NIK Software is offering their entire suite for $149

[TMC]

Any idea if this is a limited time price or is the new standard price.

 

[MOREGONE]

Hello,

Are ALL the pieces of software separate? If I wanted to say Sharpen and image I just made BW do I have to then re-import/export to another Nik software or do they all integrate?

Thanks

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

This might help some of you who are kicking around the idea of buying this. I see some things that aren't entirely accurate in this thread. Some people speaking without first hand experience with the products, it seems.

I'll share my workflow that involves these plug-ins to shed light on how I use them:

• I take 16 bit TIF's from Lightroom 4 and export them to Photoshop CS5. Remember, LR is non-destructive to RAW files, so the original RAW file is NEVER (and SHOULD NEVER) be modified.
• In CS5, each adjustment I make (whether it's in Silver Efex, Color Efex, Viveza, Dfine, etc) gets created on a new layer. In other words, it is not destructing the base layer, nor is it destructing the RAW file in anyway.
• Each adjustment creates a new layer
• Save the PSD file. It's a big file. But at any time you can go back to any layer. Suppose you went amiss somewhere in your processing, just go back to that layer. It is completely "non-destructive".

Does it take a lot of hard drive space to do it this way? You betcha.

Nik boasts the premiere localized adjustment software. I use it all the time, mainly for landscapes & BW conversions. Silver Efex is one of the best BW conversion tools available. Viveza and color efex have a multitude of options for localized and global adjustments that are valuable to my workflow.

 

[ann]

Hello,

Are ALL the pieces of software separate? If I wanted to say Sharpen and image I just made BW do I have to then re-import/export to another Nik software or do they all integrate?

Thanks

I own all of their software, and each is a separate program. You can use Color Efex for example, apply the effects and then open Sharpener Pro and do the same. You may consider this imported and exporting but it is very fast (at least with PSCs5) and seamless ; at least for me.

 

[MOREGONE]

Hello,

Are ALL the pieces of software separate? If I wanted to say Sharpen and image I just made BW do I have to then re-import/export to another Nik software or do they all integrate?

Thanks

I own all of their software, and each is a separate program. You can use Color Efex for example, apply the effects and then open Sharpener Pro and do the same. You may consider this imported and exporting but it is very fast (at least with PSCs5) and seamless ; at least for me.

Thanks, thats what I was looking to know. I don't use PS, but rather LR and PSE
I imagine it will be the same process.

If I have time I will do the free trial tonight.

 

[Deeger]

I am a stupid person, but help me understand what software like this offers that CS6 doesn't?

 

[ann]

Ease of use for those who don't use PS enough to be fast and good .

PS will do anything that plug ins will do, it is a matter of experience, time and practice.

And your not stupid

 

[ann]

Hello,

Are ALL the pieces of software separate? If I wanted to say Sharpen and image I just made BW do I have to then re-import/export to another Nik software or do they all integrate?

Thanks

I own all of their software, and each is a separate program. You can use Color Efex for example, apply the effects and then open Sharpener Pro and do the same. You may consider this imported and exporting but it is very fast (at least with PSCs5) and seamless ; at least for me.

Thanks, thats what I was looking to know. I don't use PS, but rather LR and PSE
I imagine it will be the same process.

If I have time I will do the free trial tonight.

Yes it will work in a similar manner

 

[2WheelPhoto]

I am a stupid person, but help me understand what software like this offers that CS6 doesn't?

"Plug-ins" and "actions" for PS make me much more efficient. And thats not a stupid question

 

[LouR]

Ease of use for those who don't use PS enough to be fast and good .

PS will do anything that plug ins will do, it is a matter of experience, time and practice.

Not too sure about that. I've been working with Photoshop since '02 (5.0) and the advancement of plug-ins like Topaz and Nik seem to have surpassed most of what many combos of PS filters and adjustments and refining of those combos accomplishes. And with Topaz, Nik, etc., there are myriad ways to manipulate, combine, fine-tune and blend that would just take so freakin' long in PS as to not be worth it.

 

[Deeger]

Not too sure about that. I've been working with Photoshop since '02 (5.0) and the advancement of plug-ins like Topaz and Nik seem to have surpassed most of what many combos of PS filters and adjustments and refining of those combos accomplishes. And with Topaz, Nik, etc., there are myriad ways to manipulate, combine, fine-tune and blend that would just take so freakin' long in PS as to not be worth it.

So basically one could spend $500+ on PS CS6. And still need to spend another $200 or so on plugins? Um ok.

 

[usayit]

Or (at least for me) just get LR and Nik. So much faster than PS and cheaper to.

I have had no need for PS since......


I you need PS.. fine but I laugh when people "have to have" it but barely even touch its capabilities above what LR is capable of.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Or (at least for me) just get LR and Nik. So much faster than PS and cheaper to.

I have had no need for PS since......


I you need PS.. fine but I laugh when people "have to have" it but barely even touch its capabilities above what LR is capable of.

I haven't found a way to remove a telephone pole and wires with LR? Some of simple PS tools are priceless to me, but yeah 95% of my stuff stops with LR and plug-ins

 

[usayit]

LR -> Develop -> Spot removal -> Clone/heal


Also, you can do the same with Photoshop elements which is also much cheaper than CS6. I will admit its easier in PS but it works just fine. I think I jump into PS from LR less than 2%. The biggest advantage of LR is working in layers but I'd say most people I've seen don't even know how or refuse to learn how to leverage their full potential.

Now if you are really into photoshop (graphic artist and such) this doesn't apply to you... then again those people would have zero interest in filter plugins.

 

[LouR]

Not too sure about that. I've been working with Photoshop since '02 (5.0) and the advancement of plug-ins like Topaz and Nik seem to have surpassed most of what many combos of PS filters and adjustments and refining of those combos accomplishes. And with Topaz, Nik, etc., there are myriad ways to manipulate, combine, fine-tune and blend that would just take so freakin' long in PS as to not be worth it.

.
So basically one could spend $500+ on PS CS6. And still need to spend another $200 or so on plugins? Um ok.

Why would you spend $500? I got the Topaz free because we used it at work and the code is transferrable. It is a relatively cheap package to begin with, well under $200 and all upgrades are free. I got Nik from a friend, most of my software as educational versions and my PS7 (which I use for webpages) was also "borrowed" and is transferable. I could tell you how I got CS5, but then I'd have to kill you.
Spend as much or as little as you want. The end result is or should be what works for you in terms of design, workflow and end cost.
Back story on the Topaz: I had been bugging my bosses for months to get it, bringing in my own Topaz Adjust ($30) from home eventually. Boss man came to me one day with a dilemma: He and an assistant were shooting a local high school graduation and the woman who had hired them (a member of the BoE whose husband was the principal or something), wanted to purchase her daughter's photo. Problem was the kid was a blur. After basic tweaks of Levels, Curves and Sharpen, I went into Topaz Adjust. Boss man was so impressed, he got the Topaz Suite for about $169 and had everyone install it.