Jamers Loc: Michigan

I have had Nike filters for many years, now DXO has taken it over, I keep getting emails to buy Nik filters. I tried going on their site requesting information if they are the same filters I have or a big upgrade? Also, I have a thirty-day trial and error time period to purchase the DXO photo lab, very slow to operate. The NIK filters are included but when I try and go on DXO's information site and try and ask questions about the filters and the slowness of their photo lab, I receive the same thick dialect person telling me they are only computer support and cannot answer my questions. I thought someone on this site might be helpful.

JerseyT

I believe that the filters are basically the same, but if you buy from DXO they will keep them up to date as operating systems change, and you will help insure that they stay available.
PhotoLab is a bit slow, particularly when it opens. However it is useful as a batch processor of files shot at the same time. Make corrections on one, then let the software process them all while you do something else. They also have the very best noise reduction (very slow but amazing when you need it), and they have a huge database of camera/lens combination that will automatically remove distortion, etc.

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

If you signed up for the free trial, I hope you kept you installation file for the old free version.
Once your free trial is up, you will have to buy to keep using the new version.
I've been using the free version for ages and have no intention of buying the new version.
I didn't see any great improvements when I read reviews and watched tutorials of the new versions.

Jamers Loc: Michigan

Thank you Jersey T.

Jamers Loc: Michigan

Thank you rwilson1042,

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

DxO made just a few housekeeping changes to Nik Collection + one tool fix. There are no other changes as of yet: https://nikcollection.dxo.com/what-s-new/

I don't know anything about DxO Photo Lab.

I chuckle when someone hesitates at the thought of paying $60 or $70 for the awesome Nik Collection. Silver Efex alone is more than worth the price. I paid $250 for the suite just before Google started offering it free, and have never regretted a second. Every image I've posted to UHH since 2014 has one or more edits via Nik. I can't wait to see if DxO comes up with an expansion of the original!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I had NIK in the old days, I bought the new DxO versions, there have been some updates. I use them as plugins to PS/LR only.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

I had the Google freebie until a disk crash and lost the installation files. I recently purchased the DxO version and found it identical.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

For what it's worth, DXO is currently beta testing version 2 of the Nik Collection. I'm not aware of the specific updates or the expected release date, but my impression is it will be within the next few months.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

It is virtually identical except that the whole system was recompiled by DXO and a number of bug fixes were made that corrected problems that some people were having. As I stated in my previous post, version 2 of the Nik Collection is in beta testing and will likely be released within the next few months. It will be interesting to see whether or not version 2 will be a better value proposition for current users of the original Google version.

Since I use DXO's version of the Nik Collection along with DXO Photolab Elite I will post here with my evaluation when the new version becomes available.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Version 2 is coming soon. Currently in beta. Not aware of the changes though. I'm fairly confident we will see it before the end of the summer.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

iLife NIK and updated to the paid version and found minor changes Ok for me

Jamers Loc: Michigan

Thanks to all of you who took the time to reply, thinking I will go with DXO photo Lab that includes everything even though it is slow. Adobe CS6 has been my goto processing software since I was still able to purchase it. Even though I have one more time to transfer CS6 to my new computer, Adobe is still horsing around with me even though I have all the required information like order number, date of purchase, and serial number, and storemanger@adobe.net, they still are trying to force me to the cloud after I already paid $700.00 for CS6 over six years ago. I had CS4 for quite a while until I found out through a fellow photographer Adobe was no longer supporting it, I was never notified by Adobe about that. This is when I first encountered a problem with Adobe and reluctantly reconciled on a reduced price for the CS6 because I missed the deadline for a free upgrade from CS4. Within this time I got the NIK filters plugin which in my opinion is great, and recommend it to everyone, just be careful not to overcook with it, and keep things natural. End of my rant, thanks for listening, Jamers.