I have only had experience with Topaz adjust but have seen some really impressive images with Silver Efex pro which I think I really want.
If I get Nik the whole set comes for $149 I think.
If I go with Topaz I will get Adjust, Denoise and B&W Effects for $190.
For the price and what I get I was thinking Nik is the way to go?
Also looking at getting PS CC since my wife's university discount can get it for $9.99 / month for the first year and finding a copy of PS CS6 on the shelf is proving to be difficult.
I have both and tend to use Topaz more frequently, mostly Adjust, Denoise and Detail (favorite for final sharpening/detailing). From Nik I'm always between Silver Efex (for all B&W, the best for that in my very personal and humble opinion) and Color Efex (Love Darken/Light Center and Tonal Contrast).
I've used both and for the three Topaz filters you've listed you're far better off with Nik. Dfine beats Denoise and I much prefer Silver Efex Pro 2 to B&W Effects. I've not used Adjust, but given that you have 3 forms of "adjustment" tools with Nik I suspect that it's at least a dead heat. The nice thing about Nik is that you never have to pay again if they upgrade - you just get it. I love some of Topaz's artier filters, but I can't live without Nik.
Yes it's comparable and probably if I'd do a in depth tutorial I'd probably only use the DFine exclusively...but when I have a picture that I took with a high ISO and I crop it...hello noise!!! That's when I pull out the DeNoise...it has more power...IMO.
BUt in " normal" pictures with reasonable ISO it's perfect!!!
I have complete sets of both and rarely use Topaz now, except for their "simplify" plugin fairly frequently to mute detail without hurting acuity, now that I have the Sony a7r, which can sometimes be too sharp...
For me, Nik's the MUCH more useful set. By far. Nearly everything I work on goes straight from RAW to Viveza for touch up. And Nik's control point technology is fantastic.
Ditto to the rest. Have the whole Topaz suite and used to use it a lot, til I got Nik. DeNoise and Simplify still get occasional use, but that's about it.
I see a lot of people that have the entire Topaz suite and rarely to never use it. That thing is $500 for everything. I would be highly upset if I paid $500 for something I rarely use. Even more frustrated that a $150 software suite does a better job and has free upgrades.
While I mostly agree, Nik + Topaz DeNoise, I must also put in a plug for Topaz Clarity. I use that as my second most Topaz plugin. It's ready quite nice and powerful.
New computer, PS CC, and Nik all installed. Pretty easy process. I fooled with Nik a little but am still trying to grasp the full potential of it. I've used silver efex and color pro a little and really like it but feel I'm over processing images. I'm going out of town for the fourth but will try to find some time to mess will some old photos in the next 2 days before I go. I'll post them in here for advice if anyone's willing to give it.
New computer, PS CC, and Nik all installed. Pretty easy process. I fooled with Nik a little but am still trying to grasp the full potential of it. I've used silver efex and color pro a little and really like it but feel I'm over processing images. I'm going out of town for the fourth but will try to find some time to mess will some old photos in the next 2 days before I go. I'll post them in here for advice if anyone's willing to give it.
Good use of control points is the key - vary the application of the filter across the image. I never (ever) blanket apply. There is a Nik training video on how to not leave a 'signature'. It's worth a look.
I haven't used Nik, but I use Adjust, DeNoise and ReMask extensively. I also get a reasonable amount of usage from Simplify for touching up the skin. That being said, I only paid about 150$-170$ for it (suite of 10 plugins) about 3 years ago at Joe McNally's one light two light seminar.
DeNoise is a great tool, and I had bought that first after checking out reviews online (the guy selling at the seminar gave me a discount off the sales price since I already had this one). Adjust is also a great tool and ReMask is just fantastic. I don't know if Nik has a masking tool like ReMask or not, I use it pretty much any time I am going to mask something, it's so simple to use and I would never be able to accomplish the same job in PS alone.
So all that being said, I wouldn't have paid $500 for it, even if DeNoise is better (I am not saying it is), I would make do with Define, as I am sure it works well as well. If there is no comparable masking tool, I would get ReMask though.
New computer, PS CC, and Nik all installed. Pretty easy process. I fooled with Nik a little but am still trying to grasp the full potential of it. I've used silver efex and color pro a little and really like it but feel I'm over processing images. I'm going out of town for the fourth but will try to find some time to mess will some old photos in the next 2 days before I go. I'll post them in here for advice if anyone's willing to give it.
Good use of control points is the key - vary the application of the filter across the image. I never (ever) blanket apply. There is a Nik training video on how to not leave a 'signature'. It's worth a look.
I haven't used Nik, but I use Adjust, DeNoise and ReMask extensively. I also get a reasonable amount of usage from Simplify for touching up the skin. That being said, I only paid about 150$-170$ for it (suite of 10 plugins) about 3 years ago at Joe McNally's one light two light seminar.
DeNoise is a great tool, and I had bought that first after checking out reviews online (the guy selling at the seminar gave me a discount off the sales price since I already had this one). Adjust is also a great tool and ReMask is just fantastic. I don't know if Nik has a masking tool like ReMask or not, I use it pretty much any time I am going to mask something, it's so simple to use and I would never be able to accomplish the same job in PS alone.
So all that being said, I wouldn't have paid $500 for it, even if DeNoise is better (I am not saying it is), I would make do with Define, as I am sure it works well as well. If there is no comparable masking tool, I would get ReMask though.
the total pkg for Nik is $149...that's everything. And it is continually being updated without having to re-buy.
