MM1 files no longer open in Nik filters?

[DandA]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi All,

I encountered a strange problem.  I have the original NIk filters installed in Photoshop on my Windows 10 CPU.  I can open any Tiff or jpeg file from any camera (except one) in any of the Nik programs from within Photoshop.  Yet when I open a MM1 monochrome image in Photoshop (a Tiff or jpeg.... when I go to the filters drop down menu in Photoshop, the Nik selection is grayed out and not available.  In addition, if I for example open both a Tiff or jpeg from any other camera in Photoshop along with opening a Tiff or jpeg from the MM1, if I highlight the file from any other camera, the Nik filter selection is available but if I highlight the MM1 Tiff or jpeg, it's grayed out. 

I can also access the usual Nik filter selections on the right side of the Photoshop window where a Nik filter selection is located and when I try selecting any Nik program/filter with a MM1 file from this location (instead of Photoshops filter drop down selection), it simple says Nik selection is not available.  I even tried some MM1 files shot years ago that opened with Nik previously but even those don't any longer.  Other than that, Nik filters seems to work perfectly with every other Tiff and jpeg from every other camera file.  

I have learned that the original Nik filters now available from DxO can be used as a stand alone and I haven't yet downloaded and tried this but can't see why the Nik filters in Photoshop don't work with my  MM1 files "only". Any ideas of what this issue is would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Dave

Edited January 31, 2020 by DandA

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Ken Abrahams]

As long as the image is in RGB and not Grayscale, look in "image/Mode". Otherwise like many of us, one pays for the latest versions through DXO 

[DandA]

7 hours ago, Kendoo said:

As long as the image is in RGB and not Grayscale, look in "image/Mode". Otherwise like many of us, one pays for the latest versions through DXO 

Appreciate your response. I would assume images from the MM1 as far as I know are in Grayscale and that shouldn't prevent the Tiff or jpeg from opening in any and all of Nik filters, so I cannot imagine that's the problem. Additionally Tiffs or jpegs used to open in Nik filters. Why the Nik filter drop down menu is grayed out with just images from the MM1 is a mystery to me.

As an aside, I was originally an early adopter to all the Nik filters and " did" pay for the boxed version when they were first released many years ago. This was long before Google and Dxo acquire them. Of course the version I am currently using is the free versions Google offered a few years ago. This still doesn't explain why only MM1 files don't open in any of the Nik filters but any other camera files do.

Dave

[Ken Abrahams]

Change it to RBG and see if its greed out? Images need to be in RBG for Silvereffex. 

[colint544]

I used to have SilverEffex Pro2, and if wouldn't work if I hadn't changed a file from grayscale to RGB. Files from the M Monochrom mk1 are grayscale by default. I'd select RGB from the drop-down menu, run them through SFX2 as a layer, flatten them when I was satisfied with the look of the image, and save them as TIFF files.

Edited February 1, 2020 by colint544

[Ken Abrahams]

4 minutes ago, colint544 said:

I used to have SilverEffex Pro2, and if wouldn't work if I hadn't changed a file from grayscale to RGB.

Well I won't argue with you but I just tested it with an image by turning it to grey scale and all my filters greyed out and were unusable. Silver effex needs the colour information for the filters within the program to work and given the Monochrom hasn't any colour information it still must be in RGB Mode as opposed to Greyscale 

[DandA]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Kendoo, I think Colint544 was saying the say thing as you did...namely that the monochrome file must be converted from Grayscale to RGB first before it would work with SilverEffex Pro2.

Tonight when I am back to my desktop with my monochrome files, I'll do what you both suggested and see if that works. Thanks again to both of you for responding.

Dave

[Ken Abrahams]

43 minutes ago, DandA said:

Kendoo, I think Colint544 was saying the say thing as you did...namely that the monochrome file must be converted from Grayscale to RGB first before it would work with SilverEffex Pro2.

Tonight when I am back to my desktop with my monochrome files, I'll do what you both suggested and see if that works. Thanks again to both of you for responding.

Dave

Okay, sorry about that Colint544 👍

[SrMi]

Thank you Kendoo for advice about converting Grayscale -> RGB.

When importing M10M files to LR, no explicit mode conversions are needed to run Nik Collection, Topaz, etc. filters. Also, opening M10M DNG files in PS via LR creates TIFF files in RGB mode; all filters are enabled.

Only if opening M10M files in PS via ACR will they be opened in Grayscale and need to be converted to RGB for filters to work.

