DxO Summer Sale: Save 20% on Any DxO or Nik Product
New DxO customers can save 20% from June 15 through July 10, 2026 with code RBLOGSummer2026.
Table of Contents
How to Use the Coupon Code
The discount process is not as obvious as it should be, so make sure you validate the code before completing your purchase.
- Visit the DxO online store and select your software.
- Enter RBLOGSummer2026 in the promo-code field.
- Enter your email address when requested.
- Click Validate.
- Confirm that the 20% discount appears before completing your order.
My illustrated DxO discount walkthrough provides more detail. Eligible new customers should follow those steps using RBLOGSummer2026.
Why I Still Recommend Nik
I was using Nik Software when most people hadn't heard of it. Version 1.0. That was 2008, and it has been a critical part of my photo workflow every single year since. That's not something I say lightly - I've watched plenty of plugins come and go over 18 years, and Nik is still the one I can't live without.
What does Nik do that Lightroom can't match? The one-sentence version: U Point controls let you drop a point anywhere on the image and adjust color, brightness, or contrast in just that zone - no selection, no painting a mask, and no wrestling with luminance ranges. That alone changes how fast you can work.
Honestly, the bigger draw for me is the sheer depth of creative presets. Tonal Contrast, Pro Contrast, and dozens more are genuinely useful starting points rather than party tricks. There are so many great filters, and it is easy to build powerful presets on top of them.
I can't live without Color Efex for color work. Viveza is what I reach for when I need surgical control over one specific area. Silver Efex is a must for any black-and-white image I edit - the blacks are simply delicious, and nothing else comes close for B&W.
In fact, nearly every photo in my portfolio has been edited with the Nik Collection as part of my normal photo-editing workflow. This is not software I dust off for a review - it is part of how I finish my images.
What's New in Nik Collection 9
DxO released Nik Collection 9 in April 2026 and called it its biggest update ever. Based on what I have seen, that is not hype. The new AI tools are genuinely useful, not feature-list filler added to justify a version bump.
- AI Masking: Select a subject with a click or draw a bounding box and let the AI take it from there. Processing runs locally on your computer.
- Depth Masks: Nik creates a depth map in software without requiring embedded sensor depth data. You can target adjustments by distance and feather the transitions. This is the best addition to the suite since U Point controls.
- Color Grading in Color Efex: More control over the final color treatment without leaving the Color Efex workflow.
- New Analog Filters: Chromatic Shift, Glass Effect, and Halation add more film-inspired options.
- New Blending Modes: More control over how Nik edits blend with the underlying image.
- Perpetual license: You buy it once. There is no subscription or annual renewal.
I covered what these tools actually do in practice in my Nik Collection 9 mini-review. It is worth reading before you buy if you want to go deeper than the feature list.
Before & After
Kai's Football Portrait
For this photo, the AI Mask let me select and darken the background quickly, while Tonal Contrast and Pro Contrast brought out the texture in the uniform. The blue jersey pops, the blacks stay deep and clean, and the finished image has the dramatic look I wanted without turning into an overprocessed mess.
Which Product Should You Consider?
Nik Collection 9
Nik Collection remains my easy recommendation for photographers who want creative color and black-and-white tools that fit naturally into an existing workflow. Color Efex and Silver Efex are still the stars for me, while AI Masks and Depth Masks make selective editing faster.
DxO PureRAW 6
PureRAW 6 is an amazing RAW-processing tool, but it requires patience. I recommend it for important images where you plan to invest serious editing time, not every photo you intend to process quickly in Lightroom.
Read my DxO PureRAW 6 review before deciding whether its quality-versus-speed tradeoff works for you.
Closing Thoughts
After 18 years, Nik is still the secret sauce in my workflow because it helps me get to the result I want faster without taking control away from me. The new AI and Depth Masks make version 9 easier to use, but the real reason to own it is the same as it has always been: Color Efex, Silver Efex, Viveza, and a deep collection of filters that actually earn their keep.
