glass who want the best native body Sony offers without switching systems.

Who should skip

• Anyone shooting mostly family, travel, portraits, or general hobby work who would get 90–95% of the result from an A7R V, A7 IV-class body, or a good 24–70mm f/2.8 for far less money.
• Buyers stretching financially just to own the flagship. Your own review says the real-world gain does not justify the premium for most people.
• Photographers who plan to pair this body with older triggers, older accessories, or mid-tier glass and expect a seamless premium experience.
• Action shooters expecting an automatic leap in keeper rate without real setup time or system familiarity, especially if they already shoot another brand well.
• Anyone with modest storage, backup, or editing hardware who doesn’t want the workflow tax that comes with big 50MP files and premium gear expectations.

Real World Shots 📷

The photos below are real-world samples. Click any photo to open the original size.

Click here to view the entire gallery of images taken for this review.

I handed this setup to my 10-year-old daughter and had her take this shot of me under my Elinchrom lights. Even in that kind of casual real-world use, the image quality and tonal range were hard not to appreciate.

f/8 for 1/125 sec at 70 mm ISO 100 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

I dropped the ball a bit here by not putting a gelled light behind me to create better separation from the background. The good news is that the RAW file had enough flexibility to rescue the shot and add that separation later in post. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

Right after unboxing the camera, I stepped into my daughter’s room and took a quick snapshot just to get a feel for it. As first impressions go, it was a good one, with surprisingly solid ISO 12800 performance and reliable eye autofocus from the very first shot.

f/5.6 for 1/80 sec at 61 mm ISO 12800 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

I quickly learned that, much like Nikon, this is a camera that rewards being very deliberate with your metering choice. It does exactly what you tell it to do, not necessarily what you hoped it would do. Canon bodies tend to be more forgiving in this area. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

The only reason I’m showing this admittedly terrible photo is because I wanted to see whether the AF could lock onto the bird—and how Sony’s AI autofocus would handle such difficult conditions. I’m happy to report that it passed with flying colors.

f/2 for 1/1000 sec at 70 mm ISO 160 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Shutter priority with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

I’d encourage you to open the full-size original and zoom in on the bird to really appreciate what this camera and lens combo was able to pull off. Then try the same thing with your current camera, and you may come away even more impressed. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

I love this shot because it really shows off what this lens and camera can do: excellent sharpness, beautiful bokeh at f/2.5, strong subject separation, and gorgeous in-camera color. Frames like this are exactly why I enjoyed shooting with this combo.

f/2.5 for 1/80 sec at 70 mm ISO 400 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

This is another shot where it’s worth downloading the original and doing some serious pixel peeping to appreciate the sharpness, tonal range, and impressive ISO 400 performance. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

As tempting as it is to live at f/2, this lens—as with most lenses—gets even sharper when you stop down a bit. In this case, that means you end up with a very sharp f/2.8 image while still enjoying the light-gathering advantage that, to me, is the real benefit of owning an f/2 lens instead of an f/2.8 one.

f/2.8 for 1/80 sec at 63 mm ISO 500 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

This was a tough scene to meter, with a very dark foreground subject set against harsh sunlight in the background. The camera did a reasonably good job of holding most of the scene together, and the detail preserved in the full-size RAW file was enough to recover the harsher highlights in post. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

For this long exposure, I intentionally spot metered on the rock above the waterfall, which explains why the rest of the scene ended up darker. Unfortunately, the EXIF data claims pattern metering across the board, even though this shot was actually taken using spot metering.

f/22 for 1/2 sec at 70 mm ISO 200 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

The detail and tonal nuance in the shadows are quite good here, and this shot really shows that off—especially on displays that can render a broader range of black tones. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

Be sure to check the gallery for the f/2.8 version of this same shot. It delivers the added sharpness you’d expect while still maintaining very similar separation and bokeh. Ultimately, your intended output size will determine whether that extra sharpness matters more than the slightly creamier tree bokeh in this f/2 version.

