Photographers often overlook the potential hidden within their old raw files. Revisiting these images with modern editing tools can reveal stunning details and new perspectives.
Coming to you from Alister Benn, this insightful video shows how to rejuvenate old raw files using modern software. Benn, a seasoned landscape photographer, shares his techniques and tools for reprocessing old images to achieve remarkable results. He emphasizes the benefits of using advanced software to correct distortions, reduce noise, and enhance overall image quality.
Benn starts by sharing an old night photograph taken in 2004 with a Canon 20D and a 17-40mm lens. He reflects on the limitations of his skills and the tools available at the time. The original image, underexposed and noisy, was challenging to process. Benn shows his first attempt at processing the image, which, despite his pride at the time, falls short of modern standards. He uses this as a springboard to demonstrate the power of current software.
The ability to reprocess old images with modern tools is something definitely worth exploring. Benn highlights that shooting in raw format preserves data that can be recovered and enhanced years later. By using DxO PureRAW 4, Benn shows how he can bring out details in the shadows, correct exposure, and improve overall image quality. This process not only revives old images but also offers a chance to reimagine and refine your photographic vision. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Benn.
And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, "Photographing the World: Japan With Elia Locardi!"
I've gone back and re edited a few of my favorite images and it is pretty wild how much better the software and your editing skills can be after a few years (or decades). I've never messed with Pure Raw so this was fun to watch as well.
I recently downloaded a free trial of DxO Pure Raw 4 after reading about it on-line. I use an Olympus E-M1 MK II camera, develop my images in OM Workspace and typically export them as a TIFF file for further editing. I took a raw file I recently developed in Workspace and developed the same raw file in PureRAW. The difference was very noticeable. The PureRAW image was sharper and more detailed. When zooming into the image, distant objects were still sharper than previously seen.
I uploaded a couple images so you can see the improvement. In the first image, I circled the area compared in the second image. I shot the image using a 40mm (80mm FFE) lens at f/9, focused at about the fourth tie. (The ties and rail were the real subject of the image for model railroading purposes).
The image on the left is a JPEG from OM Workspace, the one on the right is a JPEG from DxO PureRAW 4. There was no adjustments made to any image. Clearly the PureRAW image on the right is a bit sharper. The third image is from the same original, this time about where I focused. The ties and stones are a bit sharper and more detailed in the image on the right, which is also from PureRAW. NOTE: these JPEG files are greatly reduced, so I don't fill up the server here!
I tried the same thing with several other images and each time the PureRAW image was sharper and more detailed. I even tried a couple of high ISO images and the noise was greatly reduced to the point where it wasn't very noticeable, while everything was sharper.
I bought PureRAW right after these tests and don't use OM Workspace any more!