Tiffen Dfx Essentials - anyone have experience with it?

Docrwm · 05-08-2013, 06:43 PM

I got a copy of Tiffen Dfx Essentials with my new K-5IIs. I can't find anything on it on this forum and would like to know if its useful. Thanks.

abmj · 05-08-2013, 10:48 PM - **1 Like**

I used it for awhile. I had the stand-alone version and eventually got tired of having to drop out of PS to use it. It can be done, just save as Tiff, go to Dfx, do adjustments, save as Tiff again, re-enter PS. Got tiring. If the version you have will integrate with Photoshop, Elements or Lightroom, this problem will be moot.

That said, there are a lot of useful and interesting filter effects in the set. They can be a bit heavy handed but come with a variety of presets to reduce or increase the filter's effect. One thing I liked was the ability to "stack" filters without saving after each one.

Not a bad program. It somewhat duplicates some of the filter effects you can also get in NIK Color Efex Pro or Topaz Adjust.

Docrwm · 05-09-2013, 04:31 AM

Originally posted by abmj

I used it for awhile. I had the stand-alone version and eventually got tired of having to drop out of PS to use it. It can be done, just save as Tiff, go to Dfx, do adjustments, save as Tiff again, re-enter PS. Got tiring. If the version you have will integrate with Photoshop, Elements or Lightroom, this problem will be moot.

That said, there are a lot of useful and interesting filter effects in the set. They can be a bit heavy handed but come with a variety of presets to reduce or increase the filter's effect. One thing I liked was the ability to "stack" filters without saving after each one.

Not a bad program. It somewhat duplicates some of the filter effects you can also get in NIK Color Efex Pro or Topaz Adjust.

Thanks. I really appreciate your taking the time to give me your impressions of it. It came bundled with my K-5IIs from Adorama. My version says that it is a "Stand Alone" program so it looks like it will work like your version did. I'm trying to decide if I keep it or try to sell it. I primarily use LR3.6 to edit my photographs. I have CS5 but seldom use it. I guess when I was learning photography in the 70s the idea that altering your image significantly after you took it was cheating has clung to my attitudes a bit.

abmj · 05-09-2013, 11:36 AM

Well, altering may be a bit strong. Most of us do not carry or use the variety of filters these days that we did with film. That program lets you add polarization, ND filtering, sharpening, soft focus and other effects we used to do with glass. I don't use it much anymore but still do the same kinds of things with NIK. YMMV.

Docrwm · 05-09-2013, 11:48 AM

Originally posted by abmj

Well, altering may be a bit strong. Most of us do not carry or use the variety of filters these days that we did with film. That program lets you add polarization, ND filtering, sharpening, soft focus and other effects we used to do with glass. I don't use it much anymore but still do the same kinds of things with NIK. YMMV.

I didn't mean filters, of course I learned to use them. This program seems to do what we all did back in the day - add filter effects to the image. Maybe I'll be more comfortable with this than with the ones that let you fundamentally alter the captured image in ways we could never have done with film. Thanks.

05-08-2013, 06:43 PM	#1
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Tiffen Dfx Essentials - anyone have experience with it? I got a copy of Tiffen Dfx Essentials with my new K-5IIs. I can't find anything on it on this forum and would like to know if its useful. Thanks.

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05-08-2013, 10:48 PM - 1 Like	#2
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	I used it for awhile. I had the stand-alone version and eventually got tired of having to drop out of PS to use it. It can be done, just save as Tiff, go to Dfx, do adjustments, save as Tiff again, re-enter PS. Got tiring. If the version you have will integrate with Photoshop, Elements or Lightroom, this problem will be moot. That said, there are a lot of useful and interesting filter effects in the set. They can be a bit heavy handed but come with a variety of presets to reduce or increase the filter's effect. One thing I liked was the ability to "stack" filters without saving after each one. Not a bad program. It somewhat duplicates some of the filter effects you can also get in NIK Color Efex Pro or Topaz Adjust.

05-09-2013, 04:31 AM	#3
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285 Original Poster	Originally posted by abmj I used it for awhile. I had the stand-alone version and eventually got tired of having to drop out of PS to use it. It can be done, just save as Tiff, go to Dfx, do adjustments, save as Tiff again, re-enter PS. Got tiring. If the version you have will integrate with Photoshop, Elements or Lightroom, this problem will be moot. That said, there are a lot of useful and interesting filter effects in the set. They can be a bit heavy handed but come with a variety of presets to reduce or increase the filter's effect. One thing I liked was the ability to "stack" filters without saving after each one. Not a bad program. It somewhat duplicates some of the filter effects you can also get in NIK Color Efex Pro or Topaz Adjust. Thanks. I really appreciate your taking the time to give me your impressions of it. It came bundled with my K-5IIs from Adorama. My version says that it is a "Stand Alone" program so it looks like it will work like your version did. I'm trying to decide if I keep it or try to sell it. I primarily use LR3.6 to edit my photographs. I have CS5 but seldom use it. I guess when I was learning photography in the 70s the idea that altering your image significantly after you took it was cheating has clung to my attitudes a bit.

05-09-2013, 11:36 AM	#4
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	Well, altering may be a bit strong. Most of us do not carry or use the variety of filters these days that we did with film. That program lets you add polarization, ND filtering, sharpening, soft focus and other effects we used to do with glass. I don't use it much anymore but still do the same kinds of things with NIK. YMMV.

05-09-2013, 11:48 AM	#5
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285 Original Poster	Originally posted by abmj Well, altering may be a bit strong. Most of us do not carry or use the variety of filters these days that we did with film. That program lets you add polarization, ND filtering, sharpening, soft focus and other effects we used to do with glass. I don't use it much anymore but still do the same kinds of things with NIK. YMMV. I didn't mean filters, of course I learned to use them. This program seems to do what we all did back in the day - add filter effects to the image. Maybe I'll be more comfortable with this than with the ones that let you fundamentally alter the captured image in ways we could never have done with film. Thanks.