Note: Split from Legacy labeled darktable modules: good or bad idea?
Do you know of darktable.info – Mastering Darktable 5.4: Workflow, AgX & Shortcuts ?
Let me quote:
" No Legacy Baggage: We clearly show you which modules you should use – and above all, which (outdated) tools you must avoid today."
The need exists, don’t you think?
Right, I’m out of here…
We focus 100% on the modern, scene-referred workflow
Well your bad if you do that. Scene referred workflow finishes at the tone mapper. Strangely, that is where most commercial programs start.
I too am out of here. Do what you want.
EDIT: why not start of fork of DT and only include the modules you like. Maybe that already exists and is called Ansell.
We are very direct about the current and outdated modules. We also receive feedback on whether this is too “harsh.”
Our goal is to make it easier for newcomers to get started. That’s why we present a clear focus.
We have nothing against “old” modules; they have served their purpose and worked perfectly for many years.
However, there was a reason why the workflow was changed.
There is a separate page about this.
One more thing: we see Darktable as an incredibly great project.
As in all areas of life, there are different opinions on how things should be implemented.
We expressly respect the work of the developers and their views.
Our contribution is intended to be inclusive and not critical.
This all sounds rather dogmatic, that there’s a right way and wrong way. The beauty of darktable is that it’s a toolbox that you can use in the way you want. There are reasons why some modules aren’t as suited to the scene-referred workflow, and there’s a reason why the scene-referred workflow is recommended. But there is still nothing inherently wrong with using the old workflow and “legacy” modules. In fact, you can learn a lot by using everything that darktable offers, including the older stuff.
Helping newcomers is a worthy goal, but this project all sounds a little like the next word to be used is “bloat” followed by how darktable should be trimmed down and made less complicated… And there is already a fork for those people.
???
Perhaps there’s a difference between the intended tone and the received tone here? I read it as “we don’t intend to be critical, but everyone else is doing it wrong”.
That’s unfortunately always the problem with text alone. A large part of the information is missing.
We’re trying to fill an existing gap. (This is our opinion; no one has to agree with it.)
It doesn’t matter to us why this is the case.
We’re aware of how much time and energy a project like DT requires. Therefore, we don’t want to presume to judge anything.
If it sounds like “everyone else” is wrong, that’s unintentional and may be due to my limited English skills.
We want to contribute to Darktable, not against it.
I assume it’s just your Germanity and the translation to English.
That is reassuring to read.
The original question was about labelling modules as legacy. I have failed to be convinced that there is any advantage in doing so. However, I agree that getting users started with a simple workflow while they develop their skills and knowledge is a good idea.
For my photography students I put a guide together for the first time user based upon just seven modules. It doesn’t include color correction on their first attempts. I tell them, “So for your first day with Darktable pick images that don’t need color correction. Darktable has numerous tools to fix color issues, but concentrate on exposure, contrast and cropping for the first day of use.”
I agree that it would be beneficial for people to contribute guides to people to make them comfortable with a complex program like DT, but labelling modules as legacy may only cause further confusion (and conflict).
That statement about no legacy baggage is fine for some and not for others…I bet there are a good number of users that don’t know that the base curve in the most up to date workflow is not located before the input profile where is was in the legacy workflow and a true display referred workflow with the data shaped out of the gate…its now in the same place as all the other tonemappers and for images that don’t need strong dynamic range compression for display it often gives quite nice results when in a similar situation filmic or other modules would have in some cases introduced color artifacts or strong tonal compression and loss of details requiring additonal modules to correct. Heck I often find if the image doesnt need that tonal compression then the tone eq, local contrast , dehaze and diffuse or sharpen in some combination of settings can provide an image that stays quite true and offers a lot of detail so should slapping a tonemapper on by default before assessing the image be the default?? It not really an issue, its easy to change so its not applied or applied inactive and likey a tonemapper will end up showing up often enough so its a pretty safe bet to apply it by default but starting without it can at least for me provide insight into the image is it is and how it transforms with the tone mapper…
Do you include colour calibration? I would worry if there was no way for a beginner to adjust white balance and without colour calibration they are probably going to adjust the early pipeline white balance module.
Well, I understand enough German to note that the the German and English versions are very close in tone (if not identical).
And maybe I’m getting too old, but when I learned German, the form to use was “Sie”, not “du”, unless you really knew the other. But that usage may have changed over time and with internet.
(Note: the English “you” equals to “Sie”!)
