Speeding up NIK software processing

[melmann]

<p>I have the latest versions of the NIK complete package running on an iMac 2.4GHz with 4Gb RAM and an external scratch disk (>400Gb space) on a Firewire 800 connection. All my image files exist on a separate 1Tb Firewire 800 external HD. My workflow is to push image files from Lightroom 3 to Photoshop CS5 and then use different NIK tools to process into a final form.</p>

<p>I am looking for advice on how to speed up the NIK processing. While running it doesn't seem to impact PS Efficiency or scratch disk usage, nor is it impacted by the amount of free space on my internal HD. I realize there is a lot of computing going on here but would like to have some options on controlling my wait time - bigger processor, more RAM, more HD space, etc.</p>

<p>The NIK site isn't forthcoming on what impacts their software's speed and I apparently can't phrase search terms properly so thought I'd ask the community here.</p>

<p>As you think about advice keep in mind I'm using a Mac and will continue doing so - tell me about your NIK speed improvement on a PC only if it was the result of some non-operating system dependent change you made to your system such as increasing RAM, expanding scratch disk size, putting data on a separate disk, etc.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

[howard_owen]

<p>I use CEP4. Nik uses a directory on the system volume for temp files that is hard wired to a default location (i.e., no option to change) -- at least in the Windows version. My OS resides on the slowest disk in my computer, so I knew this was slowing performance.</p>

<p>The solution, at least in the Windows realm, is to mount a drive where Nik would expect to find its swap file. This, in my case, is an SSD which is considerably faster than my system disk. Whether this has maneuver any equivalent in the Mac world I do not know.</p>

<p>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307889</p>

<p>The reality is that Nik is still slower than I would like due to processor and memory constraints, but at least it's as fast as it is capable of being on the machine I now use.</p>

[john_deerfield]

<p>Max out your Ram. We started with 4GB of Ram in out iMac because for the way we use it (2nd computer) I thought that would be plenty. At Christmas, I looked at an 8GB upgrade (total of 12GB) and it was on'y $50, so I did it. Completely different computer all the way around (and I use Nik filters). For what it's worth, PS will use Ram as a scratch disk before anything else, or at least that is the way I understand it.</p>

[michael_elenko]

<p>1. Upgrade your RAM to 8GB at least. Use the Activity Monitor with the System Memory tab active. If the Page outs metric is >1GB then you are short on memory.<br>

2. Having your image files on external discs--even FW 800--slows things down. I would install the largest possible HD in your iMac and then setup a file management workflow to offload finished work to the external hard drive(s).</p>

<p>ME</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>I have watched the processor and disk activity using Nik tools and doubt the disk has much to do with it. There is an initial hit with the writing the TIF (if you are coming from Lightroom) and a hit at the end, but during the work, the processor runs all four cores at close to maximum with almost no disk activity.</p>

[john_deerfield]

<blockquote>

<p>2. Having your image files on external discs--even FW 800--slows things down. I would install the largest possible HD in your iMac and then setup a file management workflow to offload finished work to the external hard drive(s).</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>That hasn't been my experience. I would always recommend that media be kept on a separate drive than the operating system. Some flavor of sata would be my first choice and FW800 would be my 2nd.</p>

[kyleweems]

<p>I think the first question is actually what speed you are getting? How long is it taking to run a filter on a given image size, etc.? (by size I mean both data size, and resolution)</p>

<p>If you are way below average then perhaps there are some ways to make some big speed jumps, but at some point you'll probably only see minor improvements.</p>

[howard_owen]

<p>Looks like another thread where the OP asks a question and then disappears...</p>

[melmann]

<p>No, haven't disappeared, just trying different things out to see what happens. I've landed on processor speed as the issue - the read/write speed appears to be secondary. I've gotten so spoiled with fast computers it's surprising to be bumping up against the speed limit!</p>

<p>My iMac is RAM limited to 6Gb but read/write data doesn't indicate much is being written out to disk during processing. I can squeeze another 2Gb onto the board but don't think that's going to help me. PS runs at 100% efficiency while it's involved so that's not slowing down then handoff and receipt from NIK.</p>

<p>For background, as mentioned, I process RAW files out of Lightroom into Photoshop, where the NIK plug-ins reside. My file sizes are around 10MP going into PS and I work on them as Smart Objects where they show up around 57MP .psd files. The processing time once I hit the OK button ranges from 5 to 20 seconds, depending on the plug-in (Viveza appears to take the longest, followed by Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro - these are all generation 2 packages). Yeah, seems silly to worry about even 20 seconds but when working on several images it adds up.</p>

<p>Speeding up PS with larger scratch space and shutting down other programs doesn't appear to have an impact on the delay so it must all be in the NIK package and how the CPU is running the program. I'm sure it's a processing-heavy piece of software and am almost always amazed at what it can do so perhaps a little patience on my part is in order.</p>

<p>At least until I can buy a Mac Pro with swift processors and on-bus multiple fast HD's!</p>

<p>I'm calling this one closed. Thanks to all for your insights and advice. Looks like this is an issue I just have to buy my way out of.</p>

[hector_hine]

<p>I have noticed that if you STAR your favourite presets and recipes, then CEP4 and SEP2 - when opened from the independent Nik Software Menu in CS - open much quicker than if you simply select the parent package without specifying the preset before opening... seems that it bypasses making all the different thumbnails as it already knows what is expected of it! I might be wrong, but it works for me (16Gb memory and 6 cores)</p>