Rick,
Really striking image! Would you consider sharing the image you exported from Photolab for comparison?
Regards, Joseph
You are right, Pascal, but you can’t do that with RAW files and here PL is a good choice 
Regards,
Svetlana G.
No, because the Nik plugins cannot handle RAW files anyway. That’s why the current advertisement about Nik Collection v2 allegedly allowing to “edit RAW files with U-Points” should be either edited or removed. It is extremely ambiguous and misleading, especially for new users.
We can use U-Points in DPL but this is because the U-Point technology has been incorporated into DPL. This has absolutely nothing to do with the Nik Collection be it v1 or v2. The Nik Collection wants raster files whatever the way they are created (exported from DPL, LR, C1… or directly created with PS, Affinity, etc.)
Nik Collection v2 didn’t change anything to this and I don’t understand why this statement was incorporated into the “what’s new” section of the announcement. Regarding RAW files, “what’s new” = nothing. Period.
John,
that’s understood. But can you or anybody else possibly describe what benefit NIK Collection is gonna bring please. I’m using DXO since ten years now, actually PL Elite with Filmpack and Viewpoint and could not be happier with my results. What does NIK bring what can not be realised with PL? What module might be useful and which not (e.g. Sharpening? in PL and again in NIK later on? Really?) Thanks in advance from Germany.
NIK just processes images differently to DxO
Nik came from a different developer and imaging was done their way rather than DxO’s way.
Just a different route.
Having said that, I see no point in the Nik Sharpener plugins because DxO does a better job if processing RAWs.
Nik works as PS plugins so works on any JPG for example
Only really unique Nik functionality is the HDR plugin. But it’s not really in the same league as Photomatix. Never spoken to anybody who’s using Nik HDR
DxO bought Nik for the U-Point functionality, the rest of the plugins came as a freebie as far as DxO were concerned IMO
1 Like
Hello to you in Germany;
A look at some of these YouTube videos will give you a good idea.
In my view/experience, the useful Nik components are;
- Color Efex Pro is great for general enhancement - I use it on my better/favourite images, to give them just a bit more pop/punch …See my download-able document below.
- Viveza is a bit like Local Adjustments in PL - and therefore, rarely used by me.
- Analog Efex Pro is a bit like FilmPack - I rarely use it
- HDR Efex Pro is handy to apply some “tone-mapping” to an image prior to conversion to B&W (for better monochrome contrast than would be gained from a standard image)
- Silver Efex Pro does a great job of monochrome conversion (with more options than are available via PL+FP).
To be honest, tho, I pretty much only use Color Efex Pro.
As you imply, Define and Sharpener are a waste of time (in my assessment) if you have PhotoLab … those tools might be useful if you were using other (less capable!) tools for your RAW conversion.
This document (my “cheat-sheet” for Color Efex Pro) might help you get started … ColorEfexPro_Filters(byPurpose).pdf (58.5 KB)
Regards, John M
7 Likes
I’m with John here.
Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro are the two contemporary gems in the Nik set (everything else is a bit slow and/or replicated within PhotoLab Elite with FilmPack 5). The emulsions, presets and fine grain and handling of highlights within Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro blow away FilmPack 5. FilmPack 5 seems fine when you use it and does generate good to very good results. Just using the original
The strength of Nik and why it remains legendary photo software even after a decade without real updates is the quality of the original presets. They are at a very high level. Completely different from the Trey Ratcliff/Luminar overly hot primitive HDR-eye candy looks. In fact, I’m quite annoyed that DxO added some mandatory presets by a not particularly well qualified retoucher professor at Rochester University. We should be able to remove the new presets. Since DxO is Paris based, they really should have sought out the top fashion photographers in Paris or art directors from the top photo agencies/ad agencies to add some contemporary high end presets. An opportunity lost here.
My best HDR results come with EasyHDR which is something like €20 for a personal license (commercial license is €50) and extremely fast and easy to use. The finished HDR image comes into PhotoLab or Affinity for finishing. Speaking of which, now that the handshake between PhotoLab and the Nik apps is working better, Color Efex Pro would be great for finishing those TIFFs coming out of EasyHDR.
1 Like
Thanks a lot John, that’s highly appreciated. I think for now I will stay on my current workflow.
Cheers
Guido