Nik 4 released today

Bobby T

Bobby T

Out Of Nowhere
Moderator
I wasn’t even aware that DxO was finally updating the Nik collection. But there is a mew reworked version available starting today. With discounted pricing for upgrading or buying nee going for a limited time.

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NIK Collection 4 Has New Tools and a Revamped Interface

NIK Collection 4 is hitting the virtual streets today with some updated tools and some welcome changes to its GUI. The popular NIK Collection came back from the dead when DxO rescued it from Google, which was letting it languish. Since then, DxO has actively improved the software suite, and it's being used by a lot of pros and serious amateurs. The NIK Collection contains more than 250 presets and has some improvements in its unique U Point local adjustment feature, which lets you select parts o
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They actually updated it to 3.0 relatively recently, I remember because I paid for the upgrade back then... maybe two years ago? Or less. It doesn't really sound like this version has anything I truly need, but I will probably try it out just to be sure. I think they are offering the upgrade for $60, which is just low enough to tempt me.
 
I note that in the comments there is a fellow touting a code:

"There's also a 30% off coupon available (NIKCOLLECTION4), so the upgrade from Nik 3 to Nik 4 only costs $41.99 instead of $59.99."

No idea about the validity of it, but could be worth a punt if one is getting it anyhow.
 
I suspect that's someone trying to stack two discounts but I'd be interested if someone manages to obtain it for that price. That's suspiciously low for those persnickety Frenchmen. Hahah.
 
I played around with the trial a little today. The interface for Silver Efx is a lot better in my opinion. But ultimately, for my B&W work, the results are not any better than what I can get out of Capture One 21. I'll play around a little more before deciding on keeping it. But currently, it's just an extra unnecessary step.
 
Okay, well, I logged into DXO and they're offering an upgrade special of $99 for PL4 Elite AND Nik Collection 4. That's a sweet deal that would get me DeepPRIME NR plus the enhancements in Silver Efex. Man, that's quite tempting. I have PL3 and Nik 3.
 
I gave this a second try realizing that when I did my initial comparison I was using LR as the starting point for Nik/Silver Efx. So I did another comparison using C1 as the base for both edits. I'm going to post both versions here and let you guys/gals say which you think is the better version. The differences are very minimal/subtle.

DSCF3911%20C1-X2.jpg
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DSCF3911%20sfx-X2.jpg
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Similar to buying a new Sony camera only to see a new model arrive, I bought Nik 2 but didn't fancy buying Nik 3 so soon after. Think I'll go in for Nik 4 blind, hoping it's sufficiently different. It may not be but I'll still dive in as I'm due a purchase after missing version 3.
 
I decided to spring for the upgrade bundle (bringing my Nik from version 3 to version 4 and my PhotoLab from 3 Essential to 4 Elite) for $99.99, which is a much better offer than the upgrade prices they offered me for the individual programs (and $50 cheaper than their offer for Nik4 + PureRAW, even though DeepPRIME ironically is included in PL4 Elite). It's a significant bump to the DXO stuff I had.

Incidentally, I put the NIKCOLLECTION4 code in with the bundle and it brought it to $94.99 instead of $99.99.
 
I would advise to download a test version before buying.
SEP in this new version and Viveza as well, has serious performance issues on my system.
To the point that the new functionality is basically worthless for me. I will most definitely stick to the previous version that did all I wanted it to do in a quick and easy way.
Not all systems are equal of course so, I'll just add the specifications:
Processor 3,7 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5, memory 32 GB 1866 MHz DDR3, graphical card AMD FirePro D500 3 GB and a 1TB SSD drive - about half of it is free.

Next to that, the question if the 'improved' interface will be to your liking, is far from certain. More settings are available (borrowed from PL) but the sliders have shifted from the control point to the right panel.
This is of course inevitable if more sliders were to be added.
There are other smaller changes to the interface that don't feel as improvements to me.

Hence my suggestion to try first.
 
Bart J D said:
I would advise to download a test version before buying.
SEP in this new version and Viveza as well, has serious performance issues on my system.
To the point that the new functionality is basically worthless for me. I will most definitely stick to the previous version that did all I wanted it to do in a quick and easy way.
Not all systems are equal of course so, I'll just add the specifications:
Processor 3,7 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5, memory 32 GB 1866 MHz DDR3, graphical card AMD FirePro D500 3 GB and a 1TB SSD drive - about half of it is free.

