Advice requested About Better Version of Noiseware for Me

I intend to buy one of the versions of Noiseware in the near future. Because I use 16 bit TIFFs in my workflow, I know I should choose the "Pro" version of Noiseware, but I am unsure if i should choose the Standalone or Plug-In version.

My current workflow is:

DPP for some editing, and conversion from RAW to 16 bit TIFF, with further editing, if required, in Photoshop, on my desktop or my laptop.

Based on this workflow, would you suggest the standalone or plug-in version?

Also, three questions:

1) If a plug-in version is purchased, can it be installed on two different systems?
2) If I purchased the standalone version, can it be installed on two systems?
and
3) If I used the standalone product, where in my workflow would I use it? Where in my workflow would I use the plug-in version?

Maxdave

I have the plug-in version so that I can run actions in batches using CS3.

I do not know the answers to your other questions. If you contacted Imagemonic, they'd tell you.

I have a question for you, though.

Why to you go to TIFF?

(Curious if it is because you need TIFF for publication)

A good question, "S" ...

I only print larger images ... 13" x 19" ... so i don't change to jpg for that. My last step is to convert to jpg if i need to send an image.

I guess I kinda got scared off of using jpg when I learned there was a chance of loss while editing.

Perhaps i need to re-evaluate my workflow procedure?

Maxdave

Maxdave, I can toss a couple thoughts to you,

First, you just need to check out the Liscensing Agreement -- it should be available on the website, I imagine, but most software can be installed on two computers.

Interestingly, Noise Nina is available as a plugin only, but you can buy it as both a standalone and a plugin. That's what I did.

The rationale for having a standalone would be a shorter workflow if you wanted to use it alone out of your Raw processor rather than go through Photoshop.

Your approach of converting to a tiff is actually the best for a couple reasons: first, if you are shooting Raw, you don't throw anything away as you bring the photo into PS, second, you have a built-in format for preserving non-destructive edits in PS in the form of layers, so if you work on a file with layers you can save the work in progress in the original tiff. If you first created a jpeg then brought it into PS, then saved the edited file as a tiff, then you have three versions of the file rather than two.

I only create a jpeg as a final output for a specific purpose -- like you said, for sending to someone or for my Web gallery/online posting. For printing, I typically print out of Lightroom, or if I'm doing PS work, directly out of PS, so my workflow would pretty much be like yours.

Thank you for your reply, Tonylong, just the thing I wanted to hear.

I shall check the licensing agreement as you suggest, or write the Noiseware people for information.

I believe our workflows are very close and I agree with your contentions:

"... if you are shooting Raw, you don't throw anything away as you bring the photo into PS ..."
"... you have a built-in format for preserving non-destructive edits in PS in the form of layers, so if you work on a file with layers you can save the work in progress in the original tiff..."
"... create a jpeg as a final output for a specific purpose..."
"... for printing, I typically print out of Lightroom, or if I'm doing PS work, directly out of PS..."

I guess I am leaning towards using a plug-in directly within Photoshop, as part of the editing process, instead of, with a standalone version, doing the Photoshop work, saving the tif, using the standalone Noiseware, then reopening the result in Photoshop, and doing the requisite output sharpening. That seems to be unnecessarily complex.

Maxdave

Noise Ninja Photoshop plug-in allows installation on multiple computers, you install
it in Photoshop plug-ins on the hard drive. It then shows up in Photoshop filters.