Still waiting for someone to explain exactly why, with real world comparisons 
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Can’t explain but I think I’m supporting Alecs opinion about Efex Pro but it has a terrible draw back - it uses TIFF as an intermediate file format. I haven’t upgraded from version 3 or so of that reason. I have been waiting for DXO to make a version that uses the RAW in Photolab instead of TIFF. I normally refuse to use a DXO-plugin that works like it was made for Lightroom even with Photolab. Both NIK and Photolab is DXO, but still there is no integration after three versions or more.
… to be more specific, I still use Silver Efex Pro when I really want to polish a B&W, because the results are superior but since I really hate TIFF, it´s not a part of my every day workflow and that goes for Capture One too. Even the later I just use when I have to get a better layer control than PL can offer.
Silver Efex Pro is a more optimized tool for B&W than PL and gives better results for me and many others are of the same opinion.
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There’s something in both statements.
- Silver Efex presets produce images with a wider range of expressions than PhotoLab’s presets. This means that we can get impressive images with less effort (if we neglect the preparation of TIFFs)
- When I tried to produce comparable results with PhotoLab, I found it to be more demanding, but that it could possibly be done with some practice and a few cut corners.
Anyways, Nik and DPL don’t have to compete, it’s just that some prefer the one over the other. Also, taste (in both results and process-wise) are personal and I’d not waste energy in discussing which one is better without first having agreed to a reference/baseline…
Nonsense. BW from Silver Efex Pro are at another level than what comes out of PhotoLab without standing on your head and saying the rosary backwards. Silver Efex Pro works with the zone system created by Ansel Adams. PhotoLab is designed to work with colour images and colour tones and not the zone system.
You’ve admitted as much (more time, and “cutting corners”). PhotoLab is not a tool I would ever choose to process BW images. There are other programs which are much more intuitive for BW processing like Silver Efex Pro. I haven’t tested or sought the others as I’ve owned Silver Efex Pro since the Google days.
Only until you get to know how PL works with B&W renderings. Please make available a RAW image that you have converted using SFX and I will show you just how easy and how quick it is to do in PL.
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Joanna, we’ve already had one round of this. Even my longtime forum foes conceded that your PhotoLab BW were inferior to my conversion of the same image from a tiny colour rendering with Silver Efex Pro.
Let it go.
If you would to improve your BW images, you would do well to use Silver Efex Pro and Ansel Adams’s zone system (built into Silver Efex Pro) for your future BW work.
Unfortunately, your “kludge” gave an over-sharpened, over-contast version that was far from the usual quality of my fine art prints.
I don’t need the zone system for processing because I didn’t use it to calculate the exposure. Anyway, with a digital sensor coping with 14+ stops range, there is no need to compress dynamic range in the same way as with limited range film.
Let’s put it this way, I exhibit my B&W prints and get lovely reviews from other expert photographers, so let’s agree to disagree about which app produces the best result because it all depends on the person using it.
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that’s about right, process your picture the way you like for the result you want, we all have difference in taste and there’s always going to be someone saying… I would have done it another way!
Which I noted was a quick conversion done on a small version of the file. And I also noted, the conversion is a question of artistic taste. To my eyes, your BW images are desaturated colour images, not BW images. Whatever floats your boat, Joanna. Anyone who would like to compare the different styles can do so on the existing thread where there are plenty of examples of both styles.
I hope we can save the forum another round of petty snippiness over months. Let’s just drop the issue. You have one view of BW and I have another. And that’s okay.
This thread was about what I thought was unreasonable DxO trying to prise more money out of me, it has wandered somewhat.
No one confirmed or otherwise my belief that I do not need Pure Raw 3 as it is built into PhotoLab 6 Elite, as for having to pay for the upgrade to a product I paid for only 4 months ago, I have made my choice.
I am only an occasional photographer, but have paid out many £100’s over recent years for DxO product, so I will stop now and not upgrade again, ever. No more of my hard saved Pension will flow in the direction of DxO.
when you login in your dxo account, you can add and remove software as you wish to your cart. maybe you click the wrong Nik checkout and selected the one with pureraw, you can go in your cart and remove it. as for software pricing… every software are in the same club, new release in Spring and big sale before Xmas. nothing new here, do some online search and you’ll find you felt in that “not knowing” circle. sorry.
Thank you, I am aware of that, but that is not what happened. Also your reply unfortunately does not address the question you quoted.
No native speaker here, but I don’t get “or otherwise my belief”.
and from another post
Also your reply unfortunately does not address the question you quoted.
The functions from DxO PureRaw are contained in DxO PL – if this answers your “question”.
Sorry Wolfgang, it means “does PL6 Elite have Pure Raw 3 (features) built-in or not”. And thank you, you have answered my question, it does, so I do not need it as an add-on.
I have posted here before on the subject - I was charged for an upgrade a few weeks after I had purchased the then latest version - and DXO wouldn’t budge. Since then I have refused to upgrade Photolab or Niksoft, DXO have lost out on £x00’s and will continue to do so, for the sake of a few quid. I do not understand their thinking. I was however very tempted by Pure Raw, very impressed with it. I hesitated and then Adobe Lightroom produced their version, compares very (very) well with Pure Raw. Having done the math as the cousins say, my £9.99 per month for Photoshop (great new AI masking features) and Lightroom (and Bridge) with their included and often significant upgrades is more economical than keeping pace with DXO’s minor upgrades/major expense programme.
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That’s a good way of putting it, I’ve been using PL for nearly a year now and love it but am a little disappointed in how long things end up mouldering in the backlog
I use a workflow where I use Acdsee to manage my images, and call Photolab and Nik Collection from Acdsee. Gives me lots of options. However, since Nik 5.2 some Nik apps (including Silver Efex) can no longer be seen by Acdsee. Nik 6 is the same, so have made the decision to not upgrade and no longer use Nik collection. I tried some B&W in Photolab today and got good results. In terms of “replacing” Silver efex, I was wondering whether Filmpack would help?
Test FP yourself to see if you are happy with and compare it to Nik SilverEfex,
when you still have a licence.
Personally, I prefer Nik SEP and print via PS …
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I use nothing but FilmPack in PhotoLab and get astounding results. The main advantage is that I don’t have to convert from RAW like I would with SFX.
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it’s a “must have” or you’ll be missing some adjustment. when you buy PL elite you’re missing a foot plus an arm, you need viewpoint and filmpack to access all adjustment within PhotoLab, or you need a sidekick software that does it for you =]
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