Does anybody have experience with Neat Image Version 8.5?

[Big Stan]

I am using Affinity Photo 1.7.3 on a 2019 iMac with MacOS 10.15.2 (Catalina).

Back in my PS days, Noiseware was my "go to" noise reduction plugin. Using Noiseware I could denoise by preset (type of image), tonal range & color range, as well as by noise frequency. I have Noiseware, sort of working with Affinity Photo, but the preview window looks weird. Since Imagenomic explicitly states the they do not support AP, I am in the market for a good noise reduction plugin.

I shoot wildlife photos at fairly low ISOs and my shots are not too noisy. However, I am very picky about maintaining good bird feather detail, so I am looking for a plugin that is not limited to only global application.

Thank you in advance.

[Shadowman]

This program (DxO Nik) has global functionality, https://support.dxo.com/hc/en-us/cat...lection-by-DxO


It's suggested you download the trial to determine compatibility with Mac systems.

[Big Stan]

This program (DxO Nik) has global functionality, https://support.dxo.com/hc/en-us/cat...lection-by-DxO


It's suggested you download the trial to determine compatibility with Mac systems.

[Big Stan]

Thank you.
Unless I miss interpreted your response, "This program (DxO Nik) has global functionality", DxO Nik does not appear to satisfy my needs. I am looking for a package that is not limited to "global functionality".

[Shadowman]

Thank you.
Unless I miss interpreted your response, "This program (DxO Nik) has global functionality", DxO Nik does not appear to satisfy my needs. I am looking for a package that is not limited to "global functionality".

Stan,

I wrote my response incorrectly, Nik software allows you to apply noise reduction using either color ranges or by using control points you can apply NR to specific portions of your image, you can also apply NR to the entire image if you desire.

[Manfred M]

Stan - in my experience, I prefer to do noise reduction during the raw conversion process. This is where the maximum amount of image data is available, i.e. the raw data has not been converted into pixels, so that is where I tend to do this type of work. My tool of choice for noise reduction is DxO PhotoLab 2 (a raw convertor), using their "Prime" algorithm. Unfortunately, PhotoLab treats noise as a global problem and Control Points have not been added to this aspect of their software. In my testing, it seems that noise reduction is handled in a "smart" manner and only applied where it is required.

DxO also owns the Nik collection and as John points out, they do have their control point technology (as well as a colour range technology) incorporated into the Dfine noise reduction plugin. In my experience, it is not as good as the technology in PhotoLab 2. Nik does work as a plugin for Affinity Photo, for both Mac and Windows. The implementation if control points is not as visual in Dfine as in some of the other Nik plug-ins.

This leads me to a technique that might give you the best of both worlds; one that I use all the time when I do in-process sharpening. While I do this with Photoshop, Affinity Photo works the same way:

I will prepare a new layer with appropriate post-processing in the raw convertor and will then open it as a new file in the PP software and copy and paste it into a new layer. I will use a layer mask to show only the part of the image that I want in the final product and typically will have 4 - 6 layers with this operation. The raw convertor that ships with Affinity Photo does allow the user to tweak the noise reduction at raw conversion.

As for Neat Image, sorry, that is not a piece of software I have used before, so can't comment on it.

[Geoff F]

I do a similar thing to Manfred. Create 2 or more Raw conversions with different noise reduction settings then combine them as layers with masking to give a mix of different noise reduction settings as required.

[Big Stan]

I still have the original NIK plugins (from my PS days). But, I must be all thumbs because no matter what I do, I am unable to get the NIK tools in stalled into AP.

[Manfred M]

I still have the original NIK plugins (from my PS days). But, I must be all thumbs because no matter what I do, I am unable to get the NIK tools in stalled into AP.

That suggests that the version of Nik that you have is quite old. DxO Labs bought Nik from Google over 2 years ago (after Google had stopped all development work on it), so that could explain the lack of compatibility. DxO has released several updates of the software since they acquired it.

[Shadowman]

I still have the original NIK plugins (from my PS days). But, I must be all thumbs because no matter what I do, I am unable to get the NIK tools in stalled into AP.

Stan,

You may have tried this already but here is link to using old version of Nik plugins for Affinity Pro.

https://www.photography-raw.com/inst...ffinity-photo/

[Big Stan]

I think that I have tried about everything, still no joy. That link would not open.

