Beware DxO Pro 9 free offer with mags!

[Gasman]

Hi guys
Bought January`s Digital Camera today with the promise of a free downoad of DxO Oprics Pro 9 Elite but nowhere is it stated that newer camera`s will not be recognised. My Nikon D5500 is not that old but the installed DxO 9 software is now totally useless as it will not recognise my D5500 raw/jpg files. Lesson learnt!!
Steve

[Donald]

Yep. I think it was with 10, or was it 11, that DxO did away with the two versions and now only has one that covers all cameras.

[Manfred M]

You are being offered a software package that is two generations older than the current version. Not at big surprise that the newer cameras are not supported. If you have a camera that is more than 2 years old, you should be fine with V9.

Donald - I think you are looking at the "Essential" versus the "Elite" versions and both are still being offered:

https://shop.dxo.com/us/photo-software/dxo-opticspro

[Donald]

Donald - I think you are looking at the "Essential" versus the "Elite" versions and both are still being offered:

https://shop.dxo.com/us/photo-software/dxo-opticspro

Ah hah. They've reverted to offering two products, but this time it's different. Whereas in the past the deciding factor in what you bought was your camera. The entry-level and prosumer bodies needed one version and the professional level bodies used the other version.

Now, I see it's about what tools you want, not what camera body you have, with the Essential version only having some of the tools that the Elite version has.

[Gasman]

You are being offered a software package that is two generations older than the current version. Not at big surprise that the newer cameras are not supported. If you have a camera that is more than 2 years old, you should be fine with V9.

Donald - I think you are looking at the "Essential" versus the "Elite" versions and both are still being offered:

https://shop.dxo.com/us/photo-software/dxo-opticspro

Yes but not knowing the age or limitations of DxO 9 beforehand I don't think it's unreasonable to expect it to do what the mag claims. Clearly if there was some proviso in the ad description then you would know if it would work with your setup or not!.I have some software 'Astroart 5' which can open my raw files fine which must more than 3 yrs old so the age of the software is not always an issue.

[Manfred M]

Yes but not knowing the age or limitations of DxO 9 beforehand I don't think it's unreasonable to expect it to do what the mag claims. Clearly if there was some proviso in the ad description then you would know if it would work with your setup or not!.

I would think it would be nice of the magazines to clarify this, but on the other hand, you have used up a bit of bandwidth and a bit of your time doing the installation, so there was pretty minimal real costs to you.

[Gasman]

I would think it would be nice of the magazines to clarify this, but on the other hand, you have used up a bit of bandwidth and a bit of your time doing the installation, so there was pretty minimal real costs to you.

Not really the point though is it as I did buy the mag because of the software.

[Donald]

Not really the point though is it as I did buy the mag because of the software.

It's that old adage, is it not? - If something looks too good to be true, it usually is.

The publisher sold one more magazine than they otherwise would have and you got a bit of software that's useless to you.

[Black Pearl]

From a web search for the Jan 2017 issue:

Also this issue: a FREE copy of DxO Optics Pro 9 Elite for every reader! Perfect your photos with Optics Pro’s powerful presets and controls, with this full software release worth £159! Please see below for details and important compatibility information.

FREE SOFTWARE OFFER Full licensed software download; details inside magazine. Free email registration with DxO required to acquire licence code. Register by 28th February 2017.
COMPATIBILITY Software requires Windows Vista, 7, 8 or 8.1 (32- for 64-bit editions), or macOS 10.6 or later; 2GB of RAM (8GB recommended); 2GB free hard disk space (6GB recommended). DxO Optics Pro 9 Elite is not compatible with Windows 10.

FILE SUPPORT DxO Optics Pro 9 Elite supports raw image files from a wide range of camera makes and models, but may not support some newer models. DxO Optics Pro 9 Elite supports JPEG and TIFF image files from all camera makes and models.

Seems pretty clear-cut to me?

[Gasman]

Hi Donald
Yes I'm a little peeved shall we say. I often try out software from mags, recently Photodirect 7 from Practical Photographer if memory serves never had a problem before. Like I say I have older software which works fine so had no reason to expect otherwise with this one. Dislike being taken for a ride that's all😉
Steve

[Mike Buckley]

the installed DxO 9 software is now totally useless as it will not recognise my D5500 raw/jpg files.

Are you sure it won't recognize your jpeg files? I find that difficult to believe.

[DanK]

Are you sure it won't recognize your jpeg files? I find that difficult to believe.

I was puzzled by that as well. The jpeg specs are standard, AFAIK. I have never had difficulty opening a jpg from any application in any other application.

[Manfred M]

I agree Mike and Dan. I suspect that must be a typo / mistake as DxO Optics Pro has no issues handling jpegs. I think the first version of DxO Optics Pro I used was probably v4 and we are now up to v 11. On the other hand, it it primarily a very good raw converter and many of its features are most effective when used with raw data.

[Gasman]

I'll double check the jpg's folks all I had was a visible film strip at the bottom and any image I clicked on came up with the message something like "Your camera is not recognised with this version of DxO", be back later😉
Steve

[Gasman]

My apologies chaps the jpg's will open ok not the Raw', my bad

[Brev00]

In my experience, the free software companies offer is always obsolete and has been replaced by a newer (sometimes much newer) version. That is how I got DxO Optics 8, DxO Filmpack 3, and Perfect Effects 8. So, thanks for the news that DxO is now offering 9 free. I can replace 8 with something newer (but not new). I do not think it is a valid description to say one was taken for a ride by being offered free, obsolete software. Since 11 is available now, one should assume 9 is not fully up to date.

Eventually, free is no longer free as I have been hooked by both Filmpack and Perfect Effects. I paid for Filmpack 5 and the three updates for 8 that have since been offered including the the brand new onOne Raw. I did the free trial of DxO Optics 11 and am not really a fan except for a few of the features which are present in #8 that I use once in a while.

[Manfred M]

I I did the free trial of DxO Optics 11 and am not really a fan except for a few of the features which are present in #8 that I use once in a while.

I understand where you are coming from Larry. The one place that I find that DxO Optics 11 shines is in its noise reduction algorithms; while it was decent in version 10, it has gotten a lot better in 11. It applies those at the raw conversion stage and I find the results are superior to the other noise reduction algorithms in the competing products. I tend to use this software in any of my night shots.

[MrB]

Could you use your raw files if they are first converted to DNGs?

Philip

Edit - A bit of web research reveals that DxO does not support DNG files.

[Gasman]

Hi guys
Bit of an update today. I did email the editor of Digital Camera on the day I bought the mag while still unhappy about the software and he replied pointing out the caveat at the back of the mag's wrapping in tiny font 'newer camera's may not be recognized' so really fair enough, my bad I just didn't see it and teach me to look for these things before flying off the handle. The editor Ben also sent me a Nikon book as a gesture of goodwill which was an excellent gesture seeing as it was my fault so respect to Digital Magazine for that.
Steve

[Brev00]

Manfred: I have heard that about the DxO nr. I guess I am pretty satisfied with my current options (ACR Elements 12, Nik Dfine, Topaz Denoise) so that hasn't been of much concern. Maybe because I really don't shoot high iso shots needing considerable nr all that often. If Elements had a ca reduction tool, I might never even open DxO Optics. That is something I run into with an annoying frequency.