AI Denoise Battle Lightroom Takes on PureRAW

The End of Noisy Photos

Pushing your camera's ISO in low light used to be a compromise, often resulting in images where distracting digital noise ruined color and detail. Thanks to modern sensors and the power of AI denoising, photographers can now confidently shoot in dim scenes, knowing they can preserve crucial textures and produce clean, sharp files. But which AI tool does it best? A detailed new comparison puts two of the industry's top contenders to the test.

The Ultimate AI Denoise Test

A recent video from Jason Row Photography sets the stage for a showdown between Adobe Lightroom’s built-in Denoise feature and DxO PureRAW. To push these tools to their limits, two very challenging raw files were used. The first is a modern, high-resolution night scene from Bangkok, shot on a 61-megapixel Sony a7R V at a demanding 12,800 ISO. The second is a much older file from 2007, a ship image captured with a 12-megapixel Nikon D2X at a high ISO for its time. Row processed each file through both Lightroom's Enhance Denoise and PureRAW's DeepPRIME 3, allowing for a direct comparison of the resulting DNG files at 100% and 200% magnification.

Results Deep Dive PureRAW vs Lightroom

When examining the processed images side-by-side, a clear pattern emerged. DxO PureRAW consistently excelled at handling noise in flat areas and dark shadow regions, a strength that was particularly evident on the older Nikon D2X file. It produced a smoother, more natural texture by eliminating harsh luminance noise while carefully preserving the detail along edges.

In contrast, Lightroom's results often appeared sharper at first glance. However, on closer inspection, this perceived crispness was sometimes due to residual noise being sharpened rather than the recovery of genuine detail. On the Bangkok image, PureRAW successfully cleaned up the noise while keeping textures on a license plate and metal surfaces well-defined. The transformation of the old Nikon file was even more dramatic, turning a blotchy, rough image into a clean and natural-looking shot that would be far easier to color grade.

Workflow and Speed Considerations

The comparison also highlighted practical differences in workflow. Using PureRAW requires an extra step, as you must process your raw files into DNGs before you can begin editing them. However, Row made an interesting discovery regarding performance. On his system, PureRAW processed the massive 61-megapixel Sony file faster than Lightroom’s Denoise. For photographers working with large batches of images from a big shoot, this speed advantage could translate into significant time savings.

Breathe New Life Into Old Photos

One of the most exciting takeaways from this test is how modern AI software can revitalize older photo archives. Images from early DSLRs, travel photos from years ago, or any low-light work that was previously considered too noisy can now be reprocessed to look fresh and clean. By recovering lost detail from these older raw files, photographers can confidently re-edit their legacy work and even create prints at sizes they never thought possible.

Key Takeaways for Your Editing Pipeline

By keeping the test simple and free of stylistic adjustments, the video effectively isolates what each denoising tool does on its own. It provides a clear view of how each program handles demosaicing and sharpening, and how it balances the fine line between grain reduction and detail preservation. This helps photographers decide not only which tool is best for their needs, but also where it fits best into their editing rhythm. For a complete side-by-side look, be sure to check out the full video from Row.