Compatibility issue with new denoise workflow and 3rd party denoisers

[Generous_view0D45]

The introduction of a checkbox for denoising, which adds the ability to remove denoise from a file that has denoise applied, allows for an issue that was previously not possible to encounter.

DNGs exported from programs like DXO PureRAW come with denoise data alongside the original raw data. When imported, Lightroom interprets these files as raws with denoise applied, and thus checks the denoise checkbox. However, this means this checkbox can also be unchecked, removing the denoise applied by DXO. You can of course check the box again, but this then runs Adobe's denoise algorithm on the file, and not DXO's, and the resulting image is completely different from that originally exported from DXO PureRAW.

To make matters worse, this could accidentally be batch applied to hundreds of images through copy/paste, and once removed, the only way to get DXO's denoise back onto all these files would be to remove every one, and re-import the DNGs from PureRAW.

Edit:

Before it comes up, no, resetting edits won't restore DXO's denoise either, as Lightroom sees the denoise checkbox being checked as a "change". Actually, if you reset edits on a freshly imported file from DXO, that'll remove DXO's denoise as well, landing you in the same situation.

[Generous_view0D45]

Can someone address this? This has got to be one of the simplest things to reproduce.

[Generous_view0D45]

Still waiting for a response. I've seen numerous responses to other threads by staff but nothing here.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

I've heard back from the team. 

Their question: If you go to the Versions Panel and revert to the Original in Auto Versions, is the original DXO Noise Removal preserved? 

Additionally, they would like to obtain one of your files to test.  (exported from PureRAW). Is that possible?

[Generous_view0D45]

@Rikk Flohr: Photography 

PureRAW offers a free 7 day trial and it should be rather straightforward to take advantage of that to reproduce this issue.

I'll test reverting to the original auto version the next chance I get.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Please note that I did not ask for a generic PureRaw file. I asked for one of yours, which is known to exhibit the issue. If you are unable to supply one, please say so directly. 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Your concern has been up-leveled to the team for review. There is no additional information to share at this time.

Thank you for your patience. 

[Generous_view0D45]

I do have a related update. I've noticed that a lot of DNG files that I import after exporting from DXO PureRaw are heavily distorted in ways that are not visible from within DXO. There appears to be a rather serious compatibility issue with these DNGs.

Some examples:

• If lens correction was applied within DXO, then the imported DNG looks like a blended image consisting of the original and lens corrected images overlayed on top of each other.
• Images show a faint, grid-like pattern (almost resembling a QR code) throughout the entire image.

I'm unsure if this issue is on DXO's or Adobe's end, so if it's determined to be a DXO issue, I can report it to them as well, unless Adobe and DXO have some internal communication channel.