f/2.8 for 1/80 sec at 70 mm ISO 250 [-1 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

This was a surprisingly tough shot to compose because the main tree is leaning. Straighten for the subject, and the background looks crooked—particularly the tree on the left. Straighten for the background, and the subject starts to look accidentally tilted. Such is life in photography. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

When it came to photographing my daughter skating, the Canon R6 Mark II I reviewed absolutely mopped the floor with this camera, which is pretty shocking given the price difference. No matter how I configured it, I couldn’t get the kind of consistent accuracy I was getting with the Canon. That may say more about me than the camera, but after enough misses like this, I stopped fighting it and put the camera away.

f/2 for 1/640 sec at 70 mm ISO 640 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

The awful white balance here was entirely on me, not the camera. I simply forgot to reset the setting after shooting in the woods earlier in the day. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

Any parent who has tried to photograph kids in a school play already knows that only basketball is worse when it comes to ending up with a pile of unusable shots. Even at ISO 1250, though, this unedited RAW file had a lot going for it. My lens didn’t have the reach I really needed, and my angle from the stands as a regular audience member certainly wasn’t ideal, but with a quick crop and a little Lightroom work, this would be a perfectly usable shot—which says quite a lot.

f/4 for 1/250 sec at 70 mm ISO 1250 [0 EV, Other metering, No flash, Manual with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

Given my distance from the subjects, I knew that even at 70mm I could get plenty of depth of field at f/4, so I went that route to keep the ISO down. I also took my chances at 1/250 sec, betting that the movement would be subtle enough—and in this case, that proved to be the right call. Sony’s Highlight metering mode was brilliant for this kind of scene. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

While multi-segment metering didn’t do me any favors here, the eye autofocus absolutely nailed the shot. Zoom all the way in and you’ll see just how precisely it locked onto the iris.

f/2.8 for 1/80 sec at 70 mm ISO 320 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

Again, please excuse the composition—I had to stay seated and make the best of what I had, and let’s just say I didn’t exactly pull it off. 😄 Click the photo to open the original size 👆

Highlight metering let me down a bit on this one, but I was glad to come away with a better sense of both its strengths and weaknesses. In fairness, it did exactly what I asked it to do.

f/2.8 for 1/125 sec at 70 mm ISO 250 [0 EV, Other metering, No flash, Manual with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

This is a scene where center-weighted metering would have been the smarter choice. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

I didn’t quite get the shutter speed right, but the AF system still proved impressively capable by locking onto the eyes through the distracting fur.

f/2.8 for 1/400 sec at 70 mm ISO 100 [+0.7 EV, Other metering, No flash, Manual with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

I believe I used spot metering for this one, though entire-screen average or even multi-segment probably would have been the better choice for a scene like this. I also intentionally bumped exposure compensation to +0.7 EV to keep the snow from turning gray, and the good news is that no highlight detail was lost when processing the shot. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

Although f/2.8 would have provided more reliable depth of field, I experimented with f/2 at a greater distance to evaluate the results.

f/2 for 1/1250 sec at 70 mm ISO 100 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with FE 28-70mm F2 GM]

Ideally, I would have used exposure compensation or better metering. Time was tight with my daughter ready to leave, but the raw data in the ARW file is more than enough to recover the shot. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

Recommended Products

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN II Art Lens (Sony E)

Sony HVL-F60RM2 Wireless Radio Flash

Closing Thoughts

The Sony a1 II and FE 28-70mm f/2 GM form one of the most capable all-in-one pro kits on the market, especially if you want flagship action performance, flagship resolution, strong hybrid video, and a standard zoom with a more prime-like f/2 look. It's a natural choice for those with a big investment in the best lenses available for the Sony E mount.

But if your work rarely lives at the extremes—high-speed action, ugly light, tight turnarounds, and high-pressure assignments—you’ll probably get better value by dropping down a tier on the body and/or sticking with a 24-70mm f/2.8 or a SIGMA Art series lens. This is exactly where diminishing returns get very expensive, so there's no way I'd buy this camera or lens.

