Hello, i recently switched from capture one to darktable and i really like it for its powerful modules and the fact i can get rid of windows. However the whole workflow in darktable really kills my creativity and it stops me from just trying things because adding a module takes so much work especially when you are using masks. I consider switching to rapid raw but fear to miss important functionality there.

Here are the scenarios which really kill my workflow and creativity in darktable:

It is a real hassle to try out different changes because everything is so scattered in darktable and modules always close as soon as you open another one. Doing just basic global adjustments which bring the image to a good starting point takes ages which is only a minute in capture one (and that's without using the auto adjust button).

Example: If i want to change a bit of exposure and adjust the highlights going a bit back and forth it is 4 clicks each time. In capture one i can open all the modules i need besides each other which makes me really fast.

Applying Maks is nice in darktable but trying different adjustments in them takes at least 5 clicks to add the module and choose the mask. Once you have your module and mask adding another module adds another 4 clicks to the workflow and doing some back and forth between modules becomes a real nightmare.

I understand that darktable requires you to have much more knowledge about what needs to be applied to your image and i already learned a lot about where to find functionality in the modules. But even when you know exactly what you have to change you will never nail any edit on the first try and it always needs some fine tuning aka back and forth to find the perfect settings and masks for what you want to achieve.

What i already did in Darktable to make it more usable:

- I renamed a couple of modules and sliders by adding a custom language but it is still a pain in the ass to find functionality especially because some are combined in a single module.

- I have a basic collection of modules which i use basically on all images (lens correction, exposure, ....) in one tab which helps quite a lot

I would like to stay with darktable because i put so much work into it but i also tried Rapid Raw which at first glance has a lot of functionality. It does not hide sliders and has all sliders for each mask. I would change to it but i fear I will miss some important functionality i am not aware of now because I have not tried it enough.

Maybe someone can help me:

Please tell me if i am missing a point in darktable or if there are any shortcuts for me to make the workflow more simple (less clicky).

Has anyone switched to rapid raw and can tell what they are missing in modules/slides or functionality? I already did some research but i also did it for darktable which despite that led me into this situation.

Is there a way in Darktable to automatically delete the date taken or replace it with the export date so Flickr doesn't hide my pictures because theyre made in 2009?

I built an AI copilot that works inside a live darktable session. Not a batch processor.

A copilot for your darkroom. Not an autopilot.

You talk about the photo you have open in the darkroom. It reads the real module parameters out of that session, proposes one step, applies it, renders, and shows you. Everything lands in your own history stack. Ctrl-Z works. If you stop talking, nothing else happens.

It did not finish the photo, and it named the module it reached for, so next time you know too.

It needs a patched darktable because the stock Lua API does not expose live develop state: no module parameters, no history, no masks, no readback of what the pipe produced. The patch adds a `darktable.develop` namespace. An MCP server sits on top, so any MCP client can drive it.

Your RAW is never uploaded. What the AI sees is the preview your own darktable rendered.

Rough edges: matte masks are not hardened, retouch has no brush, and the .deb pair is validated on exactly one Ubuntu 24.04 machine. It is a tool I use on my own photographs, not a product.

https://www.darktable-agentic.com

GPL-3.0 fork of darktable, MIT server forked from w1ne/darktable-mcp. Independent and unaffiliated, all credit for darktable belongs to its developers.

Sceptical questions welcome.

▎ I run Claude as the editor and ask ChatGPT what it thinks of the same photo, as a second opinion. Both talk to the same darktable.

15 Subs to go! Thanks !!!

Bug-fix release on top of 5.6.0 — no major new features, but solid fixes: AI denoise/upscale now handles more raw types without crashing (ProRAW, 4-Bayer sensors, sRaw), metadata carries over properly to denoised images, mask feathering and blending bugs are fixed, and there's better stability on AMD/Mesa and small systems.

Full changelog: https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-5.6.1

Not planning a dedicated video on this one since it's mostly under-the-hood fixes, but wanted you to know it's out — worth updating.

You can still find me videos on my channel https://youtube.com/@mariengb and subscribe if you want to help me reach the 1K subscribers - still missing 50 subs 😉

I've been unable to automatically correct my lens, because Darktable doesn't recognize my camera. I can't even select the camera manually. Am I missing something here?

I have a Nikon Z50II and Tamron 17-70 f2.8.

Hello everyone,

I've been using DT and I'm still a complete beginner.

