DxO released Nik Collection 8
DxO released Nik Collection 8:
DxO released Nik Collection 8
FYI: Nik Software was the company behind the Nikon Capture NX2 software and other popular photo editing products. Back in 2006, Nikon made a capital investment in Nik Software. In 2017, DxO acquired Nik Collection from Google. The connections between Nik Software, Nik Collection, Nikon Capture NX, DxO Nik Collection, and Nikon involve a shared history of photo-editing software development, technology partnerships, and acquisitions. Here’s the breakdown of their relationships:
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Nik Software and Nikon Collaboration:
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Nik Software (originally Nik Multimedia) was a private company founded in 1995, focused on creating photo-editing tools. In the early 2000s, Nik Software collaborated with Nikon, a leading camera manufacturer, to develop advanced photo-editing technologies.
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This partnership led to the creation of U Point™ technology, a revolutionary system for making selective local adjustments in images by placing control points directly on specific areas. U Point was first integrated into Nikon Capture NX, a RAW image processing software co-developed by Nik Software and Nikon around 2005.
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Nikon also held a financial stake in Nik Software, which explains the shared technologies and features, such as Control Points, appearing in both Nikon’s Capture NX and Nik Software’s products.
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Nik Collection Origins:
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Nik Software developed a suite of photo-editing plugins, starting with tools like Nik Sharpener Pro and Nik Color Efex Pro in the 1990s. Over time, they expanded the suite to include Dfine (noise reduction), Viveza (color and tone adjustments), Silver Efex Pro (black-and-white conversion), and others.
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In 2008, Nik Software bundled these plugins into the Nik Collection, a comprehensive set of tools initially sold at a premium price (e.g., $599.95 for the Complete Collection Ultimate Edition). The Nik Collection was designed to work as plugins with host applications like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom or as standalone tools.
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The U Point technology from Nikon Capture NX was incorporated into several Nik Collection plugins, notably Viveza and Color Efex Pro, enhancing their precision for local adjustments.
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Nikon Capture NX and Nik Collection Integration:
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Nikon Capture NX (and its successor, Capture NX2) was Nikon’s proprietary software for processing RAW (NEF) files from Nikon cameras. It leveraged U Point technology for intuitive editing, making it popular among Nikon users.
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The Nik Collection plugins were compatible with Capture NX, allowing users to enhance their RAW editing workflow with Nik’s advanced tools (e.g., Silver Efex Pro for black-and-white conversions). This integration was seamless because Nik Software developed both the plugins and the U Point technology used in Capture NX.
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However, Nikon discontinued Capture NX2, replacing it with Capture NX-D, which lacked the same level of Nik plugin integration and U Point functionality, disappointing some users.
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Google’s Acquisition and Nik Collection Evolution:
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In 2012, Google acquired Nik Software, primarily for its mobile app Snapseed, but also took ownership of the Nik Collection. Google rebranded it as the Google Nik Collection, reduced its price to $150, and added Analog Efex Pro in 2013. In 2016, Google made the Nik Collection free, but by 2017, it ceased development and support.
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During this period, the Nik Collection remained compatible with Nikon Capture NX for users still running the older software, but no new integrations were developed for Nikon’s newer software like Capture NX-D or NX Studio.
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DxO’s Acquisition and DxO Nik Collection:
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In 2017, DxO Labs, a company known for its photo-editing software (e.g., DxO PhotoLab), acquired the Nik Collection from Google. DxO revived the suite, releasing the DxO Nik Collection in 2018, starting with Nik Collection 2018 (later versions include Nik Collection 6, 7, and 8).
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DxO fixed bugs, updated the codebase for modern systems (e.g., Apple Silicon support), and introduced new features like improved U Point tools and Nik Perspective (later removed in Nik Collection 7). The plugins continued to support Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and DxO PhotoLab, but official support for Nikon’s software (e.g., NX Studio or Capture NX-D) was limited.
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Some users have found workarounds to use DxO Nik Collection plugins with Nikon’s NX Studio or Capture NX-D by converting RAW files to TIFF and using the “Open With” feature, but this is not officially supported by DxO.
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Current State and Nikon Connection:
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The DxO Nik Collection remains a popular suite of seven plugins (as of Nik Collection 7): Color Efex, Silver Efex, Analog Efex, Viveza, Dfine, Sharpener, and HDR Efex. It is no longer directly tied to Nikon’s software ecosystem, focusing instead on compatibility with Adobe products and DxO PhotoLab.
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Nikon’s modern editing software, NX Studio, has limited native support for Nik plugins, requiring manual workflows (e.g., exporting to TIFF) for integration. This is a step back from the tighter integration seen with Capture NX2.
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The historical link to Nikon persists through the shared U Point technology and the legacy of Nik Software’s collaboration, but Nikon’s influence on the Nik Collection has diminished since the Google and DxO acquisitions.
Summary:
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Nik Software created the Nik Collection and co-developed U Point technology with Nikon for Capture NX.
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The Nik Collection was initially a premium plugin suite, integrated with Nikon Capture NX, and later acquired by Google and then DxO.
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Nikon Capture NX used Nik’s U Point technology and supported Nik Collection plugins, but its successors (Capture NX-D, NX Studio) have limited compatibility.
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DxO Nik Collection is the modern iteration, maintained by DxO, with no direct Nikon integration but a legacy rooted in the Nikon-Nik Software partnership.
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Nikon’s role was as a collaborator and stakeholder in Nik Software, influencing the development of U Point and Capture NX, but its connection to the Nik Collection has largely faded.
Via PhotoRumors