What’s new in ON1 Photo RAW 2022?

ON1 Photo RAW 2022 is out and shipping now, so here’s a run-down on the new features, how they fit in and what they do.

Sky Swap AI

This is probably one of the headline features in ON1 Photo RAW 2022, which follows Skylum Luminar and Photoshop in offering AI-powered automatic sky replacement for landscapes and other outdoor shots. It will not only identify and mask skies automatically, but offer built-in replacement skies too.

Integrated ON1 NoNoise AI

Originally launched as a standalone plug-in, NoNoise AI is now also integrated into ON1 Photo RAW 2022. ON1 claims the “fastest previews with the best results”. Like DxO’s DeepPRIME noise reduction, ON1’s tool appears to act directly on RAW files during the demosaicing process, so it will be interesting to see how it compares with DxO’s results.

Line Mask Tool

This is not so much a new tool as an old favorite which was discontinued but has now been brought back. With this tool you can add controllable and adjustable line masks around objects with adjustable feathering and opacity. It looks a little like the new Exposure X7 Selection tool, but perhaps without the intelligent auto-masking.

Run Photoshop plug-ins directly

This could be handy if you have a bunch of Photoshop plug-ins already, or you see some that you want to use. You open plug-ins from the Layer > Filter menu in Edit mode and ON1 will create a non-destructive layered image with the filter effect applied as a new layer over the original image.

Timelapse videos

Many digital cameras can now capture timelapse videos internally, but for those that don’t – or if you want more control – you can now combine still photo sequences in ON1 Photo RAW 2022, adding your own styling and effects.

Workflow and interface improvements

ON1 Photo RAW 2022 now lets you choose the metadata displayed with thumbnails in Browse view, has a new Favourites pane for adding specific folders, and has a “remastered” Export engine. It also has improved batch processing, in-built backup features and other under-the-skin enhancements.

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