[xpatUSA]

Stan - in my experience, I prefer to do noise reduction during the raw conversion process. This is where the maximum amount of image data is available, i.e. the raw data has not been converted into pixels, so that is where I tend to do this type of work. My tool of choice for noise reduction is DxO PhotoLab 2 (a raw convertor), using their "Prime" algorithm.

"the raw data has not been converted into pixels" is most interesting because the Literature seems to imply that raw data is converted by most editors into an intermediate color encoding such as Kodak's Reference Input Medium Metric RGB (RIMM RGB) which, although it is input-related, is actually the result of a conversion from raw to RGB, via XYZ. As such, the RIMM RGB file does have pixels - and could be displayed on an RGB monitor for what that's worth. I thought most editors worked that way.

Perhaps DxO is different ... ?

[proseak]

I think that I have tried about everything, still no joy. That link would not open.

" How to install Nik Collection Plugins in Affinity Photo
by Peter Dam

Switching from Photoshop to Affinity Photo can be a little daunting experience when you first think of it. However, the transition is easier than you think and well worth it.
If you are using Nik Collection Plugins, you might wonder whether you can get them to work in Affinity Photo, or you also need to find alternatives to them too. However, there is no need to worry.

The Nik Collection plugins were mainly developed to use with applications like Photoshop and Lightroom, and other photo editing software. But Affinity Photo wasn’t around when Nik Collections was actively developed and updated, so it doesn’t recognize Affinity straight away in the installation process.

However, this doesn’t mean that you cannot get Nik Collections to work with Affinity Photo with a little workaround.

Note after DxO launched their version of Nik Collection: DxO says that they don’t officially support integrating with Affinity Photo. If you cannot get it to work, by following the below guide, and you still have the old free version from Google, try to re-install that once you have cleaned your Mac from the DxO version.

Download a FREE e-book: 25 Techniques All Photographers Should Master
Reinstalling Nik Collection, So It Works With Affinity Photo

To get Affinity Photo to work with Nik Collection, you need to install it a second time, but in another folder.

Now, open up a finder window and go to the Applications folder. Create a new folder and call it something like “Affinity Photoshop Plugins.” In this folder, you can install all your Photoshop plugins. After going through this tutorial, all your plugins installed in this folder should automatically be detected by Affinity Photo.

Next, you need to reinstall the Nik Collection. Double-click on the .dmg-file you downloaded from the Nik Collection website, following the link above.
Nik Collection InstallationNik Collection Installation
Click on the Nik Collection App to begin the installation.

During the installation process, on the Compatible Host screen, you need to choose which compatible applications you want Nik Collection to work with. However, as you can see Affinity Photo is not listed here.

Click on the plus sign and navigate to Applications and choose the “Affinity Photoshop Plugins” folder that you created just a few minutes ago and click Open.

Select the Affinity Photoshop Plugins

Next, click continue and finish the installation process.

After the installation has finished, switch to Affinity Photo.

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Setting up the Plugins in Affinity Photo

In Affinity Photo go to Preferences and select the Photoshop Plugins button.

Affinity Photo - Preferences

Under “Plugin search folders” select “Add” (#1 on the screenshot below). Next, navigate to the Affinity Photoshop Plugins folder that you created under Applications. Highlight the folder and click OK.

Under “Plugin Support Folders” select “Add” (#2 on the screenshot above). In the popup finder window that appears, press SHIFT + CMD + G. This will bring up the Go to the folder dialogue, as you can see below. Just enter a slash sign “/” and press the Go button. Press OK, to close the finder window too.

Finally, press “Close” to confirm the Photoshop plugins changes you have made. Affinity Photo needs to restart to load the new plugins.

After restarting you can go to Preferences > Photoshop plugins, and you should see that Affinity Photo now recognize the Nik Collection under Detected Plugins.

If you open an image, you should also be able to activate the Nik collection plugins like Viveza or Color Efex by going to Filters -> Plugins -> Nik and then selecting the plugin that you wish to use.

Now you use and enjoy the Nik Collection just as you would if you were using Photoshop.

A note on using Nik Collection Plugins in Affinity Photo is that it applies the plugin filter effects to the active layer and not a new layer as you are used in Photoshop. This means, that before using one of the Nik Collection Plugins you just need to duplicate the layer by pressing CMD + J in Affinity Photo and make it active before running the Nik plugin, so your workflow remains non-destructive.

