U-point, NIK and RAW

In one of the advert emails it is mentioned that thanks to U-point you can make local adjustments directly to the RAW file. However, what has that got to do with NIK? I could not find any way to combine U-point with some NIK plugin?

Hello picman,

Nik developed the U-point technology and it is part of every Nik-plugin/standalone. When DXO bought NIK they also got the U-point technology. U-point was integrated into DPL and can be accessed via Local Adjustments. There are many videos about the different Nik plugins on youtube and on the DXO academy website and they all explain in great detail how it works

Thanks Sigi, that is more or less what I figured, thanks for explaining and confirming.

Just to be sure that I got it right. In the advert for NIK 2 collection it was mentioned as one of the “new” features that the U-point technology could be used directly on the RAW file. If that was indeed new then does it mean that if you do not upgrade to NIK 2 you can not work directly on the RAW file? So in spite of the fact that U-point is incorporated in PhotoLab, in order to make use of the enhanced feature you have to get NIK 2. Sorry for the confusion!

The confusion is about the fact that DxO gives a Photolab Essential version for free when you buy Nikcollectionsv2. This give’s a standalone NIKcollection buyer a form of RAW editing possibility.
So the RAWfile is adjustable in Photolab only and needs to exported to NIKCollection v2. Which only can read and edit Jpegs and TIFF’s. (16bit)

NIK google . NIKv1 by DxO and NIKv2 by DxO are not RAW capable editers.

Hi Picman,

In NIK, the U-points are called control points. And Yes, in NIK you can’t edit the RAW, but when you buy NIK, you get PL2 bundled.

Viveza:

Color Efex Pro:

The Upoint works like a smart mask. As show in the images, It automatically selects a part of the image. In the samples, I showed the masked area. The image is full color:

You also can make negative control points to deselect a area. That way, it’s quite easy to selected a part of the image, without selecting with a brush and painstaking selecting.

Thanks all for the helpful replies!!

Forgive me, but I keep getting NIK 2 advertisements stating:
“RAW U POINT TECHNOLOGY APPLIED TO RAW.“
There is no mention of PL2 regarding new features.
This is touted as new feature specifically for NIK 2.
Why does this NIK 2 ad say “applied to RAW” if NIK does not work with RAW files?
I am still confused by the wording of DXO adverts.

Someone please clarify.
U-Point technology is still NOT applied to RAW within NIK 2, correct?

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You are correct it is confusing.

  • NIK files do NOT work with raw-files
  • the U-point technology was implemented into DPL - local adjustments - so U-points work with raw files but only within DPL and not within NIK.

So yes - you are correct.

When you buy NIK 2, you get PL2.3 with it. In PL 2.3, you can apply Upoints to RAW.

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Thanks Sigi,
I don’t think raw should be mentioned on NIK adverts, and U-Point is not new for NIK either.
Strange copy on some of the Dxo ads.
However, I think I will purchase the upgrade for NIK 2 even though I just bought the prior version recently, I have always enjoyed the NIK suite for it ease of use, now PL3 is Also so easy to use and ever improving.

Thanks Corros,
However, the ad is for NIK 2, and specifically mentions RAW as a “…Latest feature” for NIK 2.
PL is not mentioned regarding latest features in this ad.

That’s right. But by adding PL to the NIK bundle, you can use Upoints to RAW. Ok, I know, this is a creative way of advertising.

Yes. You are 100% correct. The ads for the Nik collection 2 are misleading. I cautioned DXO about it right after the Nik Collection 2 was released. Implying that it supports raw is a stretch even if one is using the copy of Photolab 2 that comes with it.

For those who use the Nik Collection as a plug-in from Photoshop or other software, and have no need for PhotoLab, the advertising is not only misleading it’s entirely deceptive. While I don’t believe the intent was to deceive, that is the unfortunate end result.

Mark

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They’ve had plenty of time to make it less misleading and haven’t, so I’m inclined to think the deception is intentional. They still say this, here: “With Nik Collection 2 you can now make local adjustments directly on high-quality RAW files before converting your images to JPEG.”

If it’s not intentional then they’re oblivious to the ill-will this kind of over-marketing tends to generate once people find out that it’s not as good as it sounds.

How they’re selling the new keyword feature in PL3 is equally overblown: “PhotoLibrary, everything you need for perfect asset management”.

I’d say they know what they’re doing, unfortunately.

Mark, asvensson,
I agree with you both. Leaves a bad taste…