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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Nik Collection - do you find it really useful?
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 11/30/2014 06:45:58 PM · #1
Originally posted by Ja-9:
all previous updates are gone.


I know they are both current. how do I do this


Message edited by author 2014-11-30 18:46:53.
 11/30/2014 06:29:29 PM · #2
Originally posted by NstiG8tr:
Originally posted by Ja-9:
Originally posted by NstiG8tr:
Ok so after reading about this I downloaded the free trial. Everytime I try to use it, it crashes either Lightroom or PSCC. I uninstalled it. Any ideas?


First question... How old is your computer?


Not that old. Its a HP Envy Core i7 4700mq 2.4ghz


My system is quite old...mine was doing this a lot not to long ago...I called Ps and they updated my programs (PsCC & Lr) it also turned out that although my systems seemed to be updating they weren't totally current. I had old copies of Lr (5.0, 1, 2, 3, 4...all the updates) I assumed that when you updated the old version went away...not...so ck out both your Lr & Ps that they are current and all previous updates are gone.
 11/30/2014 06:19:26 PM · #3
Originally posted by Ja-9:
Originally posted by NstiG8tr:
Ok so after reading about this I downloaded the free trial. Everytime I try to use it, it crashes either Lightroom or PSCC. I uninstalled it. Any ideas?


First question... How old is your computer?


Not that old. Its a HP Envy Core i7 4700mq 2.4ghz
 11/30/2014 05:23:06 PM · #4
Originally posted by NstiG8tr:
Ok so after reading about this I downloaded the free trial. Everytime I try to use it, it crashes either Lightroom or PSCC. I uninstalled it. Any ideas?


First question... How old is your computer?
 11/30/2014 03:53:15 PM · #5
Ok so after reading about this I downloaded the free trial. Everytime I try to use it, it crashes either Lightroom or PSCC. I uninstalled it. Any ideas?
 11/30/2014 01:42:36 PM · #6
Originally posted by vawendy:
What's weird is: when you do CEP and SEP from the floating palette that opens, it works on a merged version of all layers open. But if you do it from the menu, you have to create a merge layer to get it to work on it all. I kept closing that palette because it took up room. I don't now.


I did not know this! I always kept the floating palette open because I have two monitors, but I didn't use it. I always created a merged layer before going to NIK. Nice to know I don't have to do that.
 11/29/2014 09:50:58 PM · #7
You can do all that if you run the image as a smart object...
 11/29/2014 10:04:50 AM · #8
Sure you can mask, but you can never go back and alter your adjustment layers so you're essentially stuck unless you delete the Nik layer, make the changes and then redo the Nik layer.
 11/29/2014 09:12:03 AM · #9
Originally posted by Garry:
One thing I do not like about Nik is that they create new stamp visible layers that pretty much render all other adjustment layers beneath it useless.

So if you want go back and tweak a layer, you can't once you've generated a Nik layer.


Yes and no… I like that it creates a new layer. You can mask out parts if the Nik is only for one part of it, and then you retain the layers below. Otherwise, I try to do all of my minor tweaking before or after (spot healing, cloning, etc.)

What's weird is: when you do CEP and SEP from the floating palette that opens, it works on a merged version of all layers open. But if you do it from the menu, you have to create a merge layer to get it to work on it all. I kept closing that palette because it took up room. I don't now.
 11/29/2014 08:22:17 AM · #10
One thing I do not like about Nik is that they create new stamp visible layers that pretty much render all other adjustment layers beneath it useless.

So if you want go back and tweak a layer, you can't once you've generated a Nik layer.
 11/28/2014 05:02:54 PM · #11
Originally posted by LN13:
Originally posted by CBalck:


Adding to the search wish list - a search function in the challenge listings. It is really hard to figure out if a topic has been done before.

That's easy. Tick the box to show all challenges and filter, then click the up arrow next to 'Challenge', and it will sort them alphabetical A-Z (the down arrow will do Z-A). Then just scroll to find what you're looking for.

Then once you've taken that step, just use Ctrl-F ...
 11/28/2014 02:40:56 PM · #12
Thanks Larry, yes one can sort though the many pages, but a search box would come up with any prior use of the word in question. I just think it would be faster and easier to have a challenge search box. If they were going to add that same functionality to other aspects of the site, adding one more shouldn't be too difficult.... (of course I am a software user, not a developer, so what do I know about how easy or difficult something would be!)
 11/28/2014 02:12:53 PM · #13
Originally posted by CBalck:


Adding to the search wish list - a search function in the challenge listings. It is really hard to figure out if a topic has been done before.


