# Opinions on Nik Collection by Google?



## Bob_B (Jun 27, 2014)

I've been thinking about buying the Nik software plugins for Lightroom and Photoshop, thinking they might provide features that currently are not offered by Adobe. I like what I see from the Nik youtube videos, but (of course) that is their purpose: sell software. So, I would like to hear from users of Nik. What are your thoughts and opinions about the utility of these plugins?

I greatly appreciate your reply. Thanks.

Bob


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## DaveS (Jun 27, 2014)

Hi Bob,

  I Have them.  They work rather well I've found.   Now originally I did jsut buy color effects pro, (this was back when it was just Nik Software, and the bundle was a ton of money), as it has some nice effects that are really easy to apply. Particularly if you don't have photoshop and just run the nik plugins directly from Lightroom.   But now that google has purchased them and made the entire thing $150 or so, they aren't bad at all.

 Most things they do can be done without using them, but all in all, they are a decent package of plugins.   The Black and white plugin, is pretty good too.


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## clee01l (Jun 27, 2014)

DaveS said:


> ...
> Most things they do can be done without using them, but all in all, they are a decent package of plugins.   The Black and white plugin, is pretty good too.


I agree. But I have them too. I probably use SilverEfexPro (SEP) more than any. Getting an image into B&W is easier with SEP.  Until Google bought the company the package was really over priced.  It may still be over priced from a company that gives away software but affordable.


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## johnbeardy (Jun 27, 2014)

You don't need them - you can do great B&W without Silver Efex - but they are all excellent additions to LR/PS and now at a much more sensible price.


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## Bob_B (Jun 28, 2014)

Thanks for the advice.


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## phcorrigan (Jun 29, 2014)

I have them and mostly use Silver Efex Pro. Google updates them automatically and also adds new software occasionally at no charge.


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## davidedric (Jun 29, 2014)

Same here.   Have the collection, mostly for SEP which is my go to for b&w.   It's massively capable,  a lot more capable than I am. 

I use Viveza from time to time, but haven't really explored the others. 

Dave


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## canyonlight (Jul 1, 2014)

I think the Nik Collection is excellent. I use it frequently.


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## AndreasM (Jul 1, 2014)

My experience with the Nik Collection is quite limited. I only tested the HDR module half a year ago together with most other free available HDR plugins etc. Because the standard results of the Nik HDR module looked so fake and (to me) ugly, I didn't see a point in investing a lot of time in exploring it's fine tuning capabilities.


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## johnbeardy (Jul 1, 2014)

That's HDR for you....  Don't let it make you dismiss the rest of the Nik collection


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## sizzlingbadger (Jul 1, 2014)

Silver Efex Pro is the best one in my opinion, you can do this stuff in PS but it is way quicker in the Nik plugin. I have been doing more B&W in PS recently just to learn what it is possible but it takes a lot more time even recording actions to help speed things up.


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## johnbeardy (Jul 1, 2014)

Apart from all the funky stuff you can do with PS, the main reason for using PS for B&W conversion is if the image's colours demand more than one conversion - so for example half of the picture is converted best by a "red filter" look and the other looks best with a "green filter".


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## Bob_B (Jul 1, 2014)

Indeed, my main interest in posting this question was the Silver Efex module. It seems to speed workflow considerably. I've toyed around with HDR from most of the major software suppliers and agree that most of the time the results are poor. I do like the PS merge to HDR from LR, which is not a true tone mapping process, as far as I can tell. Out of curiosity: anyone of you use the sharpening modules (input and output) available in Nik? I scratched my head about "why?", when I've been quite satisfied with the results in LR.

Bob


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## clee01l (Jul 1, 2014)

Bob_B said:


> ... Out of curiosity: anyone of you use the sharpening modules (input and output) available in Nik? I scratched my head about "why?", when I've been quite satisfied with the results in LR.


There was a time (LR2.x) when LR did not do an adequate job of NR and sharpening.  These Nik tools were necessary then and remain necessary if you use some other post processing app besides LR or PS.


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## Michael D. (Jul 2, 2014)

Silver EFX, Viveza and HDR EFX are the ones I use.  
Regarding HDR EFX, I've found it does a significantly better job of aligning my handheld HDR images than Photomax.  Photomax does have more precise control of the image, however, the real key (for me) with HDR is to be subtle - just bringing out the details in the highlights and dark areas.   I avoid those overblown surreal HDR images.


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## keithz829 (Jul 7, 2014)

I own them all since Google gave them away a couple of years ago to current owners.  I used Silver Efex Pro a lot back then.  Once I got the entire suite, I found HDR Efex, which works really well.  Now that I have CC for HDR, I only use Silver Efex Pro 2 occasionally.  If I didn't have CC, I would be using them a lot more.


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## racehorsephotos (Jul 19, 2014)

I use dFine in all my editing.
What I've done is using the xrite color checker is make a profile for every ISO stop. a bit of work, but saves you so much in the long run.
The trick is make sure you shoot the color checker a touch out of focus.


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## Loose Canon (Jul 21, 2014)

Hi All, 
Never having been any kind of expert, I'm returning to Lightroom after about a year of having zero time to get out with the camera or sit wrestling with images - I've just downloaded 5.5 and Silver Efex Pro 2. Please bear with me here 'cos I'm rustier than I care to admit but I am struggling to find a way of importing RAW images into SEP2 from LR. For a start, SEP2 doesn't even show as an option in my right click/Edit In dialog. Anyone any wisdom on this please? There seems to be a dearth of info, even on the Nik tutorials, to cover this.

Thanks! Eugene.


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## ST-EOS (Jul 21, 2014)

Eugene I think you may need to check out the plug in manager which on a windows PC is in the "File" drop down menu.
On my system I don't right click, I use the "photo" drop down menu and from there I can see all of the NIK plugins and the photoshop options.


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## Loose Canon (Jul 24, 2014)

Thanks for the response Peter; yep -- I had tried that previously and in my Mac environment and got an "Error trying to load this Plug-In" message -- I'll try Nik support -- I can export it to Photoshop as a smart object but that's where I start to get spooked -- Photoshop is a scary place for me -- I'll keep trying.

Meanwhile, thanks for the reply.

Cheers! 

Eugene.


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## rob211 (Aug 17, 2014)

You might look at Macphun's plugin and standalone application Tonality Pro if you do B&W. And use a Mac. Or their Intensify Pro. Demos available.


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