Which should you choose for your photography needs?
Choosing RAW development software is a bit like choosing a camera: a long-term investment that determines the quality of your images and the fluidity of your workflow. In 2025 / 2026, the choice has never been greater: DxO PhotoLab, Capture One, Adobe Lightroom, ON1 Photo RAW... not forgetting the free alternatives. 😮💨
So which RAW converter is best? ?
From my point of view, the answer is simple: there is no such thing as 'the best software'. valid for everyone. 🤓 Each photographer has a different profile, style and needs. This article offers a comparison, based on real-life uses in photography: landscape, portrait, reportage, Fine Art, fast workflow.
1. What is a RAW converter today (end 2025)
A RAW converter (or Raw converter) is the software that 'develops' your raw files (RAW)the digital equivalent of the silver negative.
Visit the essential functions that a good RAW converter in 2025-2026 must haveand recent innovations:
RAW dematrixing / conversion To reproduce maximum dynamic range and detail at high ISO on modern sensors (including X-Trans, the "less conventional" sensors).
Optical corrections distortion, chromatic aberration and vignetting, as well as edge correction, a feature of modern lenses.
Noise treatment advanced AI technologies (like DeepPRIME at DxO), noise reduction while maintaining sharpness.
Masks and local retouching brushes, gradients, as well as intelligent masks / AI that recognises objects, skies and subjects.
Price / licence model subscription vs. permanent licence, cost of updates, bundle offer or additional modules.
Compatibility & export Recent RAW formats, HEIF / ProRAW support (iPhone, etc.), lens/box profiles, flexible export to print or web.
In practice, there's a lot to take into account, and theophotographers have different priorities. A wildlife photographer won't be looking for the same thing as a studio portrait photographer, or a traveller who edits on his laptop while on the move.
And above all, it's often the little details that make all the difference These include fluid ergonomics, easy-to-use shortcuts and frictionless catalogue management. When you spend hundreds or even thousands of hours a year working on a piece of software, it's these seemingly minor details that end up weighing heavily in the final choice.
2. The main software compared
Here are the major players in 2025-2026, with what they do best, their limitations, what they have just added, etc.
DxO PhotoLab 9 (with FilmPack 8 and ViewPoint 5)
Forces
Exceptional RAW rendering, even at high sensitivities, thanks to DeepPRIMEXD2sand more recently DeepPRIME XD3 for Fujifilm X-Trans sensors.
Highly advanced optical correction These include not only distortion and vignetting, but also edge correction, depending on the lens/camera pairing.
AI masking (new) : DxO PhotoLab 9 introduces intelligent masks/object selection to complement its already solid tools of gradient masks, brushes, etc.
HEIF / ProRAW support (iPhone), which is invaluable if you use these devices or recent formats.
Limits
Significant cost, especially if you add optional modules such as FilmPack and ViewPoint. But no subscription here! 🥳
Learning curve: some functions are technical, and the interface can seem dense when you want to get down to the nitty-gritty.
Less extensive catalogue management/organisation than Lightroom or Capture One (fewer collaborative or cloud functions in some cases).
Capture One Pro (versions 23-24 and above)
Forces
Excellent colourimetry The rendering of colours, skin tones and light is often what sets Capture One apart.
Powerful local masksstyles, ability to harmonise a series (Match Look IA).
Very good for studio or mode workflows ; for connected capture,the coherence between the imagesor the finesse of the adjustments, etc...
Session / tethering function often very stable, which will appeal to studio professionals.
Continuous updating : best performance, export, local tools.
Limits
Price: high, depending on the version/subscription.
Sometimes a little heavy on resources, rendering time for certain operations.
Less all-in-one for fun creative effects or advanced retouching.
ON1 Photo RAW 2026
New products / strengths
Announced release/important update: ON1 Photo RAW 2026 brings creative filtersmultiple masks in a single correction, more robust AI tools for the sky, portraits, etc.
No layers necessary import" function / non-destructive editor + ability to manage effects, internal compositions with more advanced layers/filters than Lightroom, for example.
A good "all-in-one" alternative for those who don't want to jump between Lightroom / Photoshop / or other external plug-ins.
Limits
Even if ON1 is good and improving all the time, the raw rendering (RAW, noise, optics, etc.) is very poor. is not always at the level of the best, depending on usage very demanding applications (such as highly detailed landscapes or heavy or ultra-precise professional use).
The interface is sometimes less fluid for ultra-fast workflows. Some precise masks or complex effects may require manual adjustments, however, ⚠️ this is less true for the 2026 version.
Numerous functions, which can wear out or slow down those who want simple software.
Adobe Lightroom Classic & Cloud
Forces
A very solid ecosystem, cloud/mobile synchronisation: ideal when you want to work on different devices or on the move.
Many users, tutorials, presets, community → lots of resources for learning or adjusting your workflow.
Lightroom's recent tools continue to make progress in masking, automatic selections, local adjustments, etc.
It's still a benchmark for photography, because it's a very complete 4×4 that's all-purpose!
