DxO PhotoLab 8: Why Its DeepPRIME XD2s Denoise Is a Game-Changer for High-ISO RAWs, Don't be afraid to switch from Lightroom!

 DxO PhotoLab 8 Review: The Best Noise-Reduction I’ve Used for Real-World RAWs

Here's the Down-Low

If you shoot wildlife at dusk (isn't that when most of us are shooting?), handheld street at ISO 12,800, or indoor events where flash kills the mood, noise is your constant companion. I shoot with a 45 MP Canon R5, so at high iso I really start seeing noise. Cue-DxO PhotoLab 8. It doesn’t just reduce that noise—it rebuilds detail you thought was gone. After testing it on high-ISO files from shots shot at high as 25,600 iso, I’m convinced PhotoLab 8’s denoise engine is the standout reason to try (or switch to) DxO. Another piece of software from DXO that I've used for years is DXO PureRaw which doubles as an incredible de-noise machine. 

What’s New in PhotoLab 8

PhotoLab 8 isn’t a “.5” update. DxO added a new generation of its AI denoising along with genuinely useful editing and masking upgrades. It features

-DeepPRIME XD2s: The latest evolution of DxO’s denoise + demosaic engine for cleaner files and crisper micro-detail at very high ISOs.

-Live denoising previews: A large loupe you can drag over the image to see denoise (and other edits) at 100% before exporting.

-Hue Range Masks for precise local color edits, plus a revamped Tone Curve with on-image controls and a Luma channel so you can change brightness without shifting saturation.

Those quality-of-life tweaks matter, but the headline is still noise reduction. DxO literally markets 8 around its “unbelievable noise reduction and detail extraction,” and this time the pitch holds up. I rarely worry about what iso I shoot at anymore, I know I have DxO on my side.

 Why DxO’s Denoise Looks So Clean

Most editors denoise *after* demosaicing (the step that turns the color filter array on your sensor into full-color pixels). DxO’s DeepPRIME family denoises *during* demosaicing using a neural network trained on billions of samples, which helps retain fine texture while scrubbing chroma noise and wormy artifacts.

DxO says the newest model can deliver the equivalent of up to three extra stops of usable ISO compared to conventional pipelines—exactly what you feel when a 12,800 ISO file suddenly behaves like 1600–3200.

That “inside the RAW pipeline” approach is also why DeepPRIME works on RAW files, not JPEG/TIFF; it’s tied to demosaicing. If you try it on a non-RAW, the options are disabled.

DeepPRIME 3 vs. DeepPRIME XD vs. DeepPRIME XD2s (I know the names are kinda nuts)

PhotoLab 8 gives you three AI denoise modes:

1) PRIME– The fastest of the trio; great default when you don’t need surgical cleanup.

2) DeepPRIME 3 – “Extra detail,” stronger noise removal and texture recovery with a modest hit to export time.

3) DeepPRIME XD/XD2s– The latest and most aggressive model for extreme ISO, underexposed shadows, and heavy crops. Pair it with the live preview magnifier to check edges and skin before you commit.

*Note for Fujifilm shooters: XD2s isn’t available for X-Trans RAWs; PhotoLab falls back to DeepPRIME/XD for those sensors.

Here's a sample: 

Above: Here is the edited photo I envisioned while taking this shot. 

Above: here is a screen shot of the RAW file/uncropped or edited.

Above: Here's an extreme crop of the raw file. This was shot at shutter 1/2,000" f/5 and ISO: 25,600! What the heck was I thinking? (It was evening and getting darker and puffins are f******* fast that's what). 

With the DeepPRIME XD/XD2s and some slight adjustments to contrast and teasing out some highlights of the bird the extreme crop looks like the photo below:

Holy cow that's impressive. 

Here's another example of my favorite shot from that day.

Here's the RAW sample, honestly it looks pretty clean right out of the camera. 

Here is the de-noised and slightly edited photo. It looks very clean. This was shot at 1/5,000 to freeze the feathers. Similar to the other photo it was shot at 256000 iso.

 Where PhotoLab 8 Shines

-High-ISO wildlife and action: Backlit fur, feather detail, and distant subjects hold together better, so you can crop without the “waxy” look.

-Low-light events and concerts: XD2s cleans blotchy color noise in shadows while preserving stage textures and metallic highlights.

-Older or smaller sensors: You’ll feel the “extra stops” the most when dynamic range and pixel pitch aren’t as forgiving.

 How It Compares to Adobe’s AI Denoise

Lightroom’s AI Denoise has improved, but many tests still give DxO an edge in fine-detail retention and color integrity—especially on difficult files. If you live in the Adobe ecosystem, you can preprocess tough RAWs in PhotoLab (or PureRAW) and continue editing in Lightroom/Photoshop with a denoised DNG. I used to use Lightroom for years, and yes I can't deny Adobe has a great set of products. I was nervous to get rid of Adobe once and for all, but with DxO photolab I left and haven't turned back. My photos can go head to head with those edited in the Adobe ecosystem.

Bottom Line

If you care about squeezing every last bit of quality out of high-ISO RAWs, DxO PhotoLab 8 is the most compelling denoiser you can buy right now—and the rest of the editor has matured too.

For adventure, wildlife, and travel photographers, the practical benefit is simple: more keeper files in bad light. You’ll shoot at higher ISOs without fear, recover shadow detail that used to look mushy, and spend less time wrestling with color noise. That’s not just cleaner pixels; it’s more photos you’re proud to share.

Other Tips for shooting in low light...

A game changer I learned a while back was to "expose to the right." It's hard with puffins because they're black and white which are the complete opposites when it comes to exposing. I took a few test shots and made sure the highlights weren't clipped and unrecoverable. Sometimes it doesn't take much, even just overexposing by 2/3 of a stop will help when editing a high iso photo. The other tip is more obvious and that's to open up your aperture. 

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