Thomas Pitera Photography

Color Efex Pro comes in three different versions: Standard, Select, and Complete. Each version shares the same interface and functionality, but varies in the number of filters included (15, 35, and 52 respectively). A list of of which filters come in each version can be found at Nik’s Website.

I’ll be using the Complete Edition as the basis for this review. Most of what I’ll be talking about will apply to any version, unless I mention a specific filter.

Color Efex Pro opens as a toolbar in Photoshop (pictured right). This toolbar lists all the filters available alphabetically, and accesses to the selective tools if you choose to apply the filter as a layer mask. Once you select a filter from the list, it launches the User Interface. The UI is completely redesigned from Color Efex Pro 2.0 and is much more intuitive (pictured below).

The left side of the interface shows you all of the filters available. The nice thing about Color Efex 3.0 is if you selected the wrong filter or you decide you’d rather apply a different one, you no longer have to re-launch the user interface. They’ve also added tabs where you can view all of the filters or sort them by four different categories: Traditional, Stylizing, Landscape, and Portrait. There’s also a Favorites tab where you can keep your most frequently used filters.

Color Efex Pro 3.0 User Interface: Graduated User Defined Filter

The center portion of the interface gives you a preview of how your filter effect is being applied. You can sort between viewing only the filtered image, splitting the image horizontally or vertically, and doing a side-by-side before/after view.

The right side of the interface contains all of the options for how the filter is applied. At the top you’ll find all of the sliders specific to the filter you currently have selected. A new feature with the filters is you can store up to four “quick settings” per filter. This makes applying your favorite slider combinations very easy. Just below that are the sliders to recover lost shadow or highlight detail. These give you a live view of the histogram, detail that is close to blown out, and lost detail.

The next set of controls is perhaps the most innovative feature in Color Efex 3.0: the control points. The control points allow you to selectively apply or remove the filter effect to a specific part of the image based on color. The other cool feature with the Control Point tab is you can choose how much the effect is applied to the overall image. These features are extremely useful and can save a lot of time layer masking in Photoshop.

When you apply the filter to the image, it appears as a new layer within Photoshop. If you use the brush function to apply the filter, it appears as a layer mask and is fully functional with all of the Photoshop brush tools.

Most of these filters provide very tasteful enhancements to your images instead of completely transforming them. There are a lot of very practical filters including graduated color/ND filters, sunshine, foliage enhancement, skylight, brilliance/warmth, vignetting, white neutralizer, and one of my favorites: dynamic skin softener.

At the same time, there are filters to help you control contrast, tone, or convert your images to black and white, simulate film, and add grain. Even though you can do a lot of these enhancements in Photoshop already, Nik streamlines the process by allowing you to get the results you want at the click of a button.

Overall, I think Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 is a worthwhile addition to any photographer’s Photoshop workflow. The software ranges from around $99.99 to $299.99. My advice would be to visit Nik’s website, see what filters are included in each version, and buy the one with the filters you would want to use most. You can purchase Color Efex 3.0 directly from Nik Software.

The 4th and final segment of Photography Savvy’s “Digital SLR Buying Guide” discusses the choices of bodies and lenses, as well as finding a reputable dealer.

Should I spend more on bodies or lenses?

First-time buyers sometimes get “sticker shock” when they see that a lot of lenses cost a lot more than the camera body. This is largely because lenses are a more important investment in any DSLR system. Keep in mind that camera bodies tend to change every year or two, but you can almost always keep using the same lenses.

You’ll find that most high quality lenses tend to hold their value for a very long time. If you look at some of the DSLR bodies from 3 or 4 years ago, you’ll see they are generally selling for a fraction of what they cost brand new. Now, I’m not saying you should buy the most expensive lens out there for your first DSLR, but don’t be afraid to spend money on lenses. Also, don’t think once you get into a system that you always have to have the latest and greatest body; as long as you continue to work on your technique, you’ll get great results with your same camera body and some good glass.

How do I find a reputable dealer?

When you’re ready to buy a DSLR, it’s important that you buy from a reputable dealer. As DSLRs become the hottest segment of the digital camera market, everyone wants a piece of the pie. If you’re looking for the best service and want to talk to someone who is knowledgeable about the product, I’d highly recommend stopping by your local independent camera store. The other advantage of shopping with an independent camera store is these shops generally have a much wider range of accessories available, compared to most big box stores.

