Nik Software

[mharris]

I've been a user of Nik Software for a while and was amazed with their filter program, Color FX Pro. I followed

up with their Noise program called Dfine 2.0 and once again found it to be very good. Today I got Silver Efex

Pro from B&H in the mail and gave it a go. B&H surprised me by including a package of B&W fine art printer

paper. So far I really like it. Here is my first conversion with it right out of the box:

 

<img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f158/mharris660/P1020241aWEB.jpg">

 

 

<img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f158/mharris660/P1020241aBWWEB.jpg">

[gmahler5th]

Looks great to me. Nice mid tones. I actually prefer the interface and ease of use of Alien Skin Exposure 2.0, and the results are comparable. Nik Software's U Point technology gives it an advantage for those who like to take custom BW conversions to the nth degree, as you can easily dodge and burn areas with more or less intensity with great precision. Although I see a learning curve with this U Point stuff, it's definttely got a lot of potential.

[mharris]

Thanks Steve, it looks like that U-Point thing is just like the color control points in Capture NX. I've always liked that feature. I've never tried the Alien Skin stuff but I may. I've always heard it was pretty good.

[tonmestrom]

Nik has indeed some fairly good filter programms although I have to say I prefer to do it myself in PS. While some of their filters are way over the top Silver Efex Pro does indeed a half decent job in doing a simple b&w conversion although their presets are worse than useless. For the sake of this discussion I'll add a straightforward conversion.

[tonmestrom]

here it is<div></div>

[iancoxleigh]

I've been using their newer Viveza programme for my colour work. It is fantastic. It creates almost seamless selections allowing basic local adjustments to be applies really, really easily.

 

This has had a number of effects:

 

1. It has taken jobs that took almost an hour of dodging, burning, re-blending of edges, and re-brushing with history brush; or jobs that involved careful, time-consuming selections, and then edge feathering, and made then into 10-15 easy tasks.

 

2. Since it has made everything so simple and quick, I am willing to do selections and alterations I would never have bothered with before. It wasn't going to be worth putting 3 hours into an image to try and work it to what I had envisioned. But, it is worth 30 minutes.

 

My only criticism is that they should offer other basic shapes than circles for the application area control. For example, I often find that I have to make numerous small circles and then duplicate them a half dozen times if I want to darken and colour adjust a row of hills along the horizon line. A long expandable rectangle would be very useful for landscape work.

[twmeyer]

Don't they have a Minus/Plus control brush that lets you undo areas inside those control point circles like a

layer mask does in Photoshop with a black or white brush? NX does this and I would be surprised if Vivesa (or

whatever it's called) didn't... t

[kuryan_thomas]

Silver Efex Pro has kindled in me an interest in B&W. It's very rewarding software to use. Thanks for the tip about B&H

including paper.

[susiewond]

Hi Michael

 

 

I have a Mac computer, Photoshop CS3 and Lightroom

With some interest I have read your post on Silver Efex Pro. Today I received my Silver Pro Efex Pro Software - have not

installed as yet.

 

Have you any good tips e.g.

 

1. workflow when using the Silver Efex

 

2. Tips using the U Point technology for best results.

 

I have checked out Nik's video tutorials - but no matter what I do the production flow is not user friendly as the videos keep

stopping and the general flow is uneven.

 

3. Would you know where I can obtain more pre-sets than what is on offer in the software?

 

 

 

thank you

 

 

Sue