That's easy. Tick the box to show all challenges and filter, then click the up arrow next to 'Challenge', and it will sort them alphabetical A-Z (the down arrow will do Z-A). Then just scroll to find what you're looking for.
 11/28/2014 02:06:57 PM · #14
Originally posted by Ja-9:
I thought someone talked about the Sharpen/Sharpen Pro in this thread...I can't seem to find it.

Has anyone used this much, if so any tutorials you'd recommend? I'm having trouble finding what I'm looking for. Thanks

ETA:

As an added note to SC...it sure would be great if we could have a search block within threads...

Well shoot and while I'm at it...a search block in Messages...I could find some conversations sooooooo much easier. Pretty Please


Adding to the search wish list - a search function in the challenge listings. It is really hard to figure out if a topic has been done before.
 11/28/2014 11:58:01 AM · #15
I thought someone talked about the Sharpen/Sharpen Pro in this thread...I can't seem to find it.

Has anyone used this much, if so any tutorials you'd recommend? I'm having trouble finding what I'm looking for. Thanks

ETA:

As an added note to SC...it sure would be great if we could have a search block within threads...

Well shoot and while I'm at it...a search block in Messages...I could find some conversations sooooooo much easier. Pretty Please

Message edited by author 2014-11-28 12:01:37.
 11/28/2014 11:57:03 AM · #16
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by Ja-9:
Yes it does work with Lr4...that being said for just $10 (USD) a month you could have it all!!! Very, very best thing I ever did!!!

What she said :-) Although it may be you only qualify for that special "Photographer's Deal" if you own CS3 or higher :-(


At the time that I got my PsCC (last Dec). I didn't own any PsCS software.
 11/20/2014 08:24:57 AM · #17
I'm not sure you guys are aware of how programmable D-fine is. When you go beyond auto, you can select color ranges and customize the noise profile for each of them separately, for example. It works extremely well when you take the time to tune it.

On the other hand, I'm using it with a 5DII, which isn't a very noisy camera to beging with. Maybe with Wendy's 7D it's a different set of problems...
 11/20/2014 06:35:30 AM · #18
Definitely in the topaz denoise camp
 11/20/2014 12:10:07 AM · #19
I'm also in the Topaz denoise camp..
 11/19/2014 09:28:35 PM · #20
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
By far the best denoiser...


I will fully disagree with this one. I have done a TON of de-noising over the past year. I have switch back and forth between Nik Define and Topaz DeNoise.

The winner, by a very clear margin, is the Topaz DeNoise tool. It does a significantly better job with detail while eliminating the noise.
I had to stop using Nik Define when submitting to stock sites, as it would never have enough detail. On the other hand, I can be pretty liberal with Topaz and still get images accepted.

What I found is:
* If you want a sharp image after removing noise, use Topaz
* If you want something quick and dirty, use Nik
 11/19/2014 02:57:58 PM · #21
Little late getting in on this thread, but I just couldn't do without Nik.. Love the Silver Efex..!!
11/19/2014 09:21:25 AM · #22
I had demos of topaz and NIK, and ultimately settled with the latter. The silver Efex is terrific, especially the recipes you can download. Color Efex as well, is even super for Black and White photography- and has so many variation of each preset that is can bring you down the rabbit hole of minute variations and wasted time.

The Viveza control points are super, and can tweak and enhance the selective exposure of a shot in very natural ways.

If anything, the tools and tricks of the NIK collection may be too enticing, forcing the photog to constantly reign in the desire to over-process.
 11/19/2014 08:42:43 AM · #23
Originally posted by Ja-9:
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by Ja-9:
Yes it does work with Lr4...that being said for just $10 (USD) a month you could have it all!!! Very, very best thing I ever did!!!

What she said :-) Although it may be you only qualify for that special "Photographer's Deal" if you own CS3 or higher :-(


Hmmmm, I'm not sure...I know that I only had Lr before I had PsCC (I did have Elements) but it can be loaded (plug-in) into Lr...and I think many use only Lr...


One warning with Lightroom and Nik, every time you invoke a new module it returns as a new file to your LR catalog. So, if you use Dfine 2.0, Viveza, Color Efex, Analog Efex and Sharpener Pro that will result in 5 add'l files added to your catalog that you need to delete. Plus you lose your ability to use any of the results with different blending modes (i.e. the Silver Efex Luminosity trick mentioned above).
 11/19/2014 08:24:22 AM · #24
And the answer was YES!
 11/19/2014 04:55:01 AM · #25
I'm so sold on this one :)

Do you know if it can be installed on two computers as long as you don't utilize both at the same time, as with Adobe Creative Cloud?

Sorry... just found the anwser.

Message edited by author 2014-11-19 04:58:53.
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