DO LABS INTRODUCES DXO® OPTICS PRO™
Breakthrough Software Application for
Digital SLR Camera Users
Eliminates Blur, Distortion, Chromatic
Aberration And Vignetting
Las Vegas, NV (February 12, 2004) – DO Labs, a software company focused on research
in image processing to enhance image quality, today announces DxO Optics Pro, a
revolutionary software solution designed for professional and expert photographers. DxO
Optics Pro delivers genuine and perceptible quality improvements by automatically
correcting images for:
- Distortion
- Chromatic aberrations
- Vignetting
- Blur (lack of perceived sharpness)
"Isn't it frustrating that the more
you pay for high-end digital cameras or lenses, the more you feel their limitations?"
asks Jerome Meniere, CEO of DO Labs. "The brighter a lens, the softer it is wide
open, the wider the range of a zoom lens, the greater the distortion, the higher
resolution the sensor is, the more visible chromatic aberration becomes. DxO Optics PRO
will help demanding photographers get the best possible image quality from their
equipment, at any settings."
"DxO Optics Pro can be thought of as
a `software corrective lens' for your DSLR," explains Dr. Frederic Guichard, DO Labs'
Chief Scientist. "We have created objective, laboratory-grade precise mathematical
models of each fault, and developed fully automatic algorithms to remedy them."
DxO Optics Pro benefits
Push optics and lenses to a new level of performance: With DxO Optics Pro, even very high
end lenses benefit from perceptible improvement in image quality. The best lenses become
even better. Of course, images shot with mid-range or entry level lenses experience an
even greater leap in quality.
Maximize performance under extreme
conditions: Using DxO Optics Pro, photographers are able to dramatically improve the
performance of their lenses in critical aperture or focal settings. For example, it is now
possible to shoot wide open and yet get tack-sharp images.
Easily integrates into workflow: Because
DxO Optics Pro is both automatic and fast, it will integrate seamlessly into a
photographer's workflow. DxO Optics Pro correction will typically precede any other
correction applied to the image in typical photo retouching software such as Adobe
Photoshop.
DxO Optics Pro correction characteristics
DxO Optics Pro corrections are objective
and `real', for they are calculated based on a physical characterization of the optical
system. DxO Optics Pro image correction relies on a physical model called a DxO Profile,
which is specific to each lens and camera model used.
DxO Optics Pro corrections are fully automatic: no settings, no manual user intervention
at any stage. This allows for seamless batch processing of images and will be a huge time
saver for all photographers.
DxO Optics corrections have a laboratory-grade precision: Each DxO profile benefits from
DO Labs' expertise in optical phenomena measurements. For example, distortion can be
lowered below a residual 0.02%.
DxO Optics Pro corrections operate locally, on each pixel: Optical flaws impact each point
of the image differently – so DxO Optics Pro adapts the correction to each pixel in
the image.
DxO Optics Pro corrects complex faults: DxO Optics Pro can correct irregular, variable
aberrations. For example, the correction of blur accounts for complex phenomena such as
astigmatism.
DxO Optics Pro automatically integrates relevant capture settings (i.e. aperture, focal
length, focus distance, etc.): DxO Optics Pro uses EXIF data to fine tune the correction
to the exact shooting conditions.
DxO Optics Pro corrections are fast: With performances above 2 Mpixel/second , DxO Optics
PRO can correct in seconds even large images produced by the highest quality DSLRs.
Availability and pricing
DxO Optics Pro software solution consists of two elements:
i. the DxO Optics Pro Correction Engine which is a standalone Macintosh or Windows based
application; and
ii. a set of DxO Profiles characterizing the optical properties of body/lens combinations.
The DxO Optics Pro Engine will be available for Windows and Macintosh platform:
- in March 2004 in JPEG/8bit mode; and
- in May 2004 in RAW/16bit mode.
DO Labs plans to offer DxO Profiles for
all significant professional and prosumer digital camera bodies and lenses. The first DxO
Profiles available (JPEG/8bit mode) will include:
Canon EOS 1Ds, Canon EOS 1D, Canon EOS 1D
Mark II, Canon EOS 10D, Canon EOS D60, Canon Digital Rebel (300D) with a selection of
Canon branded and Canon compatible lenses;
Nikon D100, Nikon D1x, Nikon D2H, Nikon
D70 with a selection of Nikon branded and Nikon compatible lenses;
Fuji S2Pro, Olympus E-1, Pentax *ist D,
Kodak DCS Pro 14n with relevant own-brand or compatible lenses;
New DxO Profiles will be released on an on-going basis and DO Labs will run a `DxO Profile
– request survey' on its Web site to collect the most popular requests for DxO
Profiles.
All DxO Optics Pro components will be available on DO Labs' e-commerce store, which can be
reached via http://www.DxOPRO.com. Pricing to be announced.
About DO Labs and its DxO Technology
DO Labs SA is a software company focused on research in applied mathematics for digital
image enhancement. The roots of the company come out of the most advanced academic
mathematical research with strong ties to leading universities and research labs and a
prestigious Scientific Committee.
The company's patented DxO technology
produces genuine, perceptible improvements in the quality of any digital image. DxO is a
set of software components that measures and corrects major faults found in imaging
devices: Blur, Local Contrast, Distortion, Vignetting, Chromatic aberration, Jpeg
artifacts, etc. Furthermore, DxO Correction offers key benefits that makes it an
industrial-grade solution:
DxO produces optimum image correction;
DxO is robust: DxO will never damage
image quality;
DxO is automatic: No human intervention
is required at any stage;
DxO is real time: it can be easily
embedded in any real-time workflow (ARM, DSP, ASIC) inside imaging devices such as digital
still cameras or camera phones; in a PC at driver level, a server; or in a digital
photofinishing minilab equipment.
For more information, visit DO Labs
online at http://www.dolabs.com