If you plan to buy your camera online, be very careful, as there are a lot of scam artists looking to take advantage of unsuspecting buyers. Some of these online dealers will advertise the camera for radically cheaper than what reputable dealers are selling them for. When you call to “confirm your order,” a pushy salesman tries to up-sell you on all sorts of accessories that should be included with the camera. If you don’t buy the accessories, they won’t sell you the camera. These sites also sell cameras that are not meant to be sold in the US, also known as grey market products. If anything should go wrong with the camera or lens, the manufacturer will not repair the item.

If you’re unsure about an online dealer, a website like Reseller Ratings is a good way to make sure the seller is legit. You can also call the customer service line of the manufacturer of the camera you intend to buy to see if a particular dealer is authorized to sell their product. There are many reputable dealers online and offline, just be sure you are visiting the right one!

That wraps up Photography Savvy’s “Digital SLR Buying Guide.” Hopefully this will help all of you looking to purchase a DSLR. If you have any additional questions, comments, or feedback feel free to contact us.

Part 3 of Photography Savvy’s “Digital SLR Buying Guide” covers some of the things to look for when purchasing a DSLR, as well as some of the features that may not be as important as you would think.

What should I look for?

Here are some important factors to consider when purchasing a DSLR.

Ergonomics

This is solely based on personal preference, but you should always consider how the camera feels in your hands. Keep in mind, you’ll most likely be carrying this camera around for full days of shooting so you want to make sure it feels right. If you plan to use longer lenses, it might be worthwhile to look at a body that is a little bit bigger or has an optional battery grip to give you a little bit better stability. Also, consider the placement of key controls – the last thing you want is to miss a shot because you were looking for a function button.

Room for Growth

Another consideration should be: how much room for expansion does the camera leave me? If you plan to use the camera in the full auto modes this might not be a consideration. If you start getting into the manual side of the camera then you might outgrow an entry level model. In this case it might be worth it to “buy up” to the next level camera. Even though you may not take full advantage of all of the features when you first get the camera, as you start to learn you may not feel as if you need to upgrade so quickly.

Availability of Accessories

This is perhaps one of the most important things to consider when buying a DSLR. You are not just buying a camera, you are buying into a system. Think of it this way – would you buy a car that had very limited parts available? Then why would you buy into a system where it would be hard to find accessories? When looking into a system, it’s important to make sure the manufacturer makes accessories for the type of applications you want to pursue and that you can readily get those types of accessories. This can apply to anything including lenses, flashes, batteries, chargers, software compatibility, memory, etc. If you are on a budget, it’s probably a good idea to see if third-party manufacturers provide alternatives to some of the more expensive accessories like lenses and flashes.

What may not be important?

While these features are useful, they may not be as important as some manufacturers and retailers make them out to be.

Anti-Dust Systems

Perhaps one of the biggest fears of DSLR users is getting dust on the sensor. Yes, it’s problematic, but it’s not the end of the world like some people make it out to be. Manufacturers have recently implemented anti-dust technology, which shakes the low pass filter over the sensor to remove dust particles. While this certainly helps with regards to dust, it by no means completely eliminates the problem. The biggest problem with these dust systems is when they shake the dust off the sensor, it still stays in the mirror box chamber. From what I’ve found, putting the camera into mirror lock-up and blowing the dust off the sensor with a blower bulb (note: NEVER use canned air or anything of the like to clean your sensor or any internal components) is still far more effective.

Live View

While this is certainly a handy feature in the latest DSLR models, there are a lot of misconceptions as to how it works. First-time users generally associate live view with the live view functionality of digital point and shoot cameras.

Live view in DSLR cameras works much differently than in a point and shoot camera. In order to shoot in live view, a DSLR must flip up the focusing mirror to expose the sensor. In order to autofocus the camera needs to flip the mirror back down, focus the lens, and then flip the mirror back up to take the shot.

Some of the newer cameras have implemented a live view autofocus function that uses contrast detection similar to a point and shoot camera. The contrast detection is even slower and in general is only recommended if the camera is mounted to a tripod. Live view slows down the picture taking process and in my opinion, eliminates the point of having a DSLR. The through-the-lens focusing is not only faster but also provides more stability since you are holding the camera closer to your body.

Missed Part 2? Check it out here.

Check back soon for Part 4 of Photography Savvy’s “Digital SLR Buying Guide.”