Review of last version

https://www.neocamera.com/article/dam-software/dxo_photolab

DxO Nik Collection 4

• 250 exclusive presets to help you find your own style
• A new, user-friendly design
• Next-level U Point technology
• Improved workflow with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom
• Even more striking black-and-white photos
• $99 intro price

https://shop.dxo.com/en/nik

PR

The fourth version of the Nik Collection software suite now boasts powerful new tools and an even more user-friendly experience.

An industry leader in the field of creative photography, Nik Collection 4 by DxO now features Meta Presets, improved U Point™ technology, and more seamless interactions with Adobe® Photoshop® and Lightroom®.

Packed with a palette of over 250 professional-grade presets, the unparalleled power of U Point™ local adjustment technology, and sophisticated editing tools, Nik Collection 4 targets every aspect of creative photography. From colour photography to black-and-white images, HDR, and analogue film simulation, Nik Collection 4 redefines the limits of creative photography.

A new, user-friendly design for an even more thrilling experience

The easy-to-use design of the software plugins Nik Viveza, dedicated to tone and colour local adjustments, and Nik Silver Efex, the ultimate solution for black-and-white conversion, has been completely revamped to offer an optimal user experience. Both plugins now feature a modern interface that is more beautiful and functional than ever. They also allow users to directly access all available presets, filter for type and favourites more seamlessly, and identify tools more easily through its newly redesigned palettes. That means photographers can concentrate on the essentials—expressing their creativity.

Next-level U Point™ technology

U Point™ technology, the first system to allow users to apply local adjustments without masks, has revolutionized photo editing. Nik Collection 4 now makes it possible to incorporate Control Points into personalized presets.

That means photographers can apply a similar style to several images while still preserving a specific area. For example, users can choose to apply a colour effect as well as a blurred background to several portraits. U Point™ technology also includes a new Colour Tolerance setting so photographers can regulate the saturation of a specific tone range. Users can not only select the colour they want to change, but also adjust the tolerance of similar colour hues. Lastly, Control Points have been made easier to use than ever. This feature now includes fewer sliders, making the applied effect easier to view, and can be renamed so users can craft an optimized workflow experience.

Combine the settings of several plugins with Meta Presets

A new type of filter has been added for Adobe Photoshop users: “Meta Presets.” Directly accessible from the Nik Selective Tool, the Nik Collection software launch tool for Adobe Photoshop, these presets are Adobe Photoshop actions that combine the filters and settings of several Nik Collection plugins into one. They make it possible to edit photos by applying a series of presets from several plugins in just one click. Nik Collection 4 comes with a series of 10 Meta Presets.

Improved workflow with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom

Nik Collection 4 is continuing to expand its selection of lightning-fast retouching features. The Last Edit function, which lets users re-apply the last preset they used in one of the Nik Collection plugins while using Adobe Photoshop, has been extended to include Adobe Lightroom Classic. In addition, the new Smart Copy & Paste feature lets users selectively re-apply the effect of a plugin to one or several images directly in Adobe Lightroom without having to launch the software suite’s interface.

Even more striking black-and-white photos

To help users create even more brilliant black-and-white images, Nik Silver Efex now includes revolutionary ClearView technology, which was first offered in DxO PhotoLab, the market’s leading image-development software. This technology removes haze and enhances local contrast. The results are spectacular: In just one click, users can eliminate haze, all while revealing more natural objects, edges, details, and transitions. Get ready to create even more dazzling black-and-white photos! 

Ever more creative

To offer users an even better editing experience, Nik Viveza features 10 native presets designed by professional photographers. And for fans of analogue black-and-white photography, Nik Silver Efex comes with 39 new and incredibly realistic grains that are even better at accurately recreating the look of iconic films than before.

Price and availability

Nik Collection 4 (Windows and macOS) is now available for download on the DxO website https://shop.dxo.com/ for a special price of £86.99 instead of £125, and £49.99 instead of £69 for the upgrade until June 30, 2021.

Photographers who already own Nik Collection 3 by DxO or a previous version can upgrade their software by signing into their customer accounts. A fully functional, one-month trial version of Nik Collection 4 is available on the DxO website: https://nikcollection.dxo.com/download/.

Nik Collection 4.1

• Overall responsiveness of the interface and option to preview the effects applied to the image, whether in fit or fill mode or zoomed in.
• Significant improvement to U Point technology resulting in more responsive Control Points and adjustments.
• Better support for very high-resolution images.
• Bug fixes and many other improves to the overall user experience.