Next to that, the question if the 'improved' interface will be to your liking, is far from certain. More settings are available (borrowed from PL) but the sliders have shifted from the control point to the right panel.
This is of course inevitable if more sliders were to be added.
There are other smaller changes to the interface that don't feel as improvements to me.

Hence my suggestion to try first.
Click to expand...
Thanks Bart. I think with my 2012 MBP I might give this new version of Nik a swerve.
 
Bart J D said:
I would advise to download a test version before buying.
SEP in this new version and Viveza as well, has serious performance issues on my system.
To the point that the new functionality is basically worthless for me. I will most definitely stick to the previous version that did all I wanted it to do in a quick and easy way.
Not all systems are equal of course so, I'll just add the specifications:
Processor 3,7 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5, memory 32 GB 1866 MHz DDR3, graphical card AMD FirePro D500 3 GB and a 1TB SSD drive - about half of it is free.

Next to that, the question if the 'improved' interface will be to your liking, is far from certain. More settings are available (borrowed from PL) but the sliders have shifted from the control point to the right panel.
This is of course inevitable if more sliders were to be added.
There are other smaller changes to the interface that don't feel as improvements to me.

Hence my suggestion to try first.
Click to expand...
Where specifically do the performance issues crop up for you? I notice in Silver Efex that exposure tools sometimes take a while to update in the image. Definitely slowing me down a bit.
 
agentlossing said:
Where specifically do the performance issues crop up for you? I notice in Silver Efex that exposure tools sometimes take a while to update in the image. Definitely slowing me down a bit.
Click to expand...
the delay in applying settings with the sliders is the most annoying one. With the previous SEP, the visual result was as good as instantly.
The visual feedback is essential for me in using the sliders.
Same with making the mask of a control point visible / invisible. This take "for ever" while it used to be instantly.
The more control points are added the worse the performance gets. Again, unlike in the previous version.
Going through some film simulations is the same. Getting a visual on hoover over the film takes for ever and after a few, it just stops.
Applying a colour filter, same story.
Applying toning, again same story.
Applying a preset, after a few, I have to click to select and click again to apply.

The overall effect is that using the new version is frustrating while the previous version offered a fluent flow.

And there are the minor quibbles like the histogram scrolls away. I keep my eye on the histogram while applying my settings.
No longer possible except with a work around: collapsing the panels I don't use at that moment so the histogram remains visible. Ouch.
Showstopper for me.

Conclusion is that I gain a lot of grieve by using the new version and loose nothing all that important when staying with the previous version.
What I do consider useful in the new version is the possibility to influence the sensitivity of the mask on the control points.
It's not enough to go to the new version, not by a long shot.

I will make a new assessment when the next minor or major updates come out though.
 
It might be a little late for me, as I didn't save an installer for the previous version. However, I don't use Nik often enough to be bothered too much by the slow performance... Unless I find the new features make it more amenable to my process in which case I'll start getting more frustrated by waiting! We'll see how this goes. I do like how the control points are a lot more flexible than before.
 
agentlossing said:
It might be a little late for me, as I didn't save an installer for the previous version. However, I don't use Nik often enough to be bothered too much by the slow performance... Unless I find the new features make it more amenable to my process in which case I'll start getting more frustrated by waiting! We'll see how this goes. I do like how the control points are a lot more flexible than before.
Click to expand...
Not that I'm suggesting you do but the shop on the DxO site holds links to downloads for all your products and the license code.
Very useful when you switch systems for instance.
 
agentlossing said:
It might be a little late for me, as I didn't save an installer for the previous version. However, I don't use Nik often enough to be bothered too much by the slow performance... Unless I find the new features make it more amenable to my process in which case I'll start getting more frustrated by waiting! We'll see how this goes. I do like how the control points are a lot more flexible than before.
Click to expand...
If you have a Mac, I have the installer for version 3.
 
Bart J D said:
Not that I'm suggesting you do but the shop on the DxO site holds links to downloads for all your products and the license code.
Very useful when you switch systems for instance.
Click to expand...
There was a warning at the beginning of the install that told me to save an installer for the previous version prior to installing the new version. I haven't looked to see whether they did that for me, but the wording on the installer made me suppose that they didn't. I'm not at a point where I'm frustrated enough to rollback, however.
 

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