Edit your images with DxO FilmPack 5

 Last Update:- 22nd March 2021

TIP:- The filter effects are viewed best on my iMac and not as well on my Macbook.

I've been having fun editing my old DSLR raw and jpeg files. All the images in this article have been edited with Photoshop or PhotoLab. I then use FilmPack 5 to add an analog film filter to each image. These images are all taken with E-Series DSLRs.

These newer versions of Photoshop and PhotoLab improved so much that they make older raw files shine all over again.

It is surprising to see how just powerful these raw converters are today. Looking at the results, I feel PhotoLab 4 is a step above the rest, especially when used with Olympus raw files. 

I have no doubt that the dedicated lens database DxO developed on Olympus cameras and lenses is the key to this performance. 

If you have a large image collection and you've been waiting for the right Raw Converter, now is the time. I've kept reworking some of my older images for years and never found the edits good enough until I upgraded to PhotoLab 4. DxO also improved the editing sliders in PhotoLab and it's much easier now to get to that final adjustment.

Olympus E520 with 14-42mm Kit Lens - ISO100, f13, 1/160 (FilmPack 5 - Agfa Ultra Color 100)

E520 with 14-42 Kits lens - ISO400, f3.5, 1/15 (Left=Cross Processed Kodak Elite 100, Right=Fuji Superia Xtra 800)

My first Olympus DSLR was an E410 and it came with the 14-42mm and 40-150mm kit lenses. My previous camera was a Canon 350D and a PowerShot G7. I had a good time with my Canons. When I bought my E410 it was such a pleasant surprise to see how well this small camera performs.

The image below was developed using my tripod and 3 bracketed shots. I did the HDR in Photoshop and then applied the FilmPack 5 film profile. See the details below the image. Click on any image to see them in the viewer.

Olympus Pen F w 17mm f1.8 lens - ISO200, f5.6, 1/400 (Raw edited in PhotoLab 4 plus Fuji Provia 100F profile)

Olympus E410 with 14-42mm Kit Lens - ISO200, f10, 1/40 (HDR in PS with FimPack 5 - Fuji Provia 100F)

Olympus E3 with 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 - ISO160, f8, 1/160 (Kodak E-100 GX Extachrome 100)

Olympus E420 with 40-150mm, f4-5.6 - ISO100, f14, 1/80 (Generic Fuji Provia 100)

Almost all photographers will agree the Pen-F is one of the most exciting creations by Olympus. It seems to me, they are fast becoming collectors' items. Following them on the secondhand market, they are not far from being more expensive than when they were selling new.

I have been using my Pen F while at the same time reconnecting with older E-Series DSLRs. As said, I am working on a profile to mimic the E-Series jpeg output. All said, it seems easier said than done.

Olympus E410 with 14-42mm w Kit lens - (PhotoLab 3 with Adox Color Explosion)

Olympus E500 Jpeg directly out the camera - not edited and no filter - Image was taken in South Africa

Olympus E450 w 18-180mm f3.5-6.3 - ISO100, f7.1, 1/250 (Jpeg edited w PS Raw + Lomography Redscale 100)

Olympus E30 w 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 - ISO100, f7.1, 1/400 (Edited w PS and Generic Kodal Ektachrome)

While working with some of the older E-Series DSLRs, I could not help wondering what the original R&D specification look like? The challenge Olympus engineers had when designing cameras like the E1, the E3, or new concepts like the E330. 

Could it be, they were tasked to create DSLR cameras to pull film or analog photographers to digital cameras? When last did you use your E-Series camera? Did Olympus continue this strategy with M43 cameras or are they now only competing in the digital space?

Olympus E3 w 14-54mm f2.8-3.5, ISO100, f7.1, 1/160 (PhotoLab 3 w Fuji Velvia 100)

Olympus E620 w 18-180mm f3.5-6.3 - ISO100, f11, 1/100 (Raw edited in PhotoLab + Fuji Velvia 50)

Olympus E30 w 40-150mm f3.5-4.5 - ISO100, f4.4, 1/80 (Edited w PS and Fuji Sensia 100)

Comparing the EM5 MKII with the Pen F, I wanted to see the differences between these two cameras. Must say, apart from having different sensors they are nearly identical. It seems as if Olympus took the EM5 II and supercharged it by replacing an already good sensor with the new 20MP sensor. They then added several powerful and creative features and called it the Pen F. 