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Imagenomic Portraiture 5 Review (2026): Pro-Level Skin Retouching Without the Plastic Look

Software ReviewSkin SofteningPortrait Enhancements

Imagenomic Portraiture 5 Review (2026): Pro-Level Skin Retouching

Imagenomic Portraiture just got a major upgrade. Its intelligent auto‑masking speeds up the workflow by accurately identifying where skin softening should apply with minimal manual input. New features like Fill Light make it easy to brighten faces without complex masking, while Uniformity helps balance facial tones for a more polished look. Improved sharpness tools bring texture back naturally, and the upgraded shine‑reduction effectively eliminates harsh hotspots—making the overall retouching process faster, smoother, and more professional.

Imagenomic Portraiture 5 Review & Discount — click to check current price / availability

TL;DR ⚡

The new Imagenomic Portraiture is faster and smarter. Auto‑masking needs almost no manual input, Fill Light brightens faces easily, Uniformity balances skin tones, improved sharpness restores natural texture, and shine‑reduction removes harsh hotspots.

A smarter, faster Portraiture provides realistic skin softening that brightens faces, evens tones, restores texture, and removes shine with minimal effort.

Table of Contents

1. Who it’s for and who should skip
2. Pros and cons
3. Video review and tutorial
4. Before & After
5. Closing thoughts

Who it’s for

• Studio Portrait Photographers
• Wedding Photographers
• Commercial Photographers
• Anyone who wants skin and hair to look magazine ready

Who should skip

• Photojournalists who rely on authenticity

✅ Pros

• ✅Can purchase as a subscription or one-time price
• ✅Achieves smooth skin without blowing details — even on high contrast portraits.
• ✅Softens while still providing features to preserve sharpness and texture
• ✅Gives hair that shampoo commercial look
• ✅Powerful AI masking makes fill lighting on the face trivial

⛔ Cons

• ⛔Expensive one-time price
• ⛔Still easy to make people look like they belong in the wax museum if you don't use as intended
• ⛔Warmth, Tint, Brightness and Contrast Enhancements are better left for other photo-editing products

Video Review & Tutorial🎥

If the player doesn’t load here, watch on YouTube.

Before & After

Before | After Final Before and After taken with a Canon 5D Mark III using a 300mm f/2.8L IS II at f/5.6 for 1/1250sec @ ISO 800

Before | After New Fill Light feature - On (before) and Off (after)

Before | After Uniformity Feature - 0 (before) and 40 (after) - pay attention to the shadows by the mouth

Before | After New Reduce Shine feature - Before (0) and After (40)

Before | After Get smooth hair with the Hair Mask - Before (Mask hair - 100) vs After (Don't mask hair - 0)

Before | After Return face texture with Sharpness - Before (0) and After (Max - 40)

Closing Thoughts

Nearly 20 years ago, my mentor insisted that if I wanted the best results for skin softening, I should use Portraiture—and they were absolutely right. Over the years, I’ve spoken with many top‑tier pros working on high‑value projects, and Portraiture was one of their “secret sauce” tools. Meanwhile, countless tutorials claimed you could get the same results manually. What I learned is that Portraiture was always a step ahead—delivering next‑level quality faster and with far less effort. Getting perfect skin in seconds became a no‑brainer.

Fast‑forward to today: at first glance, it may look unchanged, but under the hood it’s faster, smarter, and loaded with improvements in object detection and workflow efficiency. It’s still a world‑class leader—and now it’s better than ever.

Although my review focused on using Portraiture in Photoshop, it performs just as seamlessly in Lightroom Classic.
If you’ve used Portraiture—or tried alternatives—I’d love to hear your experience. What tools are essential in your portrait retouching workflow? Drop your thoughts or questions below!

👉 Click here to learn more