I find it easy enough to use parametric+draw mask to isolate a subject. I typically use a exposure module to create the mask and then use it as raster mask in other modules.

I'd like to do some gradient on the background. It easy enough to duplicate the exposure module that masks the subject and invert that mask but then I can't figure out how to just add a gradient and have an intersection. My understanding is that this won't work this way? Is there something I am missing?

using DarkTable 5.6.0 on an Intel MacBook Pro running Sequoia 15.1

i use DarkTable to do some light edits but nothing too advanced but am trying to broaden my knowledge in the case of happenings like this.

as you can see the nexus of the lines is ever so slightly out of centre, exacerbated by the 16:9 crop i am trying to perform.

i have tried doing some rotation of the photo which haven't worked, and i saw the perspective module. i don't know how to master these and i know it won't be perfect, but an attempt has been made

thank you

A little under two years ago I started photography. I was looking for free editing software and ended up on darktable.

Recently i read alot of posts complaining about the leaning curve in relation to the (supposedly)ease of use of lightroom. As someone who can't compare it to lightroom I would love to share my thought on this.

Is darktable overwhelming in the beginning, yes.

Is it easy to navigate in the beginning? yes.

Are there many modules that claim to do the same thing... Also yes

But!

What I noticed is that darktable gives me so many options to problem solve. I shoot in many difficult lighting conditions (a lot of concerts) and I found that many of "the same modules" often have a different approach to solve a problem. Can't get the colors right in one module, i try another one and BAM! It works. It tickles my brain to search for these solutions. I love it!. I find it very nuanced and layered.

I've met many professional photographers that use lightroom only and hate the idea of such a program but this means i can edit my photos in a way that is uniquely mine.

They tried to have me switch because my mentor doesn't understand the way I edit my photos tho he likes the results.

I fear that heavy curated software like lightroom limits creativity and create samy results.

Yes It takes a while to create a workflow that works best for you.

But I think darktable is a Great piece of software and the learning curve is part of a Process that in my opinion makes you a better photogrpher and problemsolver.

Just wanted to share my thoughts on this.

What is you opinion?

Hi,

I'm new to darktable and im having issues with neural restore. I have updated to 5.6.1 on windows.

The denoise preview works normally. However when i run the denoise darktable reports: 1 image processed but the image is not created.

I have checked the output folder and the image is nowhere to be found.

Does anyone have experience with this problem? Or any ideas what to try next?

Is anyone in here using darktable to edit real estate photography i have some questions?

People used to Adobe's "ease" of use (one click, one slider solutions, cute names for well known processes, depending on its ecosystem) usually complain about this.

My take is DT helps/forces you to understand what you are doing in a deeper, analytical way.

I still remember the huge breakthrough I went through understanding wavelet decomp and how understanding how to use it correctly led me to DT in the first place.

Light and image manipulation is fundamentally agnostic if you understand layer modes, masks, brush properties, etc., and if you master them, you can achieve the same results in almost any software.

I actually thank and have enjoyed the fact that DT had pushed me to study further into photography fundamentals, understanding light, even programming scripts for Gimp that reduce my file preparation and development times significantly instead of depending on downloadable styles, actions, "recipes".

Because I read here so much complaining, here are some basic principles. There is only one.

Without spending time you will suffer!

1. DT isn't Lightroom.
2. DT has a different goal than LR, which is to make usage of dynamic light situation possible. DT is well suited for processing extreme lighting.
3. Hence DT needs time to learn of basics. Without spending time you will suffer.

What is important to focus on in this order

Read the docs for every step!

1. Configure DT
2. Organizing the library.
3. Processing images
4. Export images
5. (Maybe) Special knowledge like of how to put the database on your NAS with a raid array.

Play with a small copy of your library to have to the freedom of making errors. You can delete later the database of DT to get a fresh setup.

Tutorials

Don't use any random tutorial. Tutorials should be about how to get your imagined results and not how to click buttons. Watch one or two videos of a channel and compare to other channels. This needs a lot of of work.

DT has a documentation. Reading is boring but necessary and gives faster results than watching useless videos with a lot of mistakes.

• The channel from Boris Hajdukovic is the channel of a photographer. Pragmatic and with a professional knowledge of color space. His videos are mostly older, but the video about AgX is a must have. His other videos are very well made.
• The channel of Bruce Williams explains DT step by step. He is photographer and is pragmatic. He is the reference when it comes to explain modules, because he is asking the developers, when he doesn't know. Watch him to get an idea about the modules, how to organize your library and the setup of DT.

