DxO Optics Pro Software Boosts Image Quality

Designed for use by professional and discerning amateur photographers, DO Labs new DxO Optics Pro software delivers genuine and perceptible quality improvements by automatically correcting images for the following major optical faults: Distortion, Vignetting, Blur (lack of sharpness), and Lateral chromatic aberration.

The modular design of DxO Optics Pro allows photographers to maximize performance of their existing and future equipment. In particular, DxO Optics Pro optimizes image quality when shooting conditions are difficult: wide aperture, extreme focal lengths on zooms, low-light, image edges, wide format sensors, etc… Traditional compromises no longer apply with DxO Optics Pro, photographers can now take full advantage of the possibilities their expensive digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and lenses offer.

DxO Optics Pro is based on a deep mathematical and physical approach combining a ‘real-world’ analysis and characterization of optical systems with breakthrough algorithms that use this model to produce the final image.

A functional DxO Optics Pro system is composed of at least three components:

1. The DxO Correction Engine, acting as an algorithm platform, also manages the user interface and generic image processing libraries
2. A DxO Camera Body Correction Module, which characterizes the camera body electronics
3. A DxO Lens Correction Module, which models the optical characteristics and properties of the lens

DxO Correction Modules at the heart of image quality improvements:
The proprietary DxO Optics Pro Correction Module is a sophisticated mathematical model of the imaging device. It is developed by DO Labs for each model of digital camera body and lens. A DxO Correction Module describes the initial image performance of the camera/lens and it also provides the fundamental mathematical ‘solution’ to precisely removing image faults and therefore boosting image quality.

Fully automatic, extremely fast processing batch mode:
The complexity of DxO Optics PRO correction is hidden from the user by providing totally automatic correction. DxO Optics Pro automatically takes into account all the variable parameters that are relevant for the correction (focal length, aperture, ISO, white balance, etc…). Provided the relevant DxO Correction Modules are installed, DxO Optics Pro will automatically correct a batch of images shot with different camera bodies, lenses, settings, etc… Correcting at approximately 2 Mpixel/second, DxO Optics Pro only takes seconds to correct even large images produced by high-end DSLRs.

DxO Optics Pro will be available on the DxO Optics PRO E-Store (http://store.dxo.com) beginning May 24th 2004. DxO Optics Pro will run on Windows (W2000 or XP) and on Macintosh (OS X).

The price of a functional DxO Optics PRO system is the addition of the individual prices of its components – i.e. the DxO Correction Engine + one or more DxO Camera Body Correction Modules + one or more DxO Lens Correction Modules.

This pricing allows maximum flexibility for photographers by enabling them to purchase only those components they need. DxO Camera Body and DxO Lens Correction Modules may be acquired and changed separately.

For example, the DxO Canon 10D Correction Module only needs to be acquired once. After that, only additional DxO compatible Lens Correction Modules need to be purchased. If in the future, the same lenses are used with a new camera body (say the Canon Digital Rebel / 300D), only the DxO Correction Module for the new camera body needs to be acquired.

DO Labs is also introducing an initial 25% launch rebate to all orders placed before June 30th, 2004.

Here are a few typical examples of prices:

Canon Digital Rebel /300D+18-55mm Kit Lens:
US $ 127 (regular price)
US $ 95 (25% discount)

Nikon D70 + 18-70mm Kit Lens:
US $ 127 (regular price)
US $ 95 (25% discount)

Canon EOS 10D+1 lens
US $ 217 (regular price)
US $ 163 (25% discount)

Canon EOS 10D+2 lens
US $ 296 (regular price)
US $ 222 (25% discount)

Nikon D100 + Nikon D70 + 3 Lenses
US $ 431 (regular price)
US $ 323 (25% discount)

For more information, visit DO Labs online at www.dxo.com.