Do you know there is very little information available on the older E400? This is another one of those unique E-Series cameras fitted with a 10MP CCD sensor. It is the only Four-Thirds camera using this 10MP CCD sensor. I am fortunate to still have one of these interesting cameras.

Olympus E510 w 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 - ISO100, f10, 1/160 (All edited with PhotoLab 3 + PS + Ilford Pan 100)

Olympus E620 w 12-60mm f2.8-4 lens - ISO640, f3.9, 1/100 (Raw edited in PhotoLab 4 + KodakChrome 64)

Olympus E410 with 14-42mm w Kit lens - ISO100, f4.5, 1/40 (PhotoLab 3 with Kodak Porta 160)

Olympus E410 w 14-42mm kit lens - ISO100, f8, 1/160 (Edited with PhotoLab 3 w Agfa Vista 200)

FilmPack 5 is one of the most edit-friendly filter packages. With the click of a button, you will have the image look you want. If you prepare your jpegs using the exposure techniques discuss in my articles, you will have great jpegs which you can simply use directly in FilmPack 5.

With FilmPack 5 you can work with both jpeg or raw files. Photographers working with jpeg files will open the image in FilmPack, pull back any ETTR adjustments, and apply color corrections. Next, you will apply the analog filter you prefer. FilmPack allows you to fine-tune the filter and save that as your own analog profile. That means you can create your own specific image look in FilmPack 5.

Olympus E450 w 18-180mm f3.5-6.3 lens - ISO100, f9, 1/320 (Edited with PS + Kodak Kodachrome 64)

Olympus E410 w 14-42mm Kit lens - ISO100, f9, 1/250 (PhotoLab 3 and Kodak Elite ExtraColor 100)

Olympus E450 w 18-180mm f3.5-6.3 lens - ISO200, f5.6, 1/160 (Edited w FilmPack Kodak Kodachrome 64)

FilmPack 5 is perfect for the photographer who works with jpegs and who prefers basic editing. The basic film profile adjustments are flexible enough to assist photographers in creating a personal image look.

It has a basic exposure panel with a small number of adjustments plus curves. It also offers basic creative sliders plus the ability to simulate lens filters.

Olympus E620 with 12-60mm f2.8-4 lens - IS=160, f4.5, 1/250 (Raw edited with PhotoLab 4 + Fuji Velvia 50)

Olympus E620 w 12-60mm f2.8-4 - ISO3200, f2.8, 1/8 (Raw edited in PhotoLab 4 w DeepDive Noise removal, no filter applied)

Olympus E3 with 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 - ISO100, f8, 1/100 (JPEG Cropped in PS - no filters used)

Olympus E400 w 14-42mm kit lens - ISO100, f8, 1/6 (Edited in PS + Luminar 4 + Kodak B&W filter)

The panorama below consists of 4 jpegs taken with the E-520. I combined the images in Photoshop. Adobe did a great job improving the panorama function. The "new" content-aware function also makes it easier to complete the panorama. It's great to take a panorama sequence from 2009, to build the panorama in Photoshop, and to do the final finishing with FilmPack 5. 

Olympus E620 w 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 lens - ISO100, f7.1, 1/500 (Edited in PS + Luminar4 + Kodak Ektar 100)

Olympus E400 w 25mm f2.8 lens - ISO100, f7.1, 1/100 (Jpeg edit in PS raw, Luminar 4 + Fuji Provia 100)

Olympus E520 w 14-54mm f2.8-35 lens - ISO200, f13, 1/180 (Edit in PS, Luminar, Agfa Rollei 100 B/W 400)

Olympus E520 w 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 - ISO200, f13, 1/250 (Edited in PS + Kodak KodaChrome 64)

The HDR below consists of 3 bracketed images taken in 2011. It is a winter scene plus we had snow. The clouds with the disappearing sun were absolutely awesome while the rest of the scene dull and boring. I used +/- 1EV to shoot a series of 3 images and combined them in Aurora. I then edited the result in Luminar to create the 3D effect. I did some additional editing in Photoshop to lift the mid-tones while keeping the clouds as is. In the final step, I added the film profile with FilmPack 5.

Olympus E400 w 14-42mm Kit Lens - ISO100, f8, 1/5 (3 image HDR in Aurora w Fuji Provia 100F)