OnOne Layers in Lightroom now free

[EricM]

<p>This LR plugin used to be expensive but now I see OnOne has made it free! <a href="http://www.ononesoftware.com/products/perfect-layers/?ind" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.ononesoftware.com/products/perfect-layers/?ind</a></p>

[patricklavoie]

<p>wasn't that like 139$ not so long ago.. old user will be really happy about that!...</p>

<p>but hey, thanks to them and to you to point it ; )</p>

[richsimmons]

<p>Give away one to lure you into buying the whole suite. Although their masking tool is one of the best. </p>

[EricM]

<p>cheers, Patrick. yes it was!</p>

<p>typical and effective marketing eh Rich :)</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>The download is available for both Windows and Mac OSs. You register and they email you the link for download.<br>

I haven't tried it yet, but it apparently works in Photoshop as well as LR (and Aperture too)<br>

Thanks Eric~</p>

[alioffe]

<p>Apparently this is a trial version.<br>

Do not know limitations yet but I will try</p>

[EricM]

<p>You're welcome, JDM.<br /><br />really, Alexander? That's a bit below the belt if so</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Alas, when I try to install it, it chokes and tells me that it "can't be installed on this computer" - Which in my case is an iMac 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5 with 8 GB of RAM running Lion (Mac OS X 10.7.4).<br>

Thanks all the same.<br>

As the fox said, it probably was sour anyway... ;)</p>

[alioffe]

<p>In their download registration e-mail I found:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">

<tbody>

<tr>

<td >

<p >Thank you for requesting an onOne Software download. Get started now and make your images extraordinary! Click the Mac or Windows links below to start downloading.</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td valign="top">

<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">

<tbody>

<tr>

<td width="250">Product</td>

<td width="100">Type</td>

<td >Mac Download</td>

<td >Windows Download</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td valign="top">Perfect Layers 2</td>

<td valign="top">Free</td>

<td valign="top" width="90"><a href="http://www.ononesoftware.com/downloads/downloads_start.php?utm_nooverride=1&ref=mp_demo_email_init&prod=pl2m" target="_blank">Mac OS X</a></td>

<td valign="top" width="140"><a href="http://www.ononesoftware.com/downloads/downloads_start.php?utm_nooverride=1&ref=mp_demo_email_init&prod=pl2w" target="_blank">Windows XP/Vista/7</a></td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

<p >How to Buy<br>

If you downloaded a trial version and are ready to purchase the full version, visit the <a href="http://www.ononesoftware.com/store/?ref=demo_email_init" target="_blank">onOne Software Store.</a> You can easily convert your trial version to the full version with the license code you receive after purchase (no need to re-install).</p>

</blockquote>

<p>So I presume what I downloaded is a trial. Not sure what "if" means here. But no one told this is a "full version"</p>

 

[digitaldog]

<p>Before everyone gets all excited that this product produces layers in LR (not really), a reality check (especially if it isn’t really free):<br>

http://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies/layers<br>

This is also a useful read:<br>

http://regex.info/blog/2011-04-23/1753<br>

IF you own Photoshop, this product brings nothing to the party. At the original price, you’d be far better off buying Elements if you didn’t own Photoshop. Free is a worthwhile price otherwise...</p>

[alioffe]

<p>Additionall I've got<br>

"get Perfect suite 6.1 and save 100$"<br>

But the discount works only 24 hours (!?)<br>

Marketing, sooo marketing</p>

[EricM]

<p>my apologies if we've wasted a bunch of time. i went from a russell brown page that linked to flypaper textures, and on their site (http://flypapertextures.com/) they announced</p>

<p><strong>"Also, fabulous news for Lightroom users, OnOne’s Perfect Layers which allows you to use textures in layers in Lightroom and is now free!"</strong></p>

<p>and took it as a credible source. </p>

<p>i really like Friedl's blog, info, tools. too bad it's so hard to read with a blackish back ground and a "still in 2003" look to it. Love the fitting statement in the first comment in that link too</p>

<p><strong>"Have always been very wary of these so-called experts who appear </strong><strong>to have all of the correct replies for all the queries given to them."</strong></p>

[RobertChura]

<p>Another company using bait and switch. I wouldn't buy anything from a company that someone uses this tactic</p>

[mac_hordam]

<p>What a bunch of dog in the manger attitudes. The program is free, it's not a trial - it's free. It's a part of the suite of onOne's programs and comes with a version of Perfect Effects 3 free as well. It's Perfect Layers 2 and they are heralding Perfect Layers 3 so probably they would like people who try the free version to upgrade or purchase the full suite, so what, it doesn't take away from the fact that it's free.</p>

<p>It works as a plugin or standalone program. As has been mentioned if you have Photoshop it doesn't bring a lot extra although the different way of working, somewhat similar to the controls in Nikon's NX2 may be a plus for some people. For Elements users you get the possibilty to work in 16 bit with Perfect Layers 2 instead of 8bit with Elements so that's a plus.</p>

<p>I looked at this when it was introduced but was not greatly interested (at the price) but now at the free offer price I've downloaded and installed it just in case I want to use it. What's to lose. I quite like the look of the program it's simple and straightforward and does what it says.</p>

