Nik Silverefex?

[inward/outward]

Anyone going to get this new plugin for CS3 and give it a whirl?

IO

[Palladium]

Complete Control for Professional Quality
Black & White
Silver Efex Pro from Nik Software is the most powerful tool for creating professional quality black and white images from your photographs. For the first time, all the advanced power and control required for professional results have been brought together in one convenient tool.
Featuring Nik Software’s patented U Point® technology to selectively control the tonality and contrast of the image, Silver Efex Pro includes advanced imaging algorithms to protect against unwanted artifacts, a comprehensive collection of emulated black and white film types, a variable toning selector for adding traditional toning techniques, over 20 one-click preset styles, and a state-of-the-art grain reproduction engine that help produce the highest quality black and white images possible from your color images while providing more freedom to experiment.
A recognized leader in digital imaging technology, Nik Software has developed class-leading solutions to specific challenges photographers face when creating black and white images and packaged them in one convenient tool.


http://www.niksoftware.com/silverefexpro/usa/entry.php

[Permagrin]

no, I'm not planning on it. I'm a big fan of nik and their software but there are so many actions around to make great B&W shots...just doesn't seem like a good way to spend my $ :)

[embdude]

Since it is free for 30 days, I will probably try it at least.

I use viveza, color efx and Define already and am happy with them. I don't do much B&W so unless it really makes em pop I probably won't pony up the cash for it.

Have you tried it out or seen a review?

[hommedars]

It does exactly what NIK claims.

It runs well under CS3 but has some serious performance issues in Aperture.

As to price; that's relative based on your needs.

[inward/outward]

Since it is free for 30 days, I will probably try it at least.

I use viveza, color efx and Define already and am happy with them. I don't do much B&W so unless it really makes em pop I probably won't pony up the cash for it.

Have you tried it out or seen a review?

I bought it right out of the chute and it is something to behold if you want to become a digitally applied silver halide connaisseur.

IO

[embdude]

I have Color efex 3 and it has a B&W filter. Cant say I can get it to make really good B&W.

In fact I cant seem to get good B&W digital images period. (with the exception of B&W in DPP from a raw image)

Is this what I need? or will it just confound me more?

[Karl Johnston]

A little bit of knowledge goes a long way. Do your own scripts and you won't have to waste time with these cons..200 $ for something that I know I can do in less than 5 minutes per image or assign a macro to do it for a whole batch? No thank you.

[griptape]

As much as I hate to be cynical, Kajuah is more than right. There are spectacularly few plugins worth paying for, let alone paying $200 for. I've paid for plugins to save me time in graphics work (i.e. NOT photo work) that were reasonably worth the price vs. time saving if I were to create the action mysel, but they're few and far between. The only plugin that I personally deem worth the purchase price is lucisart, which is no longer available as a plugin.

[CincyShooter]

Cntl Shift U

[griptape]

Cntl Shift U

Is it sad that I've set so many shortcuts in CS3 that I have absolutely no clue what this does in default?

[CincyShooter]

De saturate lol. I rarely ever do black and white and if for some reason I do its nothing important.

[Plant McCloud]

200 bucks for a black and white conversion plugin? Considering the enormous number of really good conversion plugins and actions that can be found at places like atncentral and elsewhere for free, I would think the folks at Nik have been very heavily smoking some of that funny green stuff lately.

[René Damkot]

Cntl Shift U

... is about the worst way to go to B&W.

[ifonline]

The catch with Silver EFEX Pro, just like the other NIK products, is the level of control after conversion. Silver EFEX Pro, Color EFEX Pro, and Viveza all use u-Point technology for advanced control of effects. Very nice, and not something you can get in a Photoshop action.

That being said, I think it would depend on your uses. If you just want to convert an image to black and white and be done with it, there are plenty of free actions that will do this.

[RodBarker]

The catch with Silver EFEX Pro, just like the other NIK products, is the level of control after conversion. Silver EFEX Pro, Color EFEX Pro, and Viveza all use u-Point technology for advanced control of effects. Very nice, and not something you can get in a Photoshop action.

That being said, I think it would depend on your uses. If you just want to convert an image to black and white and be done with it, there are plenty of free actions that will do this.

U=point is really just an adjustment layer interface on a mask where that mask has a lot of spill over into unmasked areas , its can be speedy for some jobs if an oval mask with soft edges will do , most plugins work the same way they just attach an interface to standard photoshop functions .

[Plant McCloud]

The catch with Silver EFEX Pro, just like the other NIK products, is the level of control after conversion.

Good method, provides lots of control, and it's free:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=531602

[John E]

Doesn't Adobe Camera Raw have a great Black and White conversion?

[René Damkot]

Not until ACR 4

[griptape]

ACR 3 does have a mediocre black and white converter though.

[dfindr]

Not to besmurch the purists that know PS inside and out, for the rest of us who have a vision of how we want B&W to look, and no time, or desire, to figure out how to do it in PS, this plugin is outstanding, and a no brainer to use.

The price is well worth it. Afterall it is about the pictures and the enjoyment of taking, printing, and looking at them. I am about pictures and not photoshop skills. The Nic plugins, although somewhat pricey, are outstanding and do exactly what they claim. They also save me hours and hours of time if there is something other than shoot, adjust, and print that I want to create.

We spend thousands and thousands, and for some of us thousands and thousands more on lenses, bodies, and all the assorted gear that goes with them. A couple of hundred bucks here and there for software help to provide instant gratification without the frustration of screwing around with PS ad nausium, like mastercard, is priceless. My .02 cents.

BTW if you are a member of NAPP you get $50 off of SilverEFX before Sept 1st.

[b.d.bop]

Is Nik Silver Efex Pro compatible with CS4?

[wizeguy4]

yes it is compatible with CS4, but for the 32 bit version, not the 64 bit.

I also have this plugin and use it frequently. It does a great job with little to no thought on my end

[b.d.bop]

yes it is compatible with CS4, but for the 32 bit version, not the 64 bit.

I also have this plugin and use it frequently. It does a great job with little to no thought on my endSuperb. Thanks!