nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 Filters

Wouldn't it be nice not to have to rely on in-camera techniques to produce all of your creative photographs. Lately, I've been using the new nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 collection of 75 filters, which works with any plug-in-compatible photo application. When I'm shooting, I take pictures that I might not normally take because I know I can enhance them with a nik filter or filters.

The collection is divided into two sets: traditional filters and stylizing filters. Some of my personal favorites among the traditional set are the Reflectors (Gold, Silver and Soft Gold); Black and White Conversion; and Duplex Color. In the stylizing set, one of my favorites is Burnt Sienna. I also like the Monday Morning filters, which create a grainy/dreamy effect, and the Midnight filters, which create an effect that makes the picture look as though it was taken at night.

It's easy to see applied effects with side-by-side examples. There's a Basic mode for semi-automatic application of a filter (you can still control aspects of the filter's effects), as well as an Advanced mode, which gives you even more control over
the application of the filter. List price: $99 to $299.

Contact: nik multimedia, (888) 284-4085, www.nikmultimedia.com.

Primary Features

1 True Light™ technology preserves the relationship between color, contrast and detail 2 Enhanced 16-bit functionality for working with the expanded range of 16-bit images 3 A new Selective module that enables users to apply any filter to any part of an image