Shutterbug Staff

DxO Labs has announced DxO Optics Pro v5, the latest version of its flagship software
application for automatic image quality enhancement for Digital SLR camera users.
Due to be released later in the fall, DxO Optics Pro v5 is said to set a new standard
for image quality with its new RAW conversion engine. All purchasers of DxO Optics
Pro v4.5 on or after August 1st, 2007 are eligible for a free upgrade to DxO Optics
Pro v5.



DxO Optics Pro v5's RAW conversion engine includes a completely new demosaicing
algorithm which produces images with much more detail and fewer artifacts. Demosaicing
is the crucial step of RAW conversion during which the camera's image sensor
pattern is reconstructed as a visible image for the human eye. Inherently, demosaicing
involves trade-offs between image sharpness, details, noise, processing time and
conversion artifacts. The quality of demosaicing determines the amount of detail
and artifacts in the final image. These artifacts, particularly visible and unsightly,
are compounded at high ISO settings and are in large part responsible for what
is deemed the unnatural look of digital images.



The other key characteristic of DxO Optics Pro's new RAW Engine is that
instead of applying noise reduction techniques after demosaicing, a newly-developed
noise reduction is performed upfront, before noise has a chance to be amplified
by the RAW conversion process and absorb important fine details.



Combined with other proprietary techniques, DxO Optics Pro v5's new RAW
Engine is said by the maker to produce both the most detailed and most natural
looking images yet -- its very fine and homogenous grain translating into
subtle shades and textures. DxO Optics Pro v5's new RAW conversion engine
has been fine-tuned and optimized with the rest of the software's automated
image enhancement features (optical corrections, color rendering, exposure optimization,
highlight recovery, etc.) to produce best-in class results.
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DxO Labs today announced that DxO Optics Pro v5, the latest version of its
award-winning flagship software application for automatic image quality enhancement
for Digital SLR camera users, now supports the new Nikon D3 camera body and
an initial selection of lenses. The addition of this professional Digital SLR
comes close on the heels of support for the recently released Nikon D300 advanced
Digital SLR. Lens correction modules for three popular Nikkor lenses are available
for the Nikon D3: the AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED, the AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D
and the AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED. Support for the Nikon D3 and lenses is
available in DxO Optics Pro v5 Elite.

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Pantone, Inc. has announced the availability of huey, an easy-to-use monitor
calibration tool developed in partnership with GretagMacbeth. The unique, affordable
device is about the size of a small marker and delivers excellent results on
LCD, laptop and CRT displays without requiring users to have any knowledge of
color management. In addition, huey is the first monitor calibration device
to continually adjust the monitor as room lighting changes.

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Affordable "8x" Eight Slot Smart Charger from Powerex Maha Energy,
the maker of Powerex batteries and chargers, has introduced a new, affordable
eight cell smart charger for AA and AAA batteries. The "8x" is for
users who need to charge more than four batteries offered by the typical charger.
The new MH-C800S features eight independent slots that can charge one to eight
AA or AAA batteries in any combination around one to two hours. The unit also
incorporates a large LCD screen featuring the charging status of each battery.
This new charger uses the same precision microprocessor as its professional
sister model MH-C801D.

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