No desktop necessary: The DxO One can now send RAW files straight to iPhone

The RAW image format enabled by the iOS update is now fully compatible with the smartphone add-on camera, the DXO One. Announced earlier this week, the firmware update v2.1 allows the camera to transfer DNG files directly to the iPhone.

While the 20.2 megapixel DxO One has had RAW recording from the start, the files couldn’t directly transfer to the attached iPhone without the support for the file type in previous operating systems, leaving users with only a desktop editing option for RAW. The new firmware update — and Apple’s move to support RAW files — now allows users to complete a one-touch transfer directly to the iPhone’s camera roll to edit in a RAW-compatible app.

Those RAW files will also now transfer faster and take up less space, thanks to an improved compression algorithm. The updated files take up about 30 percent less space on the MicroSD card or the iPhone’s data, DxO Mark says. The company says overall speed has also been improved, including the response, gallery load and start-up times.

The firmware update also brings a new Mobile Smart Lighting mode that enhances the camera’s dynamic range in limited lighting.

The update also expands on the Wi-Fi compatibility introduced with the previous firmware. The camera can now be operated remotely even without an existing Wi-Fi connection, creating a connection between the camera and the iPhone. The last update added Wi-Fi compatibility, but only within range of an existing network.

With the new firmware, the camera can also enter into an eco mode for preserving battery life with a new button giving users one tap access to the feature.

Unlike other cameras designed to operate with a smartphone like the Sony QX or Olympus Air series, the DxO one uses a lightning port connector for quick response times. The DxO One camera lists for $500, but the firmware update is a free download through the app store for current owners as well. After the app updates, users can update the camera’s firmware through the inside the menu options.

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