How it works You can launch Silver Efex Pro 3 as a plug-in from Photoshop or Lightroom, or as a standalone application.

It aims to replicate the look, feel and depth of classic black and white films and darkroom techniques and, unlike many of its rivals, it succeeds. This is the black and white conversion plug-in against which all others should be judged. You don’t need to get your hands dirty with sliders and checkboxes if you don’t want to, but if you do then Silver Efex reveals its true power. Regarded by many as the best black and white tool on the market, even years after its introduction. Note: control points and U-Point technology have also been integrated into DxO PhotoLab’s local settings.īelow, you can compare the different control points/U-points used in the Nik Collection as well as those used in DxO PhotoLab.Silver Efex Pro is a dedicated black and white photography plug-in that’s one of the key creative tools in the Nik Collection. Further, more areas will be selected simultaneously in the image. (To define the size of the selection, use the Size slider associated with each control point.)įinally, adding control points in the same image allows for even finer and more precise analyses, which will have an impact on the efficiency and accuracy of your selections. U Point technology then automatically selects other elements and areas of the image with characteristics similar to the selected image point on which the control point is placed within the range defined by the size slider.

texture (thanks to the consideration of adjacent pixels and the presence of details),.

For example, in Dfine 2, control points let you selectively reduce noise, while in Viveza 2 they let you correct tone and color.Įach control point makes its selection based on the characteristics of the reference pixels to which it is applied. (“U Point” is simply an abbreviated version of “you point.”).Īll of the Nik Collection plug-ins (excluding Perspective Efex) use control points for various functions. Control Points use U Point technology, developed by Nik Software and acquired in 2017 by DxO Labs, which allows you to make precise selections without the need for masks or complex selection tools.

Dxo silver efex pro