New NIK Collection 2 on sale

Slipperman

Senior Member
but if you look at the web page, there 42 new presets for the main modules plus a free upgrade to PhotoLab (for those who use it). besides by now, the original collection is probably older technology even if they do still work.
 

hark

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but if you look at the web page, there 42 new presets for the main modules plus a free upgrade to PhotoLab (for those who use it). besides by now, the original collection is probably older technology even if they do still work.

The latest version was created by an entirely different company than the original so although paying for the software, it's going to a different software owner. But I totally understand the frustration with paying a second time. Not enough changes to warrant me to pay though.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Might be a good deal for those looking for a reason to upgrade to PhotoLab, I don't know... Either way I'll be taking a hard pass on this. The Google version of NIK works as well as it ever has and the last thing I'm currently in the market for is new/additional software.
 

Vixen

Senior Member
Has anyone upgraded to DXO Nik? and does it work with PS CC 2020? Unfortunately Google NIK doesn't, so I am running 2 versions of PS just to use NIK. Thinking it may be worth upgrading. Anyone done it?
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Has anyone upgraded to DXO Nik? and does it work with PS CC 2020? Unfortunately Google NIK doesn't, so I am running 2 versions of PS just to use NIK. Thinking it may be worth upgrading. Anyone done it?
Google NIK does work as a plug-in for Photoshop CC 2020, but Adobe changed the location of where plug-ins need to be located. This new location, Adobe assures, will stay consistent across future updates so we don't have this problem with our plug-ins getting broken.

If you're running a Windows PC and have the installer for NIK just reinstall it using the path to the proper location: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC

If you don't have the installer for Google's version of NIK I can provide you a copy.
 
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hark

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Opinions on NIK vs Topaz?
@BackdoorArts can you give a comparison between these two since you've used both extensively? [MENTION=13090]Horoscope Fish[/MENTION] have you used both of these? I know previously you used the Nik Collection. I can't remember your knowledge about Topaz.
 

Vixen

Senior Member
Google NIK does work as a plug-in for Photoshop CC 2020, but Adobe changed the location of where plug-ins need to be located. This new location, Adobe assures, will stay consistent across future updates so we don't have this problem with our plug-ins getting broken.

If you're running a Windows PC and have the installer for NIK just reinstall it using the path to the proper location: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC

If you don't have the installer for Google's version of NIK I can provide you a copy.

I've tried a few things that didn't work obviously. I'll try this. Thanks. Couldn't find ANYTHING online that actually worked

*** Addit*** Thankyou sooooooooooooo much. It worked!! Cool!!
 
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Vixen

Senior Member
Awesome. So glad it worked out!! :cool:

I have to take it back :( Its there, and all the filters etc are there but they won't apply :( Got any suggestions? or.... hang on maybe its just my recipes. Off I go again.....

Nope... not applying the filters :( Damn. I was excited. Will have to reinstall and back to CC2019
 
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Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I have to take it back :( Its there, and all the filters etc are there but they won't apply :( Got any suggestions? or.... hang on maybe its just my recipes. Off I go again.....

Nope... not applying the filters :( Damn. I was excited. Will have to reinstall and back to CC2019
GAH! Okay, one last possible fix and a bit of a brute force approach.

First you're going to copy the known-to-be-working Google folder from PS 2019 to PS 2020 but using a new location:

Navigate here: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CC 2019\Plug-ins
Ctrl+C to copy the "Google" folder
Navigate here: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins
Ctrl+V to paste the "Google" folder

Then you're going to run the NIK installer and when prompted about where to install, you're going to browse to: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins and click OK.

If THAT doesn't have you up and running properly I will admit defeat.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
@BackdoorArts can you give a comparison between these two since you've used both extensively? [MENTION=13090]Horoscope Fish[/MENTION] have you used both of these? I know previously you used the Nik Collection. I can't remember your knowledge about Topaz.
I have older versions of Topaz Adjust, Clarity, Restyle and Black and White but I think all of those individual plug-in have since been combined into "Topaz Studio". The only up-to-date Topaz plug-in I have is Denoise, which I like very much. It didn't come cheap but I'm glad I have it. NIK Tools I've had for what seems like forever and I still use some of the plug-ins from time to time, others not so much.

I wouldn't really know where to start comparing NIK vs Topaz, especially considering I have old versions of Topaz with the exception of Denoise. NIK is still available for free which makes it a no-brainer in my opinion even if it's just to have it around, I mean why not? Topaz has some great tools, I just think the cost means considering what you're getting versus what you're spending and how you typically edit your images.
 

hark

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I have older versions of Topaz Adjust, Clarity, Restyle and Black and White but I think all of those individual plug-in have since been combined into "Topaz Studio". The only up-to-date Topaz plug-in I have is Denoise, which I like very much. It didn't come cheap but I'm glad I have it. NIK Tools I've had for what seems like forever and I still use some of the plug-ins from time to time, others not so much.

