Efex Color Pro 4.0

[Muizen]

I would like to know what values Efex Color Pro 4.0 can add to LR 3.0 or LR 4.0.
Why would I need it at the relatively high expense?
I feel that the color quality as it comes out of my <leica M9 is not bad at all.

[clee01l]

As LR gets better and better with each version released, it becomes harder and harder to justify add on applications like Color Efex Pro. I can satisfactorily post process over 99.7% of my images with out resorting to pixel pushing editors. I need a pixel editor for panoramas, HDR and special uses images that require layers.

[Muizen]

Cletus,
Do you make use of HDR Efex Pro as an add to LR?
Harry

[clee01l]

No, I've done very few HDR. The ones that I did through LR used PSE.

[chris02]

I don't use color efex that much but silver efex and viveza come in handy.
Why not download the free trial and have go

[Karayuschij]

For me the Tonal Contrast filter (and other contrast filters) in Color Efex are irreplaceable.

[Lightwind]

Hi all

This is a really topical question for me at the moment. I'm trying to decide whether or not the Nik Complete software bundle is worth shelling out for? In particular, do Silver Efex Pro and Color Efex Pro really have so much more functionality than LR4? I'd appreciate any help, advice, suggestions etc. from more experienced users of LR and Nik software.

Or, is it better to perhaps just consider Color Efex and Silver Efex as add-ons?

I've trialled the HDR Efex, but decided I preferred Photomatix, so I bought that. I've also got Photoshop CS4, but I'd describe myself as a complete novice at the moment.

[Muizen]

Lightwind,
I hope like you, to learn what real value Nik's software adds to LR 4.0 that is worth the high prices they expect me to pay for their software.
For this reason I started this thread.

[Victoria Bampton]

Ok, try this for a question.... how often do you use the HSL/Color panel, B&W panel, or local adjustments? At a really basic level, I'd describe SilverFX and Viveza as a step on from those tools. They can do some clever things, and I quite like the U-point technology, but if you don't push LR to its limits at the moment, I'd suggest learning to do that first.

[Lightwind]

Ok, try this for a question.... how often do you use the HSL/Color panel, B&W panel, or local adjustments? At a really basic level, I'd describe SilverFX and Viveza as a step on from those tools. They can do some clever things, and I quite like the U-point technology, but if you don't push LR to its limits at the moment, I'd suggest learning to do that first.

Hi Victoria

I do use the HSL/Color panels etc quite frequently, and with LR continuing to evolve, perhaps the distance between LR and Nik Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro will eventually narrow? I'm not sure if I can push LR to its limits given my current skills, but hopefully these will continue to improve. One thing that attracted me to the Nik software is the apparent "ease of use" in terms of their wide range (wider than LR?) of pre-defined filters that can then be modified as required.

I guess you must be very familiar with the Nik products as being able to extend current LR functionality, so is it possible to give a general rating for Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro in your opinion as adding, say 10% more functionality, or would you say it's higher than that? If it's only around 10%, then for me, I'll definitely stick with LR for now, but if it's more like 30+%, then the additional expense of Nik becomes much more worthwhile in terms of extending the creative options available.

[Victoria Bampton]

I wouldn't say I'm 'very familiar'. I have them, and I've played with them a bit, but they're still on my to do list to explore in more detail. Why not download the trials and see whether you think you'd use them - and while you're playing with Color Efex, try Viveza too.