[fg-one]

I have just installed the free Nik software bundle as plug-ins in LR5. I had purchased Silver Efex Pro some years ago and I really like it. I can see the benefit over LR monochrome processing. I have quickly tested the other packages and so far, the only one I am impressed with is the Raw Presharpener which gives artefact-free sharp images, unlike the Output sharpener. I was disappointed by Color Efex pro which in my (unqualified) hands resulted in detail loss. I have found boosting saturation and vibrancy in LR was as effective on colors, without detail loss. Dfine seemed efficient but how more than LR5, I failed to notice. As I use Enfuse for HDR, I don't really need Fusion Express and have not tested it. I am sure I need more tries and learning to reap the benefit of this package. So I would appreciate if you could ease the process by letting me know where to start and where not bother. In your experience, what is the added benefit of each plug-in over LR processing? Which ones do you appreciate and which ones are useless to you? Thank you.

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Last edited by fg-one; 03-27-2016 at 07:48 AM.

[Steve.Ledger]

Look, we're all different, not really any point in my telling you what works for me and what not to bother with because I think it's useless, you're taste is very likely as unique and individual as mine.
Just enjoy play with a freebie that once cost over $400...

[jatrax]

It is a shame that free now implies no value because not so long ago this package sold for $450. I bought at $150.
I use Vivesa, the presharpener and dfine regularly. I think those do have functionality over lightroom.
Silver fx I also use for b&w.

[BigMackCam]

I use the Nik tools after I've done my basic image development in Lightroom.

The suggested workflow for using the Nik tools is here:

https://support.google.com/nikcollection/answer/3000890?hl=en


It helps to apply them in the order suggested

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Last edited by BigMackCam; 03-27-2016 at 04:10 AM.

[savoche]

I use Silver Efex a lot, but haven't looked much at the other modules yet. The Tonal Contrast of Color Efex looks useful, though. Seems to work a bit like the Clarity slider in LR, but with a less harsh look.

[smf]

Nik software's Control Points provide ability to easily make a change in a specific portion of an image. Or changes can be made globally.

[loco]

Yeah, the control points are really useful. Much easier to use than LR's adjustment brush. I use Color Efex and occasionally Silver Efex. I have used HDR Efex occasionally, though I can't really seem to get the hang of it. Been using Nik for years now. I don't use it for every image, but I do like to try it with my favorites just to see if it can give them just a little more oomph.

[Murfy]

I use the silver efx, and then the analog effects. The rest, I have used, played with and just don't find a use for (or prefer another software) I am not complaining or saying anything negative towards NIk, it was free, but after playing around, those seem to be the only ones I liked.

[Spodeworld]

I'm a little confused when to use the RAW presharpener. If you go straight into a plug in from Lightroom, it creates a .tiff file. I assume you use the presharpener at that point. Now, when you're done with that modele and bring it back into Lightroom, it is no longer in RAW format. Don't you lose the ability to work WB then?

[BigMackCam]

I'm a little confused when to use the RAW presharpener. If you go straight into a plug in from Lightroom, it creates a .tiff file. I assume you use the presharpener at that point. Now, when you're done with that modele and bring it back into Lightroom, it is no longer in RAW format. Don't you lose the ability to work WB then?

No, you can still adjust white balance on a TIFF file. What's vitally important, though, is that you get your shadows and highlights adjusted so that there is no clipping (or as little as possible) in the raw file, before editing in other plug-ins, as once the file is flattened into TIFF format, clipped shadows and highlights will remain clipped from that point on.

[RockvilleBob]

I bought the original package at full price years ago. Perhaps other alternatives will overtake NIK, there may be alternatives a little better in one area. However I haven't seen a NIK alternative that is head and shoulders better than NIK. That said I probably need to look around since NIK may not work on future OS or Photoshop products.

The one area I do not use NIK as often as before is for HDR. I feel Photomatix now performs significantly better than NIK, not that case a couple of years ago.

With regard to the other packages, NIK seems to do as much as I need to work on a good image. Beyond that it becomes polishing a turd, if the image isn't that good spending all that time doctoring it will not make it a a good image.

For no charge it is an infinite bargain.

[Rondec]

I think it is a fine package. The control points are really handy for selectively editing images. Lightroom in comparison feels like a sledge hammer -- much more difficulty to adjust certain aspects of an image (although it can be done to a certain extent with adjustment brushes).

If you don't like it, you don't have to use it. I do feel like the contrast tool in viveza and the detail enhancer (gently used) can really help color images.

[Spodeworld]

Great. Thanks. That's good info.

Are there any other edits that are best done before going from LR to Nik?

No, you can still adjust white balance on a TIFF file. What's vitally important, though, is that you get your shadows and highlights adjusted so that there is no clipping (or as little as possible) in the raw file, before editing in other plug-ins, as once the file is flattened into TIFF format, clipped shadows and highlights will remain clipped from that point on.

[pacerr]

Yeah, the control points are really useful.

Those with experience dodging and burning in the 'wet' darkroom will find Nik's Control Points very familiar and useful - even to the extent of manipulating color. Many of the plug-ins will also work as stand-alone tools if you simply click on the .EXE files after installing them in a discrete folder -- try it.

Those that use Faststone Image Viewer for modest JPG processing can add .EXE files into the "Edit With External Program" option (in the right click menu) to preview the possibilities possible with other software of your choice or you could work directly in the plug-in after right-clicking an image in the browser. Easy access to Vivesa for local/spot Color and Levels corrections can quickly tweak a dull JPG image.

The tutorials on the Nik site are instructive and the presets in various plug-ins offer insight into many image manipulations you might never try otherwise. For instance, Color Efex and Analog Efex are easy graphic introductions to film characteristics and glass filters of that era.

I've used Nik plug-ins with Corel programs and FsIV since their introduction and IMO you'll miss an opportunity to acquire a respected set of once-expensive PP tools for free if you don't take advantage of this offer.

[fg-one]

Thank you all for your replies. I have found a tutorial that provides a good introduction to the various Nik plug-ins. The use of control points looks indeed very appealing.

You Tube

You Tube