I wouldn't really know where to start comparing NIK vs Topaz, especially considering I have old versions of Topaz with the exception of Denoise. NIK is still available for free which makes it a no-brainer in my opinion even if it's just to have it around, I mean why not? Topaz has some great tools, I just think the cost means considering what you're getting versus what you're spending and how you typically edit your images.

Thank you, Paul!
 

Vixen

Senior Member
GAH! Okay, one last possible fix and a bit of a brute force approach.

First you're going to copy the known-to-be-working Google folder from PS 2019 to PS 2020 but using a new location:

Navigate here: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CC 2019\Plug-ins
Ctrl+C to copy the "Google" folder
Navigate here: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins
Ctrl+V to paste the "Google" folder

Then you're going to run the NIK installer and when prompted about where to install, you're going to browse to: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins and click OK.

If THAT doesn't have you up and running properly I will admit defeat.

Copied and pasted, tried it and appears to work WITHOUT having to run the installer again. Seems when I reinstalled, it put it in a folder call "nik Colection" and NOT Google. Maybe that has something to do with it. Anyway, I'll try it all out. Just had a quick go just now but looks promising. Thankyou so much Paul :D
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
... Seems when I reinstalled, it put it in a folder call "nik Colection" and NOT Google. Maybe that has something to do with it...
The folder thing would definitely be a problem but it sounds like you've got things ironed out. Yea!!

*Update*: I'm a bit confused myself now...

I have some plug-ins installed in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2020\Plug-ins and other plug-ins installed in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC.

*Bonus Update*: I found Adobe's official explanation which states:

"Note: In the past, third-party plug-ins using their own installation mechanism weren’t automatically moved or synchronized between major Photoshop versions (such as Photoshop CS6).

In order to minimize the need for re-installation between major versions, we've asked developers to start installing into a shared Creative Cloud location. Please reinstall/update your 3rd party plug-ins for to use the Shared Creative Cloud Location so third-party plug-ins are automatically loaded between major versions."​
Those instructions lead me here: Locate Plug-in Folders which explain where to install third-party plug-ins. This is the official word from Adobe Support.

Posting this in hopes it may help someone else in the future.
 
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BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Opinions on NIK vs Topaz?

I used Nik before Google bought them and continued to use them up until I discovered the Topaz AI products. I wasn't going to buy the DxO version because I'd already paid for it and I was really only using a handful of filters anyway. I can't tell you if the new versions work better than the old but I will say that for me with the Nik stuff I had a tendency to over-process because once you are in the tool you look at it and say, "Hmmmm, what about this...?"

With Topaz my wildlife workflow is down to this: Crop in Lightroom and send to Photoshop (no other adjustments), Denoise AI, Camera Raw Filter, Adjust AI, Dodge/Burn/Blur, (maybe) one more trip to Camera Raw to tweak colors and add finishing vignette. My photos look less processed and I spend less time staring at the screen.

That said, the cost of Topaz is about 2x the Nik price unless they put together a bundle that allows you to save. The nice thing about their bundles is that if you already own anything in one then they take off the relative price of that and give you the remaining items at the same discount. In other words I decided to get their Mask AI product and it was included in a bundle with Adjust AI (which I had purchased) and Studio 2 (which they had given me as a 'loyal user' when it first came out. Mask AI is $99 but was discounted to $79 at the time and I had a 15% off code which brought it to about $67. The bundle was $149 with the Mask portion of that being $46, so I just purchased the bundle and they pulled out the stuff I had and I got it for less than half the full retail.

I like that they are buy once, upgrade forever. I don't like that their AI products are very taxing on my Macbook Pro. If I'm really wanting to do some work I'll close down everything but maybe email and unplug the second monitor to free up the graphics card horsepower. Even then, if I'm trying to make a video for someone on how to do something via screen recording a denoise operation can take 4-5 minutes when it normally takes about 20 seconds. But the results are worth it to me, and I like that their products all have 30 day trials which, if you create new accounts with a new email, you can do a couple of before you decide if you're sure about using it.
 

Woodyg3

Senior Member
Contributor
I like that their products all have 30 day trials which, if you create new accounts with a new email, you can do a couple of before you decide if you're sure about using it.

Thanks, Pete. LOL. Thanks, Jake. I'm thinking of upgrading my computer before too long, then I will probably have to give Topaz products a try.
 
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