dxo Photolab 2 Explore the interface

Photolibrary panel 1

Browse your photographs to find the folder containing the images you want to enhance. The right side of the screen shows thumbnails of the images in the selected folder and, above that, a preview of the image you’ve selected. Optical lens correction profiles are located and applied automatically.

dynamic search field 2

This is a brand-new feature – start typing in this box and Photolab will automatically offer matching search options. Enter the number ‘5’, for example, and the display will offer to show images taken at a focal length of 5mm, exposures of 5 secs or a lens aperture of f/5. The search results are shown on the right.

Customize mode

For detailed adjustments and enhancements, swap to the Customize mode. Your photo is then displayed filling the window, with an optional before-and-after view (shown here) to help you judge your adjustments and see how far you’ve come. For a one-click ‘look’, the Apply Preset button is in the top-right corner of the window.

tools panel

DXO Photolab’s presets apply a specific set of image adjustments but you can adjust these yourself using these collapsible tools panels and palettes. These displays are customizable. (The DXO Viewpoint panel, which includes perspective correction tools, needs the DXO Viewpoint 3 add-on, sold separately.)

Local adjustments

DXO Photolab’s killer feature was the inclusion of local adjustments, which followed Dxo’s acquisition of the Nik Collection and the U Point technology. You select this button then right-click on the image to choose between different adjustment types, including graduated filter, brush tool and control point adjustments.

Control points

This is a control point adjustment centred on the rock in the middle of the picture. The adjustment sliders are to the right, split into three different sets, and the control point tech means that only the tones under the control point will be affected by your adjustments – so an adjustment mask is created automatically.