If he uses the default workflow settings (the ones you get in a new install), “colour calibration” will be activated. Not using a module doesn’t mean it isn’t in the pipeline…
(To get a pipeline/history with only 7 modules, you have to manually disable a few; five modules cannot even be diabled when you start with a raw file: “raw black/white point”, “demosaic”, “input color profile”, “output color profile”, “display encoding”. When I start editing a new image, I get 11 modules in the history stack)
Sorry, to clarify I am suggesting learning seven modules to begin with and I am not disabling any of the automatically applied. I was just trying to say that lets get beginners started in a gentle way and introduce more complexity over time.
This is my recommendation for day one with DT.
Getting started with Darktable for a first-time user.
Darktable has so many powerful and creative choices for editing that a first-time user can be overwhelmed and unsure how to start the editing process for their photographs. This guide introduces seven fundamental modules to start a simple edit on your first day with Darktable.
When you open an image in darktable a number of modules are activated by necessity and shown in the active modules list. For the first day just ignore these and trust that they are necessary.
The first six modules needed for editing are found on the right side of the darkroom view of darktable. The seventh is the export module which is found on the left side of the darkroom view or the right side of the lighttable view.
1. The first module we should adjust is the exposure module. This module is only recommended for RAW files. Don’t use this module on non-raw images such as JPG or TIFF. If the image is too dark or light, just move the exposure slider to correct the exposure.
There is also a tick box to compensate (undo) the camera exposure compensation setting. If you have set the correct exposure in the camera by using the EV compensation option you may prefer to untick this box. On the other hand if you regularly use bracketed exposures to ensure a correct exposure then keeping this option ticked will make all the bracketed shots look much the same.
2. Turning on the local contrast module to the default settings improves many photographs. I use it on most of my images. The detail slider is set to 125% by default, but with experience you may sometimes increase this slider to about 137 or 150% for a stronger effect.
3. The crop module can be used if cropping is needed. It can be set to freehand or specific ratios. See the user guide for more detail if needed.
4. The color balance rgb module’s master tab includes numerous sliders to adjust contrast, saturation and brilliance. This module is suited for both RAW and non-raw images to fix exposure and contrast problems and to brighten shadows.
5. RAW files need basic sharpening while JPG files are sharpened in the camera’s software already and usually do not require additional sharpening. Just activating the sharpen module to the default values will be sufficient for first time users of darktable.
6. RAW files need denoising while JPGs are denoised by the camera’s software. Efficient denoising can be achieved by activating the denoise (profiled) module to default values.
7. Finally the export module is used to apply the edits and produce a new image. The default JPEG (8-bit) setting is suitable for most user’s needs. However, other file format options are available if needed including TIFF set to 16 bit. The default export setting creates a new folder within the source folder to export the darktable exported images. This target storage can be changed if required.
With experience you will learn to include more modules in your workflow, but these seven modules are sufficient to initially get started. However, no color correction is included in these seven modules as it is presumed white balance has been correctly set in camera. So for your first day with Darktable pick images that don’t need color correction. Darktable has numerous tools to fix color issues, but concentrate on exposure, contrast and cropping for the first day of use.
It’s a very well written summary. I would also include rotation and perspective, I need to use it on almost every shot… but maybe it’s just me who cannot keep the camera straight 
Post-AgX the beginner workflow will be:
Or get the lua script to do it for you. That workflow has been surprisingly good to me.
Actually, there’s a combined picker, too 
I would not concider sharpen, local contrast or denoise as important at all. The first two i almost never use, denoise only for high iso.
Likely lens (as a preset)
Hello,
Assuming that a Darktable user is an amateur or professional photographer, they already have a minimum level of training to use this software. I do not think that Darktable is software designed for someone who has no knowledge of photography.
As a long-time user of Darktable, I strongly disagree with the idea of stigmatizing or removing so-called “legacy” modules.
The fundamental strength of Darktable, as Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), lies in its modularity and absolute respect for the user’s freedom to choose their tools.
Darktable’s interface is excellent because it does not seek to imitate commercial solutions; it faithfully reflects the order of the non-destructive pipeline. It is not the interface that is at issue, but the need to understand its logic.
For me, a hybrid workflow is the most effective solution, combining technical accuracy and creative control:
Instead of debating the stigmatizing labeling of modules, we (users) should focus on two points : “Education and Customization”
Maintaining and understanding the specific role of legacy modules preserves the versatility and freedom that make Darktable an unrivaled RAW development tool. I can only congratulate and thank the developers for maintaining this mindset and commitment to Darktable’s high quality.
Greetings from Luberon,
Christian