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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Nik Collection - do you find it really useful?
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11/17/2014 05:50:23 PM · #1
I'm not a big fan of presets or aply to all filters, but I recognise that it can simplify the way to get fast result of what otherwise could be done with other tools but in more time.

I've got to know the Nik collection though the Silver Efex, that I really enjoy. I'm also using Viveza once in a while. For both, In a conbination of LR and PS I can get a very similar result, but with mode steps in the way.

Do you also feel the same? Is just a matter of being faster or simpler, or do you find out that they are really good and give you an unique look that otherwise you could not get?

As I'm deciding if I would buy them or not, your opinion an dexpertise would be much appreciated.


11/17/2014 06:07:35 PM · #2
Best editing products I've ever used. Transformed my work.
11/17/2014 06:15:24 PM · #3
Yep. Silver and Viveza. Both totally worth the price of admission on their own.
11/17/2014 06:23:09 PM · #4
Without a doubt. Dfine 2.0 is the best noise reduction software I've ever used, HDR Efex Pro 2 the same for HDR, Silver Efex Pro the same for B&W conversion, and Viveza and Color Efex Pro 4 are wonderful and icing on the cake. The best $150 you'll ever spend, and that's without one of the plethora of 15% off coupon codes out there. Control Point editing will change your life.
11/17/2014 06:30:47 PM · #5
A little surprised Bear_Music hasn't chimed in yet but I'm sure he will, he's definitely keen on me getting that editing suite! I imagine he will soon rouse himself from hibernation, though...
11/17/2014 06:43:57 PM · #6
I don't know what I'd do without it!
11/17/2014 06:55:40 PM · #7
I usually use Nik or Topaz, sometimes both. I can get results with them that I can't produce using just PS or Lightroom.
11/17/2014 07:08:57 PM · #8
I love all that gank, especially analog effects, cool stuff
11/17/2014 07:18:44 PM · #9
Worth every cent!!! I've almost done away with all the other little bits n pieces of software that I had collected before Nik.

Footnote: If you currently own ONE or more pkgs of Nik (NOT the whole pkg). They are still standing behind their offer to upgrade you to the full suite IF you have the License Key Code for your products. NOW that's a good company!!!
11/17/2014 08:48:30 PM · #10
I bought it and started winning ribbons.

Your mileage may vary.
11/17/2014 09:18:57 PM · #11
Nik, and to a lesser degree, Topaz, are critical to my workflow. They combine all the bits and pieces of PS into combinations you could never imagine. And even if you did, it would take you forever to reproduce the steps these plugins do in a matter of seconds.
11/17/2014 09:44:42 PM · #12
absolutely! I adore nik. I use both silver efex and color efex on every shot. (silver efex on color shots with a luminosity blend -- color efex on b&w after doing the silver efex).

Truly spectacular software that's changed the way I edit and the way I look at editing.
11/17/2014 11:55:23 PM · #13
Originally posted by snaffles:

A little surprised Bear_Music hasn't chimed in yet but I'm sure he will, he's definitely keen on me getting that editing suite! I imagine he will soon rouse himself from hibernation, though...

He's been cooking dinner, eating dinner, and watching the finale of "Worricker" with his sweetie. He will, however, unreservedly recommend Nik to any and all askers. By far the best denoiser, wonderful B/W tool (that can also be used to manipulate color images by running it in a luminance layer), my preferred HDR software, Color Efex Pro has some amazing tools, and Analof Efex is just hysterically fun to use when you wanna get funky...
11/18/2014 12:02:09 AM · #14
Originally posted by Ja-9:

. . .

Footnote: If you currently own ONE or more pkgs of Nik (NOT the whole pkg). They are still standing behind their offer to upgrade you to the full suite IF you have the License Key Code for your products. NOW that's a good company!!!


Can you tell me more, Janine? I must have missed something.
11/18/2014 03:13:56 AM · #15
Another 100% "YES" from here.
11/18/2014 03:44:37 AM · #16
Originally posted by nam:

Originally posted by Ja-9:

. . .

Footnote: If you currently own ONE or more pkgs of Nik (NOT the whole pkg). They are still standing behind their offer to upgrade you to the full suite IF you have the License Key Code for your products. NOW that's a good company!!!


Can you tell me more, Janine? I must have missed something.


I had the Silver Efex Pro (only) and when I purchased a new computer I asked Nik if I could download a second legal copy. Yes, they said, and also said "we will also upgrade you to the latest version of the complete Nik suite at no charge"! I used my original SEP Licence Key Code to download everything, SEP2, Analog, Color Efex and all the rest, twice. Great software, excellent company.
11/18/2014 05:27:07 AM · #17
Originally posted by ubique:

Originally posted by nam:

Originally posted by Ja-9:

. . .