Limits
RAW/noise/optical correction rendition (although good) is not always up to the standards of the big boys like DxO in some very demanding situations.
Subscription required.
For highly advanced retouching, composition and creative effects, you often go beyond Lightroom → you need Photoshop or another pixel editor.
Free and economic alternatives
RawTherapee, Darktable The software is excellent in many respects, especially for enthusiasts, Linux users or those who want a low cost with zero subscription. But the interface is more technical, less 'affordable' for beginners.
Affinity Photo more retouching/image-oriented, less pure catalogue, but a good complement.
Niche solutions based on hardware or style (for example, certain software optimised for a particular type of camera or sensor).
3. Comparison by use
The following table is obviously a deliberately caricatured shortcut. In fact, all of these programs can be used for different purposes: DxO PhotoLab may be very well suited to portraiture, but it will be less fluid than Lightroom or Capture One in this context; Capture One is fully capable of handling landscapes and macro shots with brio.
Here, the idea is rather to show the areas in which each software package is generally recognised as excellent, based on the practical experience of photographers in the field.
Skin colours, styles/consistency, fine local tools, colour fidelity, studio calibration workflows
Ability to push rendering, precision, fine control, HEIF / ProRAW support useful for certain artists
Mobile synchronisation, fast editing, presets, fast filtering/sorting, AI tools to speed things up
Many functions in a single interface, effects + masks + filters, non-destructive editing, communication with mobiles or the cloud
Against
Need a good computer, external modules depending on purpose, patience for very large files
Price, learning curve, significant machine resources for fine retouching
The flow can become long and the files heavy, so patience is needed to master all the settings.
Less depth in very fine adjustments, less spectacular maximum quality than with large layers or complex RAWs
Possible complexity, some functions less optimised than specialists, sometimes rendering time for heavy compositions
4. Focus on what's new in 2025-2026
Here are a few recent factors that are changing the landscape, and that any good comparison must take into account:
DxO PhotoLab 9 With the addition of AI masks, ProRAW / HEIF support and DeepPRIME XD3 for X-Trans, we can see that they are catching up with the competition on a number of points.
ON1 Photo RAW 2026 With the announced release timetable, improved AI tools (Resize AI, NoNoise AI, Portrait AI, multiple masks), and more built-in creative filters without the need for an external module or editor. This could make life easier for many of us.
Lightroom / Capture One These latest versions include improvements to masks, automatic selections, AI corrections (e.g. subject skies), export and performance, but there are fewer 'shock' new features. They are more refinements for mature software.
5. Criteria to consider when making your choice
Raw image quality noise, rendering of detail, optics used, correction of defects. If your photos go through a lot of high ISO or difficult situations (backlighting, harsh light), choose DxO or Capture One.
Masks & local retouching Automatic vs. manual, subject / sky recognition, ability to combine masks, precision. ON1 2026 & DxO 9 improve on this point.
Workflow / speed Importing, previewing, comparing, quick editing and sorting. If you have a lot of photos and need to get them out quickly, the smoothest possible software is essential (Lightroom / ON1 / Capture One in certain configurations).
Mobility and synchronisation If you edit on a computer + mobile, or are often on the move, cloud access / mobile version / remote storage counts.
Business model & duration Subscription vs. permanent licence. Cost of updates, external modules (FilmPack, ViewPoint, etc.), what you are prepared to invest.
Hardware compatibility your current equipment (camera body, sensor, lenses) + possible upgrades. If you use an X-Trans system or ProRAW formats, make sure that the software handles them correctly.
Creative effects and artistic rendering presets, film simulation, filters, textures and composites. If you like to get away from the classic 'RAW processing + retouching' approach, this can make all the difference.
6. My final recommendations
Combining the above elements, here's what I suggest for different profiles:
If you do very demanding landscape/nature, where every detail counts, where noise and sharpness are crucial → DxO PhotoLab 9 is the closest to "best for this case" (rendering, optical corrections, noise). "All the dirty work is automated! 👍 "
If you are a portraitist / studio / fashion → Capture One remains an excellent choice, especially if you're looking for consistency and coherence between images, skins and styles, and are prepared to invest (time and resources).
If you're looking for something more versatile, not too complicated, with lots of built-in functions for retouching, effects, an all-in-one → ON1 Photo RAW 2026 is ideal and promises to be very promising.
If you're often on the move / reporting / and want to edit with your phone or tablet, or have a mobile + cloud feed, Lightroom Cloud / Lightroom Classic is very practical and highly flexible, with Photoshop behind it if required.
And above all: test it. Test versions can show you what suits your style. Settings, interfaces, habits, all count as much as the figures on the specification sheet.
7. Conclusion
In 2025-2026, RAW converters are no longer just "technical" toolsThey are increasingly incorporating AI, creative functions and flexibility. But none of them reigns over all uses. The right choice depends above all on your photographic style, your priorities, your budget, and your patience in mastering the task..
In the long term, it's not the 'perfect' software that counts, but the one you're familiar with, the one in which you're comfortable, that you use often, and that doesn't hold you back.