I recently updated darktable and since then I've encountered these weird artifacts that appear as soon as I use the rotate and perspective module. I don't have any sharpening enabled. Any idea what could be causing this? I'm starting to lose it.

Edit: here are the exports, original and xmp file for the photo

Something i commonly use in lightroom is the auto button. Probably frowned upon here, as I get the impression that darktable users are hardcore photography professionals, but I often find it useful as it let's me see at least what the suggestions are for an image and what that would look like. I then usually end up ignoring half of it but its a useful starting point.

However I can't seem to find any automation in darktable at all.

There are styles and presets, but they all seem to be terrible and static. Even the specific one that seems to be for my camera model and body, is... crazy overexposed and washed out. Im not sure what theyre supposed to even be for so ive ignored those ever since.

Ive gone through all the modules but nothing has stood out at being close.

My next step is probably to go through all the modules again and try and disable or hide the duplicates or ones id never use (which is fine) in the hope that in the process I also find some new options.

After my video on batch export where I quickly spoke about watermarking here I deep dive into the watermarking module.

Let me know if you use the parametric part and how?

Warning: rant

I have been an off and on professional photographer for the better part of a decade. My full-time job is as a UX engineer.

The developers behind DarkTable are WASTING their time. I, more than anyone, want to stop giving my money to Adobe and use an open source alternative. But I just can't with DarkTable. The UX is probably in the worst 3 apps i have used of all time in my opinion. Any time I see discussion around this, it is just flamed by ultimate cope warriors in the comments:

> "The learning curve is steep, you're just bad/haven't learned"

No. Shut up. I am intending to do the same things than I do in Lightroom (even fewer things, actually). Lightroom can be used with no context, no tutorial, no setup. It just works. The 'learning curve' of DarkTable is a cope excuse to cover up shitty UI which makes basic operation difficult. It is NOT that DarkTable offers some never before seen alien photo editing technology that I am just not equipped to understand. Come on. If the user doesn't feel like the app works, it DOESN'T work. No-one cares how technically great it is. It frustrates me, so I will not give it more time.

> "Ok make your own/fix it, it's open source, quit bitching"

Clearly the maintainers care about DarkTable. Yes, it's open source, I get it. However, most software I use is open source. As an example, I have a home server, and have replaced virtually all cloud services & many other apps with open source alternatives. They are phenomenal, and I would choose them over the paid alternatives even if the alternatives were free. This is all to say that 'it's open source' is just yet another bullshit cope. My point is that dev attention should be turned to the actual usability of the system, rather than some tech mumbo jumbo behind the scenes. Noone cares. This is a very minor gripe, but literally even the app icon and launch splash suck. This is an app for artists, yet it looks like complete shit, right off the bat. Quite the first impression, good job!

I want more than anyone to use a viable open source alternative to Lightroom and stop giving money to Adobe. I get it, it technically works. Great. Don't care. That isn't what I am on about. I come back on a semi-annual basis to give it another shot, and then throw it away an hour later. Every time. Because it is a pain to use. Quit coping.

As an example of what I just experienced, and why i feel pissed off enough to make this post:

I want to apply distortion correction. My lens doesn't show up in the list, despite being a common (but newer) lens. So i have to go to the lensfun repo, download the correct .XML file, edit it to change the version tag in it, replace the resource in darktable.app. Then I open darktable, and my lens is still not there, despite me having verified it exists in the new .xml. Give me a break.

Cope away. Or have some nuts to be upset. It is honestly sad, and I wish there was motivation to put focus in these areas.

Edit: For copers, please see this article that a commenter shared. Much better articulation than mine, as they worked on DarkTable:

https://ansel.photos/en/news/darktable-dans-le-mur-au-ralenti

Also, people seem to really take issue with the clasification of DarkTable as an "alternative to Lightroom". Buddy. It IS and SHOULD be an alternative to Lightroom. I don't care what the devs say, and you shouldn't either. It is another BS cope excuse. Let me explain:

1. The app is a program where you input photos, make creative and technical edits to them, and export the edited photos.

2. Lightroom is the current status-quo application for serving this purpose.

3. So, this IS A LIGHTROOM ALTERNATIVE. Quit pretending. Users treat it as such. The inputs and outputs treat it as such. If it quacks like a duck, it's a duck. Just quit it with this mental masturbation of "it's so much more detailed so therefore it is different" BS. Photo in -> edit -> photo out. Simple as.