Footnote: If you currently own ONE or more pkgs of Nik (NOT the whole pkg). They are still standing behind their offer to upgrade you to the full suite IF you have the License Key Code for your products. NOW that's a good company!!!


Can you tell me more, Janine? I must have missed something.


I had the Silver Efex Pro (only) and when I purchased a new computer I asked Nik if I could download a second legal copy. Yes, they said, and also said "we will also upgrade you to the latest version of the complete Nik suite at no charge"! I used my original SEP Licence Key Code to download everything, SEP2, Analog, Color Efex and all the rest, twice. Great software, excellent company.


This is spot on. I purchased the full suite 6 months before Google bought Nik. When they changed the pricing format they actually offered me a second license, which I gave to my brother. Since then they've added Analog Efex which then became Analog Efex 2, both of were added and subsequently updated automatically. Their promise is to continue this as long as the product is supported, a far cry from things like onOne's Perfect Photo Suite (very similar package) that updates about every 18 months at a cost of $100.
11/18/2014 05:28:43 AM · #18
Bear and Wendy have both mentioned this Silver Efex/Luminence Layer thing...tell me more, please
11/18/2014 05:55:32 AM · #19
Originally posted by nam:

Originally posted by Ja-9:

. . .

Footnote: If you currently own ONE or more pkgs of Nik (NOT the whole pkg). They are still standing behind their offer to upgrade you to the full suite IF you have the License Key Code for your products. NOW that's a good company!!!


Can you tell me more, Janine? I must have missed something.


I know that if you have one (1) of their pkgs they will upgrade you to the full suite for free. All YOU have to do is contact them. You can't have gotten it as a "freebie" with some other software pkg bundle you must have a separate Licensing key for that one pkg. But if you have a license key for you Nik software pkg then you should be eligible for the upgrade to the whole suite.
11/18/2014 06:23:50 AM · #20
Hi there! Tank's for all the great feedback.

I'm more than convinced to buy it.

Would be interested in knowing more about the b&w in the luminance layer :)
11/18/2014 07:47:16 AM · #21
Originally posted by Nuno:

Hi there! Tank's for all the great feedback.

I'm more than convinced to buy it.

Would be interested in knowing more about the b&w in the luminance layer :)


Don't forget to go here first:
//www.retailmenot.com/view/niksoftware.com
11/18/2014 08:39:34 AM · #22
Originally posted by LN13:

Bear and Wendy have both mentioned this Silver Efex/Luminence Layer thing...tell me more, please


Essentially, it's creating a B&W image layer and then using a Luminosity blend mode to use the B&W layer to adjust the colors below (lighter grays = lighter color luminosity, darker grays = darker color luminosity). Lots of things to know and play with, but if you want a quick and dirty walkthrough of what it can do and how it looks (in addition to MANY other things) here's a How To video I did for another forum when I was asked about a look I'd gotten on a series of photos.

//youtu.be/w-jSBbGf_JU

Message edited by author 2014-11-18 08:40:48.
11/18/2014 09:12:25 AM · #23
Originally posted by backdoorhippie:

Originally posted by LN13:

Bear and Wendy have both mentioned this Silver Efex/Luminence Layer thing...tell me more, please


Essentially, it's creating a B&W image layer and then using a Luminosity blend mode to use the B&W layer to adjust the colors below (lighter grays = lighter color luminosity, darker grays = darker color luminosity). Lots of things to know and play with, but if you want a quick and dirty walkthrough of what it can do and how it looks (in addition to MANY other things) here's a How To video I did for another forum when I was asked about a look I'd gotten on a series of photos.

//youtu.be/w-jSBbGf_JU


Very cool. Thanks, Jake.
11/18/2014 10:38:32 AM · #24
Yes ! very useful

Recently had to change my laptop and I still had the nik software licenses for Lightroom, I had bought the whole nik collection in a CD around 2010.
In the new computer I couldn't get it to work with the new install package from google, contacted them and now I have all the packages and it is also usable from PS

Absolutely great stuff!

11/18/2014 11:48:22 AM · #25
Originally posted by vawendy:

absolutely! I adore nik. I use both silver efex and color efex on every shot. (silver efex on color shots with a luminosity blend -- color efex on b&w after doing the silver efex).

Hey, Wendy -- I have a question. I regularly use a Silver Efex layer set to Luminosity on a color image. However, I've never thought to run a b&w Silver Efex layer through Color Efex. What Color Efex filters do you tend to experiment with on b&w images?
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