NikSoftware Efex Plugins, Anybody use them for Post?

Hey All,

I'm still learning how to do Post and I came across this plugins on the net for photoshop. They say is easier to do post and editing photos with this plugins.

Have anybody here use them for post processing on their photos?

Vivesa 2
Color Efex Pro 4
Silver Effect
Sharpener Pro 3

NIK software plugins are a great tool for post processing photos. Like any tool, the outcome all depends on how well you know how to use it. I have the 4 you listed as well as DFine, their noise reduction software and I use them extensively, especially Silver Efex Pro 4. It's the best B&W conversion software out there IMO

elrey2375 wrote in post #14737784
NIK software plugins are a great tool for post processing photos. Like any tool, the outcome all depends on how well you know how to use it. I have the 4 you listed as well as DFine, their noise reduction software and I use them extensively, especially Silver Efex Pro 4. It's the best B&W conversion software out there IMO

Thank you. Nice Website you have :P

elrey2375 wrote in post #14737784
NIK software plugins are a great tool for post processing photos. Like any tool, the outcome all depends on how well you know how to use it. I have the 4 you listed as well as DFine, their noise reduction software and I use them extensively, especially Silver Efex Pro 4. It's the best B&W conversion software out there IMO

I do like the way black and white was handled in your band photo's nice work.

It would be interesting to see one of your images that is greyscaled or desaturated and tweaked in photoshop only, compared directly to the same image using Silver Efex Pro 4.

Right now Nik Software is the only plugin collections I am thinking about purchasing, watched their demo vids ...amazing.

Martzart wrote in post #14740164
I do like the way black and white was handled in your band photo's nice work.

It would be interesting to see one of your images that is greyscaled or desaturated and tweaked in photoshop only, compared directly to the same image using Silver Efex Pro 4.

Right now Nik Software is the only plugin collections I am thinking about purchasing, watched their demo vids ...amazing.

What I think you'll find is that Silver Efex Pro has numerous options and tweaks if you plan on processing photos in B&W. You have a lot more freedom with control points, etc. that just make it easier to achieve the look you're going for.

Here are two pictures, the difference being one is processed with Silver Efex and one is desaturated in PS

3416 x 3600

EMBED PREVENTED, IMAGE TOO LARGE: http://imageshack.us/a​/img31/9297/chicago030​.jpg Click here to see our image rules.

^ in which order mate?

RSMarco wrote in post #14745799
^ in which order mate?

PS is first, Silver Efex second

elrey2375 wrote in post #14741232
What I think you'll find is that Silver Efex Pro has numerous options and tweaks if you plan on processing photos in B&W. You have a lot more freedom with control points, etc. that just make it easier to achieve the look you're going for.

Here are two pictures, the difference being one is processed with Silver Efex and one is desaturated in PS

3416 x 3600

EMBED PREVENTED, IMAGE TOO LARGE: http://imageshack.us/a​/img31/9297/chicago030​.jpg Click here to see our image rules.

WAO!!!

elrey2375 wrote in post #14745803
PS is first, Silver Efex second

I have to say, Silver Efex did a REALLY good job on that. I'm very impressed.

buto wrote in post #14747633
I have to say, Silver Efex did a REALLY good job on that. I'm very impressed.

I agree. If you want to process B&W, it's the only way to go IMO.

elrey2375 wrote in post #14745803
PS is first, Silver Efex second

Cheers mate. Great results.

I use Dfine and Sharpener Pro 3 and absolutely love them. I use both almost exclusively for my sharpening and noise reduction. I merely add some extra selective masking to them when needed.

Nike Software is excellent and I'd highly recommend any of their products.

My favourites are Color Efex Pro and Viveza. These two together with LR and I don't need Photoshop.

Great pics, and I'll have to jump in on the bandwagon, I own all of Nik's plugins and I think they really make LR/PS complete.

Silver Efex is awesome for anything B&W, but I actually have both version 1 & 2 installed because of the different ways in which grain and the tonal range of the image is handled in each of the versions.

SE2 is definitely faster, less crash prone, and it's easier to get the right look; but only when editing "inside the box", it's algorithms are actually less suited for extreme and experimental editing. It's highlight handling is somewhat broken as you can't "force" it to make the highlights nearly as grainy as the mid-tones (unrealistic but done right it looks good), as it is now highlights are almost always free of grain even if you limit the levels beforehand, and if you do get it to that point, some weird pattern sets in.

Couple pics from a recent trip to Israel:

+1 on Silver Efex