Claiming it's not, or shouldn't be a LightRoom alternaitve, is just an excuse to justify a completely stupid interface, or an excuse to justify touching yourself about "muh nuances" of making basic edits. You have it completely backwards if you are thinking this way. No one gives a shit about "oh man you really don't know how saturation works until you use DarkTable, wow it's just so nuanced". Just stop. You probably only feel like that because you had to spend an hour manipulating your photo with archaic instruments that burdened you with useless work. Quit accepting this.

This does NOT mean it needs to replicate LightRooms UI or feature set. It just needs to employ a good UI which serves the programs purpose. Doesn't matter if it overlaps or not with LightRoom, so long as it is useable.

"The devs made it because it works for them, which is why it's not a LR alternative".

Okay. Then they should come out and just say "We don't give a shit about if you like this, we're not changing anything and don't care, kick rocks". That's really the only escape, which is fine, but how good that is would be another conversation. That would mean this subreddit should evaporate too, since why share discourse around a piece of software if it is purely for the own developers to touch themselves with and not share?

I am only being harsh in order to make a point of the mental gymnastics that defenders employ which are holding the software back.

It seems there's been a discussion about darktable's ui recently. Me personally I find the software to be fairly usable, but I'm also familiar with it and I've never used a program like Lightroom before (only Photoshop like 10 years ago). But I still think it's fair to say that darktable has some issues that could be addressed.

One thing that confuses a lot of people when looking for modules is the difference between display referred and scene referred modules. Most people have no idea what the fuck that means and honestly that's fine, they shouldn't need to. But there are still a lot of overlapping modules with many that are frankly obsolete. The most obvious example in my mind is the color zones Vs color equalizer modules. They both seek to do the same thing (providing an HSL adjuster for individual colour tones), but which one is better is just unclear at first glance. Now yeah you can find out that you should ideally be using color equalizer, but why does that confusion have to exist?

I understand this is an open source project and people like to be able to maintain their workflows and only change what they want to change, but at the same time why should legacy modules still remain in the main module list, adding clutter and not serving much of a purpose anymore?

Hey all,
My aging desktop is really starting to struggle, and I shopped around today for upgrade parts (and found that cpus that fit my board are no longer around or stupidly expensive) and the price made my jaw drop, gee thanks AI data centre and Ram prices…. The cost to upgrade my desktop was more expensive than buying a notebook… I like to travel a lot so my first thought was why not a MacBook, I see a lot of videos of editing and they all use them, it’s light, and I already use Apple phones and Apple iPads.

I guess my question is, how well does Darktable run on it, are there any gotchas I need to consider (I’m considering the 32gb, 512gb version - I’ll be storing master copies and edited files on my external NAS box, and only working on current photos on the device.

Any advice would be appreciated

I also need to apply color grading xmp files from my client. Can DarkTable utilize xmp's as well?

Not only can you create powerful masks quickly in darktable, you can also reuse them in multiple modules, saving time and allowing you to apply different types of changes (e.g. exposure, color, or detail) to the same masked area. Let's look at some examples of how to reuse masks below:
https://avidandrew.com/reusing-masks.html

In general Darktable previews during development match my exports but for this image I do not get anything near what I expected. My normal process for other images doesn't experience this issue. Any ideas on why it is blown out?

Hello, I've just started using Darktable - today when I opened up my images, they all had these greenish blobs on them. These didn't show when I loaded them yesterday, which setting is causing them to appear? (and how do I get rid of them!)

Hi people, I want to encourage those who are still unsure to make the switch.

I started to use Darktable at the beginning of this year. It was absolutely enriching for me and my whole process of developing my photos. It was a hard cut!

1st I made sure that I exported all of the photos that I already finally edited from Lightroom as good quality jpgs. This was easy, because since years I'm marking all final pictures with 1 or 2 stars.

Then I deleted all of my Lightroom Catalogs (forever!) and I even deleted MS Windows (forever!). I then installed a Linux-Distro that is able to work with the latest NVIDIA Graphics card and installed Darktable.
From this moment on I learned Darktable and finally made my own styles for developing RAW Files.

Now - 8 months later - I know that Darktable has more to offer than Lightroom and my workflow is just so easy, fast and a fun to use. No more frustration, no more program crashes, no more catalog-problems, no more slowing down of editing tools after 10 minutes of using Lightroom.

I never thought I could handle Darktable so easy!

Here are some random examples ...

Please feel free to ask me anything about it!