The Nik Collection is now FREE!

[Derrel]

I have always preferred to write my own plugins and scripts for software and tweaking other peoples work. Therefore I prefer open source to the locked proprietary crap software. GIMP works a lot better than PS for editing with total control.
I always had to use PS at work before I retired and hated having to use what someone else thought worked when I could see how to improve it so much but couldn't.

Let's see somebody cobble together an open source Viveza. Not. Gonna. Happen. Ever.

GIMP works better than Photoshop? That must be why the whole world uses GIMP.

 

[Watchful]

Let's see somebody cobble together an open source Viveza. Not. Gonna. Happen. Ever.

GIMP works better than Photoshop? That must be why the whole world uses GIMP.

The whole world that understands writing your own code gives a far more custom result than off the shelf software does.
I guess you are in the 'buy what I can't make' camp, and that's great for you.
I think it's funny that you don't think that software can be made by people. Who do you think makes the software you buy? Aliens? I guess it already did happen at least once if it exists.

 

[KmH]

I wonder if Google plans to invest in any more improvements or updates to the Nik software. The suite of applications hadn't received any updates lately so apparently the Nik Collection isn't going to be supported in the future. Giving it away for free seems to mean Google thinks the Nik Collection is totally dispensable.
At any rate one might now suppose Google got what they really wanted out of the deal that got them the Nik software - Snapseed.

 

[Ysarex]

Let's see somebody cobble together an open source Viveza. Not. Gonna. Happen. Ever.

GIMP works better than Photoshop? That must be why the whole world uses GIMP.

The whole world that understands writing your own code gives a far more custom result than off the shelf software does.
I guess you are in the 'buy what I can't make' camp, and that's great for you.
I think it's funny that you don't think that software can be made by people. Who do you think makes the software you buy? Aliens? I guess it already did happen at least once if it exists.

So when are you "write your own software people" going to make GIMP usable and give it the capability to edit 16 bit files? I know there's an unstable beta out there but that's an unstable beta. How long has that been an unstable beta now? Is it 3 years? Naw -- at least 5 years right? So what do all you GIMP users do? Just use the unstable beta or do you actually edit 8 bit files?

Benefits of Editing Images In 16 Bit Mode
8 Bit Color vs 16 Bit Color - Working With 16 bit Images In Photoshop
Bit Depth - Difference of 8-Bit and 16-Bit in Photoshop
8-bit vs 16-bit - What Color Depth You Should Use And Why It Matters - DIY Photography
8 bit and 16 bit in Digital Imaging
16 bit or 8 bit editing?

Joe

 

[Watchful]

I have plugins I made to do the 16 bit files and 16 bit color.
Plus GIMP handles 16 bit floating point, 32 bit floating point and 64 bit floating point precision. A bit more than PS. pun intended.

 

[Watchful]

How cute, you disagree with what the picture clearly shows you. Do you disagree with the ground and sky too?

 

[Ysarex]

I have plugins I made to do the 16 bit files and 16 bit color.

Please direct us to the download location where you have shared said plugins for all GIMP users so they don't have to edit 8 bit files or use an unstable beta. I'm not familiar with those. It would be nice to know that all GIMP users have such resources to edit photos properly.

Joe

 

[Ysarex]

How cute, you disagree with what the picture clearly shows you. Do you disagree with the ground and sky too?

Of course not. Obviously I'm disagreeing with your introduction of an off-topic diversion that's unrelated to the issue that I raised. Where did I say anything about floating point precision cutely or not?

Now back to the topic: How do GIMP users get a stable version of GIMP that will edit 16 bit files? Please provide links for the necessary version and/or plugins.

Joe

 

[Derrel]

Save your breath Joe, you're addressing Mr. Disagree, the fellow who wrote, "GIMP works a lot better than PS for editing with total control."

And who also wrote, "I always had to use PS at work before I retired and hated having to use what someone else thought worked when I could see how to improve it so much but couldn't."

You're trying to discuss an issue with a guy who wrote about Photoshop that he, "could see how to improve it so much but couldn't." And who thinks that Gimp's 8-bit editing is, "editing with total control."

