DxO's Nik Collection New Version 3.0

[Mike Buckley]

Version 3 of DxO's Nik Collection was officially released today. You can see a video "trailer" of it at dxo.com that goes by way, way too fast for me to comprehend. So, I downloaded the trial software, which is a full version of the paid software.

I rarely use anything other than Silver Efex Pro in the Collection, so my main interest was the claim that its new Selective Tool, which is just a different name for their albeit much improved dropdown menu, allows you to automatically apply a preset without launching the plug-in. The video trailer displays it happening but darned if I could get to it happen on my system; clicking the preset displayed in the dropdown menu launches the plug-in. EDIT: See my next post explaining how to make it happen.

I'll work with the new Perspective module to determine if its user interface is so much better than the stuff in ACR and Photoshop CC that it's worth licensing.

I do like that the plug-in seems to load a lot faster than the previous version, but that alone doesn't induce me to pay for the upgrade.

I'm interested in everyone's reaction to this new version of the Nik Collection.

 

[Palouse]

I downloaded too. All works as expected, but I'll know more later. Quite a bit faster using DXO-PL on my MacBook. The perspective tool is not accessible in Affinity.

 

[Palouse]

See: https://www.nikoncafe.com/threads/nik-collection-3.322654/

 

[Mike Buckley]

I figured out how to get the program to automatically apply a preset without launching the plug-in. There is a particular setting that has to be made that is apparently so problematic that it's the very first issue that is explained in their FAQ.

Applying a preset without launching the plug-in would be a really nice feature if I knew the preset would meet by needs without customizing it. The issue for me, now that I realize how it works, is that I custom post-process all of my images. So, I'm a little skeptical that I would want to apply a preset without tweaking it, as I've rarely if ever done that.

 

[Palouse]

One new feature that I like is if you work in Nik using TIFFS (as they recommend) you can now back and edit the image later.

 

[Mike Buckley]

One new feature that I like is if you work in Nik using TIFFS (as they recommend) you can now back and edit the image later.

Is that true only using TIFFs? I ask because I far prefer PSD files.

EDIT: I've always been able to go back and edit images, so I don't understand the benefit. I use it as a plug-in to Photoshop CC. Maybe the new capability is for when using NIK as a stand-alone product, which I've never done.

 

[Palouse]

Is that true only using TIFFs? I ask because I far prefer PSD files.

EDIT: I've always been able to go back and edit images, so I don't understand the benefit. I use it as a plug-in to Photoshop CC. Maybe the new capability is for when using NIK as a stand-alone product, which I've never done.

I don't speak Adobe, but I do understand that if you use NIk on a smart object you can edit. I'm on Dxo so this is new for us.

 

[Mike Buckley]

I really like the user interface in the Perspective Efex module. That new module, for me, is clearly the biggest change in the program.

I was hoping I could use the new Selective Tool to quickly try out several Silver Efex presets just to see if an image I hadn't imagined in monochrome might work well that way. The problem is that it takes a long time to process each preset when the plug-in hasn't been launched. If you have at least two presets you want to quickly try, it's faster to launch the plug-in and then try the presets. The more presets you want to try, the more time you save by launching the plug-in. That's especially true now that the plug-in seems to launch faster than in the previous version.

 

[Mike Buckley]

The Perspective Efex's Miniature Effect tool is actually a blur tool. It's virtually limitless in the number of selective focus configurations that are possible to make. Though I've never used a Lens Baby, I imagine this blur tool to be just as creative. Ironically, I can easily imagine focus stacking an image to have everything in focus for maximum flexibility when I want to change certain areas of the image to be gradually out of focus.

Though they are marketing the tool as being ideal for making life-size scenes look like miniatures and for making creative food photos, I think they're really missing the boat by not showing how it could be used for creative close-ups of flowers. The number of photographers that make close-ups of flowers seems to be a huge opportunity for DxO.

Considering the amount of food photography I do, this one tool might be worth licensing the product.

 

[rick_reno]

I saw the announcement and was hoping some folks here were playing around with it. I've got til the end of the month to decide, but it looks tempting to stay current for a small amount of money. This eye surgery stuff is keeping me pretty occupied for June, not being able to see well makes looking at SW tricky and time consuming.

 

[Mike Buckley]

My first use of the software: https://www.nikoncafe.com/threads/m...n-dxo-nik-collection-perspective-efex.322656/

 

[Mike Buckley]

This eye surgery stuff

I hope it all works out well for you, Rick.

 

[Bohdan]

I'm confused. This is a new release? I purchased DXO Lab Elite 3 back in November that included the Nik plugins. When I follow the link in this original link and check for upgrades I'm told that my version is up to date.

 

[gnagel]

I'm confused. This is a new release? I purchased DXO Lab Elite 3 back in November that included the Nik plugins. When I follow the link in this original link and check for upgrades I'm told that my version is up to date.

This is a new release. I use the Nik Collection quite often so I upgraded to version 3 yesterday.

Glenn

 

[Bohdan]

This is a new release. I use the Nik Collection quite often so I upgraded to version 3 yesterday.

Glenn

I do as well...but..when I went to check on upgrades I got the message that I'm up to date. I''m missing something here

 

[Mike Buckley]

Don't bother checking on whether you're up to date. Just go to the website and download the new version.

 

[Bohdan]

Don't bother checking on whether you're up to date. Just go to the website and download the new version.

Understood...I downloaded the trial version, and yes it loads much faster in DXO Lab Elite. but when I try to purchase it as an upgrade...it takes me to the full version priced link. It will not direct me to an upgrade version price. So, is there an upgrade price?

 

[Mike Buckley]

There is an upgrade price currently discounted from $80 to $60. On my system using it as a Photoshop plug-in, clicking the Buy button takes me to the DxO website. If I scroll down that page, I can click the Upgrade button. Doing so takes me to a different page that clearly explains everything I've licensed from DxO and provides another Upgrade button and an explanation of the discounted pricing.

 

[Bohdan]

There is an upgrade price currently discounted from $80 to $60. On my system using it as a Photoshop plug-in, clicking the Buy button takes me to the DxO website. If I scroll down that page, I can click the Upgrade button. Doing so takes me to a different page that clearly explains everything I've licensed from DxO and provides another Upgrade button and an explanation of the discounted pricing.

Yes I did exactly that. It linked me to the page where all my licensed DXOproducts are listed. I clicked on the upgrade button on this page and it shows me the price of $99.99 USD.

 

[Mike Buckley]

I just now went through the entire process and everything worked fine at the discounted upgrade price of $60. Double check that you didn't accidentally click an Upgrade button to DxO's basic software (I can't remember its name) as opposed its Nik Collection. If that's not the problem, consider contacting DxO.