google makes nix software available for free

[rdking647]

https://plus.google.com/+NikCollection/posts/AFGsG2Di7EK

[Adsos Letter]

1. This is good news.

Their Silver Efex2 is one of my favorite editing programs.

Wonder why they have started giving it away?

[rdking647]

2. i love their software

i use silver efex,dfine and sharpener a lot. i use color efex and viveza occasionally

[Adsos Letter]

3. I really like the define tool.

I'm still learning, and I tend to end up with a lot of noise in some of my images. I like that define handles noise so well, and that I can easily experiment with different strength levels of noise reduction. I use the RAW pre-sharpener a lot also (some would say too much).

[Blue_In_AK]

4. Is that a stand-alone thing,

or do you have to use it with PhotoShop?

[rdking647]

5. i use it with lightroom but i think its stand alone

[Turborama]

6. They are plugins for Lightroom, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Aperture

They originally cost $500 before Google bought the company, then they dropped it to $150 and now they're free.

I've been using Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, Viveza, Sharpener Pro, and Dfine for years and highly recommend them for specific tasks and creativity (especially Color Efex Pro). https://www.google.com/nikcollection/

[Blue_In_AK]

7. Do you think they would work with PaintShopPro or AfterShot Pro?

I guess I could download them and try, and if they don't, just uninstall.

Never mind, I went to the site, and it looks like they aren't compatible. Oh, well...

[ManiacJoe]

9. They work great with Paint Shop Pro.

However, since they are not the normal "8bf" plug-ins, PSP needs to use them via scripting.
I can give you a copy of one of my downloaded scripts if you cannot find one online.

http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=51492

I am still on PSP 16, so the scripts are needed. Rumor has it that PSP 18 might not need the scripts.

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Oh, thank you!

I have 18, so I'll give it a go.

[Adsos Letter]

8. I like to combine Silver Effex with Color Efex

I sometimes use Silver Efex Pro for the initial b&w processing, then move the image to Color Efex Pro for some further adjustments that aren't available in Silver Efex Pro.

Great tools.