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<blockquote data-quote="BackdoorArts" data-source="post: 226814" data-attributes="member: 9240"><p>So, I figured I might as well close the door on this thread. On the back end of playing with this for a month here's what I come up with in a nutshell...</p><p></p><p>Nik Complete Collection is a much better, less expensive and easier to use suite of tools for image editing than the Perfect Photo Suite Pro. Here's my reasoning.</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Viveza 2.0 is essentially on level ground with Perfect Enhance in terms of what it does, but the control point functionality makes it much more flexible and usable.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I would have given an edge to Perfect Effects 8 over Color Efex Pro 4 just for the sheer number of filters, but since Nik added Analog Efex they are at least equals, and perhaps Nik is again ahead on this one. Plus there are the control points.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Silver Efex Pro 2 is a notch and a half above Perfect B&W as it allows much finer control of various tonalities and structure elements. Perfect B&W has more available in terms of borders and framing, and includes the ability to use a B&W version as a blending layer with the original image internal to the program instead of externally in Photoshop (I prefer to blend in PS, but it's a feature).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You get HDR Efex Pro 2 with Nik and don't need to spend $$ on another piece of software.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You get Dfine 2.0 with Nik, which may be the best noise reduction software there is.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Nik interface in Photoshop is much less quirky to use than Perfect Photo, which for some reason requires combinations of single-clicks and double-clicks to invoke.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Oh yeah, Nik has those Control Points I've been mentioning.</li> </ul><p></p><p>Perfect Photo Suite, while paling to the Nik Collection in terms of editing, does have these things going for it...</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Perfect Mask is probably the easiest tool I've used to create complex layer masks and remove backgrounds. It does everything you can do in Photoshop with lassos and smart selection tools, but it does it quicker and more easily, and is better at those hard spots like hair and gaps in trees, etc.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Perfect Portrait has some really nice tools for fixing, well, portraits. I've not used other portrait specific tools, but probably would not find the need to with this available to me.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Perfect Resize does a pretty darn good job at taking a high-res image and making it even bigger without losing detail or sharpness. So, if you need to go past the 13x19 image you're getting from your camera and maybe do a wall-sized print, this can get you there.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If you are used to using Photoshop and layer masks this will have a much quicker learning curve.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Perfect Photo Suite can be operated as standalone software and does not require Lightroom, Photoshop or Aperture with it - and the standalone product is only $79 (the Premium edition for LR/PS is listed at $299 but is on sale for $179, and I suspect it will remain at or near that for a while).</li> </ul><p></p><p></p><p>OK, so all that said, I decided to throw the money at Perfect Photo as well, primarily for the Mask and Portrait functionality. I downloaded this just after I delivered my first set of product shots to a customer. The time required for me to smooth out backgrounds and remove noise was about 8-15 minutes per shot for 20 shots. I went back and was able to accomplish this in well under 5 minutes per shot, and it had the added advantage of allowing me to quickly pull in a standard background layer within the app. That time savings alone will eventually pay for the tool, so the Portrait and Resize tools are gravy.</p><p></p><p>If I had to recommend only one tool I would still tell folks to buy the Nik Collection - it's more powerful, cheaper and easier to use. But I do believe there are some nice functions here if you are a big tweaker like me, or have the business need.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="BackdoorArts, post: 226814, member: 9240"] So, I figured I might as well close the door on this thread. On the back end of playing with this for a month here's what I come up with in a nutshell... Nik Complete Collection is a much better, less expensive and easier to use suite of tools for image editing than the Perfect Photo Suite Pro. Here's my reasoning. [LIST] [*]Viveza 2.0 is essentially on level ground with Perfect Enhance in terms of what it does, but the control point functionality makes it much more flexible and usable. [*]I would have given an edge to Perfect Effects 8 over Color Efex Pro 4 just for the sheer number of filters, but since Nik added Analog Efex they are at least equals, and perhaps Nik is again ahead on this one. Plus there are the control points. [*]Silver Efex Pro 2 is a notch and a half above Perfect B&W as it allows much finer control of various tonalities and structure elements. Perfect B&W has more available in terms of borders and framing, and includes the ability to use a B&W version as a blending layer with the original image internal to the program instead of externally in Photoshop (I prefer to blend in PS, but it's a feature). [*]You get HDR Efex Pro 2 with Nik and don't need to spend $$ on another piece of software. [*]You get Dfine 2.0 with Nik, which may be the best noise reduction software there is. [*]The Nik interface in Photoshop is much less quirky to use than Perfect Photo, which for some reason requires combinations of single-clicks and double-clicks to invoke. [*]Oh yeah, Nik has those Control Points I've been mentioning. [/LIST] Perfect Photo Suite, while paling to the Nik Collection in terms of editing, does have these things going for it... [LIST] [*]Perfect Mask is probably the easiest tool I've used to create complex layer masks and remove backgrounds. It does everything you can do in Photoshop with lassos and smart selection tools, but it does it quicker and more easily, and is better at those hard spots like hair and gaps in trees, etc. [*]Perfect Portrait has some really nice tools for fixing, well, portraits. I've not used other portrait specific tools, but probably would not find the need to with this available to me. [*]Perfect Resize does a pretty darn good job at taking a high-res image and making it even bigger without losing detail or sharpness. So, if you need to go past the 13x19 image you're getting from your camera and maybe do a wall-sized print, this can get you there. [*]If you are used to using Photoshop and layer masks this will have a much quicker learning curve. [*]Perfect Photo Suite can be operated as standalone software and does not require Lightroom, Photoshop or Aperture with it - and the standalone product is only $79 (the Premium edition for LR/PS is listed at $299 but is on sale for $179, and I suspect it will remain at or near that for a while). [/LIST] OK, so all that said, I decided to throw the money at Perfect Photo as well, primarily for the Mask and Portrait functionality. I downloaded this just after I delivered my first set of product shots to a customer. The time required for me to smooth out backgrounds and remove noise was about 8-15 minutes per shot for 20 shots. I went back and was able to accomplish this in well under 5 minutes per shot, and it had the added advantage of allowing me to quickly pull in a standard background layer within the app. That time savings alone will eventually pay for the tool, so the Portrait and Resize tools are gravy. If I had to recommend only one tool I would still tell folks to buy the Nik Collection - it's more powerful, cheaper and easier to use. But I do believe there are some nice functions here if you are a big tweaker like me, or have the business need. [/QUOTE]
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