<p>That said it hasn't integrated perfectly with Lightroom. The plugin option doesn't work on my computer, comes up with an error message. <em><strong>I should stress that my computer likes to disappoint me with error messages so this could be more a problem of my setup than an inherent problem with the program.</strong> </em>However I can easily go to Edit In in Lightroom and access Perfect Layers that way. As a standalone it works okay so anybody without PS or Lightroom who wants to dabble with layers has a no cost opportunity.</p>

<p>If at some time in the future it stops working unless I pay over some cash then I'll probably have to eat some of the above words, but even then it won't have cost me anything to have used it to that point. I've had it on my computer for 2 weeks or more and no sign of it being a limited use program so if it appeals why not give it a try instead of being mealy mouthed about some company giving something away for free. Does anyone think that Adobe/Microsoft/Apple/Corel/CaptureOne/(Insert any company you can think of here) isn't wanting to get money from customers. At least onOne are giving you something for free, no doubt with the hope that you'll buy something, but not with any hold over you to do so. Try Perfect Layers you don't have to sacrifice your free will.</p>

<p>And before the shill detectors start screaming, I have no connection at all with the company or any of its representatives, all I did was just download and install the program, which is all you have to do ... or not. As for bait and switch how does that work here if you're getting something for free and you decide that's all you want. If you truly think it's a bait and switch exercise (which I doubt as all the prices of the suite components are clearly stated) then play them at their own game and take the free offer and completely ignore any of their other products. I've had a few emails from them alerting me to webinars and training and a special offer on the Perfect Photo Suite. No coercion, no threats of dire consequences and I could easily opt out of the emails if I wish.</p>

<p>Get real. This is just a free offer. And I should add there's a whole load of free video training available as well.</p>

[mac_hordam]

<p>Small correction to the above, where I said <em>"...anybody without PS or Lightroom who wants to dabble with layers has a no cost opportunity" </em>Should read as<em> "anybody without PS or <strong>Elements</strong> who wants to dabble with layers has a no cost opportunity"</em></p>

<p>Anybody still undecided/doubting that this is for free should go to the onOne website and check the headings under the Downloads tab, you'll see 30 Day Trials and Free Products as two of the categories. Perfect Layers is in the Free Products category.</p>

<p>@JDM von Weinberg<br>

In Windows you often need Administrator rights to install software, is there something like that in Mac OS that could have prevented it loading?<br>

There might be something about it needing an internet connection during instal for it to work, in case you weren't connected.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>I am the administrator, and that usually doesn't come up - and if it does, it tells you so. And, I was logged on. I'm not sure what the problem was, but since I have Photoshop, I don't care to take the time to work out what's going on.</p>

<p>But thanks all the same. </p>

[keith reeder]

<p>Looks like "free" to me - it <em>isn't</em> shown in the site store, but <em>is</em> in the Free Products section...</p>

[EricM]

<p>Happy endings. Awesome.</p>

[jmaphotography]

<p>Hi - just downloaded Perfect Layers 2. Running Windows 7 and Lightroom 4.1. Have to say i can't get images to show neither in the Navigation panel nor the Main window. What am i doing wrong? Clicked everything, searched manual, youtube, etc etc but can't find a logical, straightforward tutorial to show simply how to get this software working. Uninstalled, re-installed...nothing! Opened images from within LR 4.1, but only show up in the Layers panel.....hopeless! Can someone put this straight for me....mus be missing the point somewhere! Thanks.</p>

[mac_hordam]

<p>@John<br>

Open Perfect Layers 2. You should have the main window with the layers/Mask/Portrait/Effects/Focus/Frame/Resize tab options at the upper right. (Note only Layers and Effects will do anything in the free version the others will take you to the website for more info about these additional (pay for) options).<br />Down the bottom you should have the browser which is where you can navigate to the image you wish to work on. If it's not there click (top left) on File-Browser and the Browser Directory window opens. Navigate here to the drive and folder you want and click on Select Folder, this will open the Browser tray at the bottom of the screen for you to then navigate through the folder and file options to get to your image. You'll see your directory structure listed above the folders or thumbnails so you can move around in the various folders on the drive by clicking through them.</p>

<p>Go to the onOne website and click on the University tab up top and select Free Video Training, here you'll find hundreds of videos some of which are applicable to Perfect Layers. This one runs over what I listed above for you so is a good starting point.<br>

<a href="http://www.ononesoftware.com/university/#!/video/welcome-to-perfect-photo-suite-6-perfect-layers-2">http://www.ononesoftware.com/university/#!/video/welcome-to-perfect-photo-suite-6-perfect-layers-2</a></p>

[mac_hordam]

<p>Further to the above, don't be misled by the Navigator panel. This is for moving around the screen within the image you have open, not for navigating around your computer's folders to find files.<br>

Whilst at the onOne site look also at the Support tab up top. This opens a page with a shaded panel at right with headings for Products and Other Links. Click on User Guides in Other Links and then select Perfect Layers 2 from the Current Products listing. Once you have the guide open you will see in the Contents list at left hand side Welcome - Installation - Getting Started and so on. Open Getting Started and you will find the fifth entry is Using the File Browser. This explains in more detail the operation of the File Browser and after a few reads and re-reads should start to make some sort of sense. You do need to get familiar with the icons used for different browser functions or you may just find yourself frustratingly collapsing the browser panel or even closing it completely when you intend otherwise. Good luck.</p>