Why Silver Efex?

[thompsonkirk]

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I posted this question in another thread about BW processing, but got no response – so I'm asking again with my question in its own thread:

 

"Now that LR/ACR/Photoshop is no longer limited to the Channel Mixer (& other options) for BW conversions, what exactly is the advantage of Silver Efex Pro? How does it improve upon using the multiple sliders (RGB+CMY) in a BW Adjustment Layer?"

 

Kirk

[HASSIE500CM]

Among other things, it will give you the opportunity to give your images a precise film look. Like Tri-X or Delta 100...

[andybarton]

The look is "faux" Tri-X or Delta 100... not precise.

 

But that's just my opinion, of course.

[Marty]

A bit obvious but Silver Efex Pro shares one important advantage with the other Nik plugins: you don't have to use Photoshop. If you are into BW then SEP will simply accelerate you workflow.

 

For instance you can achieve much with layers in PS but Nik's control points are much easier and quicker to use. The film emulations are very convincing or else adjustable, there are plenty of toning options and straightforward style/favourite/preview selection. It is so much more than just a couple of colour sliders. It is a BW adjustment layer on steroids.

 

Again if you are a BW expert you may know how to achieve the exact desired effects in PS, but I am not and so far every attempt to get close to an interesting SEP effect directly in PS has failed...

[Guest WPalank]

Kirk,

The important question is if it's right for you?

 

As others have said, it streamlines the workflow. I think Nik allows a 30 day trial, so what's to lose?

 

Only problem is that the Nik plug-ins do not work in 64 bit, so you have to change to 32 bit if you are in CS5. The other option is to use it in Lightroom.

 

It also looks like the only plug-in that Nik plans to upgrade for 64 bit is Viveza II.

[zeitz]

Kirk, if you are using layers to adjust various sections of the image separately, Silver Efex won't do anything more. Lab space is also available in Photoshop and is not used in Silver Efex to my knowledge. The Silver Efex point and click select is faster when it makes the right selection.

 

I still use Channel Mixer a lot.

 

I've never understood the simulated grain thing. Digital is not roll film, is not wet plate, is not daguerreotype. Why should an image have grain? The classic painters didn't put grain into their pictures. But it's all personal preference. If you want really authentic grain, use film.

[ptarmigan]

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I'd agree with other posters, not having to use PS is in some ways helpful if you are using Aperture or Lightroom - or if you don't have it. I have been using SilverEFX Pro for some while but have stopped using it since the move to 64bit as it only supports 32bit. I have been experimenting using CS5 for B&W conversions using a combination of layers, blending modes, gradient map and high pass filters. The results are very good and now that I have built some actions very quick, though not instant as with SilverEFX Pro.

[esquire53]

The look is "faux" Tri-X or Delta 100... not precise.

 

But that's just my opinion, of course.

 

I agree with this and in an earlier thread, it has been said, that soon nobody will remember the "old" look of analog films.

I used Silver Efex a lot, with no preferences in film settings, but it is the non 64 bit, which stops me from using it and this is true for the other Nik software as well. LR3 and Aperture became so nice and easy to use, so I asume, that it will be difficult to sell Nik products, if they don't move fast towards 64 bit and also make it cheap to upgrade. I'm not waiting for it anymore.

 

Cheers

[stunsworth]

For what it's worth there's a 64 bit version of Alien Skin Exposure - though to be honest if I was a Silver Efex user I'd probably wait for the 64 bit version of that.

[250swb]

I use Silver Efex extensively for B&W, and I'm OK using it in 32 bit for the time being, its no big deal to have CS5 running 32 bit unless you are working with massive files.

 

But what it does over and above using Layers and Masks in Photoshop is give you instant access to alternative possibilities, so subtle or major changes can be seen with a press of the button or slider. It also has the grain effects, and I like the grain effects. I don't care whether it is 'faux' grain, the eye abhors a vacum and while painters never added grain they did add brush strokes and the canvas does have texture. Grain is an expressive part of the image, unless we are to suppose that from now on the clinical digital look is the best we can expect . But thats not to say Silver Efex can't produce very refined clean images just as well.

 

Steve

[shootinglulu]

Please could someone explain bits to me?

[250swb]

Please could someone explain bits to me?

 

 

64-bit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Steve

[shootinglulu]

Thankyou...

[thompsonkirk]

Thank you all for replying!

 

I was just interested in the quality of BW conversions – not in avoiding PS, nor in adding grain.

 

(Adding grain seems strange to me – just like the Pictorialists, who used pencils on their plates & negatives to make them look more like drawings?)

 

I was mostly asking the narrow question: How does it improve upon using the multiple sliders (RGB+CMY) in LR or in a BW Adjustment Layer? No one pointed to advantages in this respect, so IMO the question is answered.

 

Kirk

[Ted W]

Thank you all for replying!

 

I was just interested in the quality of BW conversions – not in avoiding PS, nor in adding grain.

 

(Adding grain seems strange to me – just like the Pictorialists, who used pencils on their plates & negatives to make them look more like drawings?)

 

I was mostly asking the narrow question: How does it improve upon using the multiple sliders (RGB+CMY) in LR or in a BW Adjustment Layer? No one pointed to advantages in this respect, so IMO the question is answered.

 

Kirk

 

Easier, faster. The presets are an excellent starting point for further adjustment. It would take me forever to use the sliders to arrive at, say, "Fuji Across 100" or "Tri-X pushed one stop."

[theendlesshouse]

Because it enables you to take poor files you would normally bin and jazz them up into something descent really easily using sliders and toggle switches in a very intuitive way. You can even add faux film grain after you have correct poor exposure by 'recovering the sky' and adding contrast and structure. Then, if you like, you can add a vignette to emulate the exotic, fast glass wide open, etc. Nik makes it all so easy! Man I hate digital photography!

[stunsworth]

Because it enables you to take poor files you would normally bin and jazz them up into something descent really easily using sliders and toggle switches in a very intuitive

 

It isn't as easy as you make it out to be.

 

If you want a decent photograph you have to have a decent one to start with. The idea that people use plugins such as Efex Pro or Exposure because they can't be bothered to use a decent photograph to start with is rather insulting IMHO.

 

Presumably you'd also include b&w film workers in your critique. After all they often use filters to jazz up an image and increase contrast between clouds sky in an artificial way.

[vdb]

Kirk, I used it extensively a year or so ago. Its simply a short cut. Quick, but nothing that can't be done in cs4/5.... I find that one has much more control in Photoshop...and for me, worth the extra time. Haven't used it since early 2009....and b&w is 90% of what I do.

[theendlesshouse]

 

Presumably you'd also include b&w film workers in your critique. After all they often use filters to jazz up an image and increase contrast between clouds sky in an artificial way.

 

To which there is great skill, there is hardly any craft at all in adjusting a slider with a mouse.

 

If you want ease of use and shallow learning curve with compelling results then Silver Efex is a boon!

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[stunsworth]

To which there is great skill, there is hardly any craft at all in adjusting a slider with a mouse

 

It's not that difficult to fit a yellow filter to a lens <grin>.

 

Serious question, is something more worthy the more difficult it is to do?