Darktable 5.4, the latest version of the free cross-platform RAW image editor, has been released after more than eight months since the previous update. It introduces support for numerous new cameras and enhances features like noise profiles and Wayland compatibility. The update is available as an AppImage for easy installation on GNU/Linux systems.
Darktable 5.4 arrived on December 21, 2025, marking a significant update to this open-source RAW image editor compatible with GNU/Linux, macOS, and Windows. Released over eight months after version 5.2.1, it expands hardware support with base compatibility for cameras such as the Canon EOS R1, Canon EOS R5 Mark II, Fujifilm X-E5 (compressed), Nikon Z fc (14-bit and 12-bit uncompressed), OM System OM-5 Mark II, Sony DSC-RX1RM3, and Sony ZV-1M2, among others including Kodak, Leica, Olympus, Panasonic, and Ricoh models.
New white balance presets cover the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, Nikon D2H, and Nikon Z5_2. Noise profiles have been added for the Canon EOS R1, Canon EOS R5 Mark II, Fujifilm X-E5, Fujifilm X-M5, Nikon Z fc, and Sony ILCA-99M2. Color matrix updates apply to the Canon EOS 2000D/1500D/Rebel T7/Kiss X90, Nikon Z 7, Nikon Z5_2, and Sony ILCE-1M2.
Key improvements include a Capture Sharpening section in the demosaic module and a new tone mapper based on Blender’s AgX display transform. The release achieves parity between X11 and Wayland, with enhancements like ICC profile display on Wayland. Multiple workspaces are now supported, alongside UI tweaks such as a busy cursor during view changes, improved zoom dropdowns, immediate rotation or flip application, and new default shortcuts.
Additional features encompass crop factor calculation for Olympus cameras, manual chroma subsampling for AVIF exports, RGB percent display in the color picker, and hierarchical presets for modules. Automatic compensation addresses underexposure in modes like Canon Lighting Optimizer, Nikon Active D-Lighting, Olympus Gradation, Pentax Dynamic Range Expansion, and Fujifilm DR200/DR400.
Users can download the universal AppImage from the official website or consult release notes on GitHub for full details.
