  I introduce some improvements to the pPXF method, which measures the stellar
and gas kinematics, star formation history (SFH) and chemical composition of
galaxies. I describe the new optimization algorithm that pPXF uses and the
changes I made to fit both spectra and photometry simultaneously. I apply the
updated pPXF method to a sample of 3200 galaxies at redshift $0.6<z<1$ (median
$z=0.76$, stellar mass $M_\ast>3\times10^{10}$ M$_\odot$), using spectroscopy
from the LEGA-C survey (DR3) and 28-bands photometry from two different
sources. I compare the masses from new JAM dynamical models with the pPXF
stellar population $M_\ast$ and show the latter are more reliable than previous
estimates. I use three different stellar population synthesis (SPS) models in
pPXF and both photometric sources. I confirm the main trend of the galaxies'
global ages and metallicity $[M/H]$ with stellar velocity dispersion
$\sigma_\ast$ (or central density), but I also find that $[M/H]$ depends on age
at fixed $\sigma_\ast$. The SFHs reveal a sharp transition from star formation
to quenching for galaxies with $\lg(\sigma_\ast/\mathrm{km\, s^{-1}})>2.3$, or
average mass density within 1 kpc $\lg(\Sigma_1^{\rm JAM}/\mathrm{M_\odot
kpc^{-2}})>9.9$, or with $[M/H]>-0.1$, or with Sersic index $\lg n_{\rm
Ser}>0.5$. However, the transition is smoother as a function of $M_\ast$. These
results are consistent for two SPS models and both photometric sources, but
they differ significantly from the third SPS model, which demonstrates the
importance of comparing model assumptions. The pPXF software is available from
https://pypi.org/project/ppxf/.