So...about this fantasy world of open source improvements to image editing apps--where is that page that lists all those great URL's to improve software? What was the URL again?

 

[Ysarex]

Save your breath Joe, you're addressing Mr. Disagree, the fellow who wrote, "GIMP works a lot better than PS for editing with total control."

And who also wrote, "I always had to use PS at work before I retired and hated having to use what someone else thought worked when I could see how to improve it so much but couldn't."

You're trying to discuss an issue with a guy who wrote about Photoshop that he, "could see how to improve it so much but couldn't." And who thinks that Gimp's 8-bit editing is, "editing with total control."

So...about this fantasy world of open source improvements to image editing apps--where is that page that lists all those great URL's to improve software? What was the URL again?

Yep, not trying to convince our friend, just making sure the record gets set straight in the thread. Our industry does have established best practices. (Identifying and supporting those best practices still provides me a paycheck every month.)

TPF gets a lot of novice readers and I just want to be sure they get good information. At this time GIMP does not support industry best practice. It's great that it's free and open-source and it can be used to advantage especially when used in conjunction with other software. It's a terrific budget option for enthusiasts. Industry best practice isn't necessarily appropriate practice for many hobbyists which is just fine -- throw a JPEG into GIMP and have at it. I will often tell a hobbyist to do exactly that, but never without explaining the trade-offs. GIMP's 8 bit limitation is serious. It's not the kind of problem that an ungainly interface or difficult-to-use tool presents. It's not a hurdle it's a wall, and it's a show stopping wall if meeting that industry best practice is tied to your paycheck.

Joe

 

[pixmedic]

I downloaded and installed the NIK package today.
seemed to integrate flawlessly into LR. have not checked in PS yet, but I assume its the same.
in LR, when you edit in one if the NIK programs, you can choose to edit separate from the LR edit and it will (so it appears anyway) make a copy and you can see the new edits side by side with your original LR import. (i assume you can just export whichever one you choose to go with) I believe it also gives you the option to just edit as the original import. I have not really done much more than cursory testing thus far so I have limited information to pass on, but so far it looks like it just gives you some additional editing options within LR and PS, which is always cool.

 

[john.margetts]

I downloaded the Nik package and it works fine without Photoshop or Lightroom. Took me a while to find the EXE files as the installer does not produce shortcuts or icons, presumably because they expect you to use it as a plug-in.

 

[Derrel]

I used an earlier version of Viveza, and was impressed with its then-revolutionary capabilities using the Control Point technology that was later put into Nikon Capture Editor. The ability to use computer-generated auto-masking technology to alter multiple image parameters (sharpness,saturation, hue, contrast,etc) on say, the blues,l or on human skin tone...man...being able to automate that capability was, when it hit the market, an amazing thing. Nowadays, we've grown accustomed to Adobe's re-envisioning of those types of capabilities, but at one time, Viveza's capabilities were cutting edge!

It takes me back to the era when things like one-slider recovery, and "digital fill light" adjustments had not yet been invented.

I get the feeling that the current free NIK Collection giveaway means that Google doe not see any future value in this suite of tools. Or...maybe it is an old man Gilette marketing strategy, where one widely gives away the razor itself....then hopes to sell razor blades for a lifetime...

 

[Watchful]

Gimp updated to having 16 bit editing and even upped it to 32 and 64 bit floating point editing capabilities.
These are the guys that built the GEGL processing engine.:Rhythm & Hues Studios :: Home
GIMP 2.9.2 Released - GIMP
10 Reasons Open Source Is Good for Business
pay special attention to 2 and 3 in the link above
Benefits of Using Open Source Software
I can keep listing links to articles that explaing why FOSS is a better choice, but it's ultimately down to a choice, and you have to live with yours and I with mine.
But anyone saying that open source can't do 16 bit editing is just being misinformed or isn't doing the research themselves.
I am not trying to convince you to drop the money grubbing proprietary system if you love supporting those that only help you when your wallet is fat, nor will you convince me to join you in their support when FOSS works perfectly well and does everything that proprietary does.
Have a great day and God Bless.

 

[480sparky]

So where does one go to actually download it?