Concluding words

Combining Affinity Photo with the free Nik Collection plugins is a powerful combination, at a fraction of the cost compared to Photoshop. As a photographer, I doubt that you will feel that anything is lacking in Affinity Photo, as it is a real competitor to Photoshop. You just need to get used to doing things a little differently, but with a little patience and your Nik Collection plugins working, you will be up to speed in no time.

If you use Affinity Photo, I suggest that you take a look at the Affinity Photo Macro pack for Photographers, which will speed up your post-processing workflow and help you get the look you love in no time.

[Manfred M]

"the raw data has not been converted into pixels" is most interesting because the Literature seems to imply that raw data is converted by most editors into an intermediate color encoding such as Kodak's Reference Input Medium Metric RGB (RIMM RGB) which, although it is input-related, is actually the result of a conversion from raw to RGB, via XYZ. As such, the RIMM RGB file does have pixels - and could be displayed on an RGB monitor for what that's worth. I thought most editors worked that way.

Perhaps DxO is different ... ?

You are one step further along the chain than I am in your comments Ted.

There is no question at all that in order to display raw data as an image, these processes have to occur. A colour space and colour temperature, the data has to be assembled and demosaiced. All of this uses the raw data. If we do our noise reduction at this point, all the data that the camera has recorded is available.

The moment we convert the raw data into an image file the data you refer to is written to an image format, given the previously mentioned parameters are "baked in", so as an example out of gamut colours will be lost. When we perform noise reduction on an image file. In my experience, performing noise reduction on an image file usually gives results that are not as good as when done on the raw data.

[Big Stan]

I must a real dinosaur, because after multiple tries I am still unable to get NIK into Affinity Photo. I followed the Peter Dam instructions, that you provided, but at the end the NIK plugins were not in AP. I have had success with Topaz and Imagenomic, but no matter what I do, NIK won't cooperate.

I am using AP 1.7.3 with MacOS 10.15.2.

BTW, is there something that I should be doing with the gibberish in the middle of the instruction?

"[woo-product-slider-pro title=”Latest Products” id=”1″ theme=”theme_one” color=”#e74c3c” products_type=”feature” items=”5″ items_desktop=”5″ items_desktop_small=”3″ items_tablet=”2″ items_mobile=”1″ total_items=”5″ order_by=”date” order=”DESC” rating=”false” sale_text=”true” nav=”true” pagination=”true” pagination_numbers=”true” auto_play=”true” stop_on_hover=”true”]"

[Manfred M]

I must a real dinosaur, because after multiple tries I am still unable to get NIK into Affinity Photo. I followed the Peter Dam instructions, that you provided, but at the end the NIK plugins were not in AP. I have had success with Topaz and Imagenomic, but no matter what I do, NIK won't cooperate.

I am using AP 1.7.3 with MacOS 10.15.2.

BTW, is there something that I should be doing with the gibberish in the middle of the instruction?

"[woo-product-slider-pro title=”Latest Products” id=”1″ theme=”theme_one” color=”#e74c3c” products_type=”feature” items=”5″ items_desktop=”5″ items_desktop_small=”3″ items_tablet=”2″ items_mobile=”1″ total_items=”5″ order_by=”date” order=”DESC” rating=”false” sale_text=”true” nav=”true” pagination=”true” pagination_numbers=”true” auto_play=”true” stop_on_hover=”true”]"

Stan - it may not be something that you have done, but rather changes to operating system, the host software (i.e. Affinity Photo) or to the plug-in (the version in the article is the rather ancient Google version of Nik) and the article itself seems to have been written in 2017.

Unless the software is supported by both the host and the plug-in supplier, you might just be out of luck.

[Big Stan]

Manfred, Thank you.
Since the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, I guess it is time to throw in the towel.

[lesuna]

DxO additionally possesses the Nik assortment and as John calls attention to, they do have their control point innovation (just as a shading range innovation) joined into the Dfine commotion decrease module. As far as I can tell, it isn't tantamount to the innovation in PhotoLab 2. Nik works as a module for Affinity Photo, for both Mac and Windows. The usage if control focuses isn't as visual in Dfine as in a portion of the other Nik modules.