DxO PureRAW 6: Everything Photographers Need to Know (Plus My Free Guide)
- Martin
- Mar 5
- 4 min read
DxO dropped PureRAW 6 yesterday, and it's a significant update. I've been using PureRAW in my workflow since the very first version — it's the first thing every RAW file from my Sony a7 bodies touches before it goes anywhere near Lightroom Classic — so naturally I wanted to dig into what's changed and what it means for working photographers.
In this post, I'll walk you through the four key new features, explain who should upgrade, and share my complete instruction manual as a downloadable guide for those of you who want to get the most from this software.
What Is DxO PureRAW, and Why Should You Care?
If you haven't used PureRAW before, here's the short version: it sits at the very start of your editing pipeline and applies world-class denoising, optical corrections, and demosaicing to your camera's RAW files. What you get back is a Linear DNG file — essentially a dramatically improved version of your RAW file that you then edit as normal in Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, or whatever your preferred editor happens to be.
Think of it as a serious upgrade to your camera and lens combination, delivered entirely in software. DxO achieves this by physically measuring cameras and lenses in their laboratory, building correction profiles that are far more accurate than the generic lens profiles used by Adobe.
I use PureRAW on every workshop shoot — from the medieval streets of Barga in the Garfagnana valley to the canals of Venice at blue hour. It's become a non-negotiable part of my workflow.
The Four Big Changes in PureRAW 6
DeepPRIME XD3 for All Cameras
This is the headline feature. DxO's most powerful AI denoising engine, DeepPRIME XD3, was previously restricted to Fujifilm X-Trans sensors. Version 6 opens it up to Bayer sensor cameras — which means it now works with the vast majority of Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Panasonic bodies. For those of us shooting Sony a7-series, this is the reason to upgrade.
XD3 uses a more sophisticated neural network than its predecessors, and it's designed to handle the most demanding files: high-ISO night scenes, finely detailed landscapes, and tricky mixed-lighting conditions. The results are genuinely impressive — particularly in shadow areas and fine textures like stone walls and architectural detail.
High-Fidelity DNG Compression
One of the long-standing practical objections to using PureRAW has been file size. Linear DNGs are typically much larger than your original camera RAWs, which makes batch processing hundreds of images a storage headache.
Version 6 introduces a compression algorithm that can shrink output DNG files to roughly a quarter of their previous size — while preserving the full dynamic range and editing flexibility. For someone like me who processes hundreds of files from each Tuscany workshop, the storage savings are substantial.
AI Sensor Dust Removal
Every photographer who shoots at f/11 or smaller knows the frustration of dust spots appearing across a batch of images. PureRAW 6 includes an AI-powered tool that detects and removes dust marks automatically during preprocessing — across entire batches. You can control how aggressively it searches via a Selectivity slider, and review what it's found before committing.
This shifts a tedious manual task much earlier in the workflow, which is exactly where it belongs.
Faster Batch Processing
Version 6 introduces batch parallelisation — it prepares the next image while the current one is still being processed. The practical result is faster throughput when you're feeding the software large batches, which is a genuine quality-of-life improvement for anyone doing volume work.
Should You Upgrade?
If you're on PureRAW 5 with a Bayer-sensor camera (Sony, Canon, Nikon, etc.), the DeepPRIME XD3 extensionalone justifies the £74.99 upgrade price. Add in the compressed DNG output and the practical improvements, and it's a straightforward recommendation.
If you're on PureRAW 4 or earlier, this is a no-brainer. The improvements accumulated across versions 5 and 6 are substantial.
If you've never used PureRAW, I'd strongly encourage you to download the 14-day free trial. Process a handful of your own files — particularly any high-ISO shots or images taken with lenses you know are soft at the edges — and compare the results against your normal Lightroom workflow. The difference is usually visible even at screen size, and at 100% zoom, it can be dramatic.
What About Lightroom's Built-In AI Denoise?
I get asked this a lot. Adobe's AI Denoise in Lightroom Classic is genuinely good — there's no argument there. But I still prefer running files through PureRAW first for two reasons.
First, PureRAW's optical corrections are based on physical laboratory measurements of each camera and lens combination. They're more comprehensive than Adobe's generic profiles, particularly for edge sharpness and distortion correction.
Second, PureRAW processes during the demosaicing stage — it's working with the raw sensor data before it becomes a fully formed image. This gives it a fundamental advantage over post-process denoising, which is why the results tend to look more natural and preserve texture better.
That said, if you're using PureRAW, do not also apply Lightroom's AI Denoise to the same file. The two will interfere with each other, and you'll get worse results than using either one alone.
Download My Complete Guide — Free
I've put together a detailed instruction manual covering everything you need to get up and running with DxO PureRAW 6 — installation, system requirements, step-by-step workflows for standalone and Lightroom Classic plug-in use, local adjustments, Photoshop Smart Object integration, recommended settings for different shooting scenarios, and troubleshooting.
It's written for photographers who want practical instruction rather than marketing fluff, and it's structured so you can use it as a reference guide alongside the software.
Pricing
DxO PureRAW 6 is a perpetual licence — no subscription required.
New licence: £119.99
Upgrade from PureRAW 4 or 5: £74.99
Free trial: 14 days, fully featured
You can download the trial or purchase from the DxO website.
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