[DandA]

SrMi,

 

I import all Raw files into ACR, so your explanation is apparently the reason Nik filters aren't available to my MM1 Tiff or jpeg files. I was certain a few years ago while using ACR, that my MM1 Tiffs/jpegs did work with my Nik filters without converting to RGB, but maybe I am mistaken. As I mentioned in previous post, I will try this out with MM1 files this evening. Thanks ever so much!

Dave

[colint544]

3 hours ago, Kendoo said:

Okay, sorry about that Colint544 👍

No worries, man - I was agreeing with you there. Probably not very clearly. Essentially yes, you have to convert the standard grayscale image to RGB for SFX to work.

Edited February 1, 2020 by colint544

[DandA]

Hi All,

 

I just opened a MM1 file and converted it from Grayscale to RGB.  That did the trick and it can now be used in all Nik filters.  Funny I don't recall needing to do this a long time ago but maybe I had forgotten that I did convert to RGB before use with the Nik filters.  In any case I'd like to thank each and everyone here who took the time to post and contribute their imput to the solution.  It's greatly appreciated!!

Dave

[SrMi]

48 minutes ago, DandA said:

Hi All,

 

I just opened a MM1 file and converted it from Grayscale to RGB.  That did the trick and it can now be used in all Nik filters.  Funny I don't recall needing to do this a long time ago but maybe I had forgotten that I did convert to RGB before use with the Nik filters.  In any case I'd like to thank each and everyone here who took the time to post and contribute their imput to the solution.  It's greatly appreciated!!

Dave

You may have accidentally changed  the Camera Raw setting to Gray Gamma 2.2. You can see the selected setting at the bottom of the Camera Raw window. Changing it to an RGB setting eliminates the need for conversion in PS.

[DandA]

29 minutes ago, SrMi said:

You may have accidentally changed  the Camera Raw setting to Gray Gamma 2.2. You can see the selected setting at the bottom of the Camera Raw window. Changing it to an RGB setting eliminates the need for conversion in PS.

If I had done that, then wouldn't that have been a global command (choice) and that any file from any camera opened in ACR, would open in Gray Gamma 2.2? Unless it only applies to a specific camera or possibly only to a monochrom camera?

Dave

[SrMi]

2 hours ago, DandA said:

If I had done that, then wouldn't that have been a global command (choice) and that any file from any camera opened in ACR, would open in Gray Gamma 2.2? Unless it only applies to a specific camera or possibly only to a monochrom camera?

Dave

Good point. I tried it out, and it seems that ACR has one setting for monochrome files and another setting for color files. After I set Gray Gamma 2.2; 16bit for monochrome DNGs, it did not force color DNGs to open in black and white.

Another possibility is a new PS installation, or the ACR's preferences got deleted. In that case, monochrome DNGs get opened with Gray Gamma 2.2; 8bit as well.

Apart from Gray Gamma, I would assume that opening M10M's image as 8-bit files is not optimal either (default ACR setting).

 

Edited February 2, 2020 by SrMi

[DandA]

1 hour ago, SrMi said:

Good point. I tried it out, and it seems that ACR has one setting for monochrome files and another setting for color files. After I set Gray Gamma 2.2; 16bit for monochrome DNGs, it did not force color DNGs to open in black and white.

Another possibility is a new PS installation, or the ACR's preferences got deleted. In that case, monochrome DNGs get opened with Gray Gamma 2.2; 8bit as well.

Apart from Gray Gamma, I would assume that opening M10M's image as 8-bit files is not optimal neither (default ACR setting).

 

Very informative! Either late tonight or tomorrow when I can get back to my desktop, I will examine the points you made with regards to my MM1 files and other color files from different cameras...all in ACR and see if I observe what you just wrote. My photoshop and ACR is the very last non subscription version which I purchased, which was released just prior to when they started subscription service, if that might make any difference to current subscription version. Just a thought.

Dave

[DandA]

OK, I just opened both some MM1 monochrome images in ACR.  On the bottom of the ACR window, the image opened as Gray GAmma 2.2 8 bit.  I changed it to RGB 16 Bit and then opened the (these) MM1 ACR images in photoshop.  Voila! Nik filters were available. I then immediately opened some color images from other cameras in ACR and they too now opened in RGB 16 Bit. My guess is a long time ago when I opened MM1 images in ACR the Nik filters were immediately available without doing anything, my ACR was set to RGB.  Along the way I recall I did a fresh re-install of ACR/photoshop and it must have set ACR to Grey Gamma 2.2/8bit.  Not realizing this when I recently opened MM1 files was the issue.  All very informative and I learned something valuable. Guess old(er) dogs can learn new tricks. :).  Thanks!

Dave

Edited February 2, 2020 by DandA