Hi,
Since the Nik plugins can be used as standalone apps, the Nik installer should create shortcuts for them in the Start menu. However, this should be done after the interface has been unified for all plugins since DFine, Sharpener and Viveza don’t have a File menu, so launching them directly doesn’t make sense now.
You can right click and select open with…
or you start the app and drag your image to the app icon to open with.
I’m guessing you’re Windows user, might be different but correct me if I’m wrong, I remember doing the same way on my pc.
You can right click and select open with…
With the plugins that don’t have a File menu (DFine, Sharpener, Viveza), this will work only once. In order to process another file, the plugin will have to be re-launched. This is why I said after the interface has been unified because all plugins should have that File menu.
or you start the app and drag your image to the app icon to open with.
Doesn’t work either with DFine, Sharpener and Viveza.
This inconsistency in the user interface (there are actually 2 different plugin groups) is an annoyance since the beginning. I expect that DxO will unify this.
I’m curious, Pat …
You’re quite right about these 3 tools not able to be run in stand-alone mode - However, I had a good look at each of them and decided that they simply duplicate features already available to me from within PhotoLab - so that it’s much easier & simpler to use the PL equivalents rather than go to all the trouble of exporting out to these tools (and, also, making future revisits to the image that much more difficult).
So, my question is: Which features/functions of these tools would you regularly use - and why do you consider them to be better than their PL equivalents (or not available in PL) ?
Regards, John M
John,
Actually, I do not consider the Nik plugins as an extension to DPL. This package was acquired by DxO because of the U-Point technology which was integrated into DPL for local adjustments. Now that they own this package, they decided to sell it as a product by itself and I use it as such. The Nik Collection can be used from other programs, especially PS and LR. So it can also be purchased by users who don’t want to acquire a DPL license.
I’m sometimes using the NIK plugins because not all the cameras I’m using are supported by DOP/DPL (e.g. Fuji cameras with an X-Trans sensor). So my statements about what should be done about the Nik Collection are not based on my use of it from DPL. For a significant part of my images, I just cannot use DPL. In that case, the features of the NC plugins are not necessarily duplicating any existing feature in the host application from which I use them. For example, converting to b&w with Silver Efex and U-Points is more effective than the same operation in Lightroom. For images produced by cameras supported by and post-processed in DPL, this might not necessarily be true.
So I’m talking about the product by itself and about what should be done to make it more consistent and easy to use from any environment, including DPL if needed.
Ah, OK - understood.
John
A consistent unified interface would be awesome. Even if some plugins were retired from standalone versions and merged into PhotoLab, those which are standalone should share a unified interface.
I’d like to see the Nik plugins work seamlessly from Affinity Photo. I own the free (though I paid for them) version. What would get me to upgrade to the DxO versions would be:
Upgrade pricing would help but I guess a new version launch promotion would do instead. Those who have already paid DxO for Nik probably shouldn’t be dinged again as there is still not a great first version which moves much past the free versions.
I have installed the Nik Collection (DxO version) in Affinity Photo (Windows) and they are working as expected. I don’t use them much in Affinity but I didn’t encounter any problem until now.
Here’s how to install.
Not exactly seamless. Here’s what Nik moderator MEB reports:
Macintosh:
Most DxO Nik Collection plugins don’t run on the Mac (Analog Efex Pro 2, Colour Efex Pro 4, Silver Efex Pro 2, HDR Efex Pro 2). They get stuck at some point. It’s better keep using the (free) Google version for now.
Windows:
All DxO Nik Collection plugins run on Affinity Photo for Windows. There may be a few pontual issues due to plugins implementation/support differences between Affinity Photo and Photoshop. Still have to check each one individually.
I’m on Mac which explains why I don’t even want to get started. Among other issues, for both Mac and Windows, is a requirement that all colour spaces be in SRGB. Not an issue for me but might be for some. Brushes work inconsistently (links on that full thread above).
The compatibility issue is not all on Nik/DxO. Affinity’s support for Photoshop plugins is very hit and miss.