Nik Collection 6 Is Out With Some Solid Updates

Today, DxO is releasing a revamped collection of editing tools that works as either a Photoshop plugin or as a standalone app. They also can function with Lightroom Classic, Affinity Photo and, of course, DxO PhotoLab. 

This new version 6 upgrades the Nik Collection’s innovative U PointTM tool, including new Control Lines, Color Selectivity filters, inverted and diffused adjustments, and a cleaner look to the workspace. There’s also a new filter for Nik Color Efex, an updated interface for Nik Dfine, additional Smart Object functionality, and other refinements to enhance your photo-editing workflow.

Five of the eight plugins have significant changes:

• Nik Color Efex gains a brand-new Hue/Saturation/Luminance tool, for deeper and more accurate control of color and tone.
• Nik Dfine receives a complete visual overhaul, bringing it into line with the other plugins, creating a more refined experience as well as improved options for saving denoising recipes and returning to them in just a few clicks.
• Nik Perspective adds the powerful new ReShape Tool, which allows photographers to warp and shape local areas for complete precision.
• Nik Sharpener will also be receiving a rebuild and interface overhaul, destined for Nik 6.2, and available as a free update.
• Nik HDR Efex, the premier tool for exposure blending, also gets a fresh new interface as part of version 6.3 (arriving in August), providing a clearer, faster workflow.

Nik Collection 6 has also added new workflow features that I think will please photographers:

• Turn your edits into a Smart Object at any stage from within the plugin, giving you fully non-destructive editing in Photoshop.
• Call on any of your last 15 Nik Collection edits and apply them with a single click.
• Presets can now be searched for by name so you can instantly find your favorite edits.
• HiDPI & Multiscreen support lets you work with all screen configurations.
• Affinity Photo is now automatically detected as part of installation.

I gave an advance copy a run-through to see if the changes from Nik 5 were obvious, and they were. I spent a lot of time with Color Efex and appreciated the control over hue, saturation, and luminance right in the Nik U Point tool. 

I also worked with the new smart objects feature, and that was most welcome, giving me non-destructive editing while working in the plug in and keeping it when returning to Photoshop or Lightroom. 

The Nik Perspective tool has some significant improvements, giving photographers the ability to warp objects and reshape them. There are similar tools in the Photoshop warp command, but here, you can use it alongside the Nik perspective tools, which are very powerful. It's a natural match.

My quick look at the Nik Tools doesn't make for a complete review, but I did find the plugin stable when used standalone or as a Photoshop plugin.

I've always loved the U Point technology for selecting parts of an image. I wish it was in every photo editor I used. Now, the addition of luminance and chrominance controls along with more color control is a big win for Nik, and I think it's still the standout feature in Nik. The GUI has also been cleaned up, making it easier to find things. 

Nik Collection 6 is available now for Windows and macOS, exclusively from the DxO website, at the following price:

• Nik Collection 6: $149
• Owners of Nik Collection 4 or 5 can take advantage of a special upgrade price: $79

To upgrade, customers should log into their customer account. Nik Collection 6 does not require a subscription and can be installed on up to three computers.

The Nik Collection does support Apple Silicon computers natively.