DxO Summer Sale: Save 20% on Any DxO or Nik Product - ENDS July 10th!

Camera ReviewRonMartBlog

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

1. Before & After
2. Kai's Football Portrait
3. Closing thoughts
4. Related articles

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.

1. Visit the DxO online store and select your software.
2. Enter RBLOGSummer2026 in the promo-code field.
3. Enter your email address when requested.
4. Click Validate.
5. Confirm that the 20% discount appears before completing your order.

Enter the coupon code, provide your email address, and click Validate to apply the discount.

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

Before | After Edited using Color Efex 9 Filters - Tonal Contrast, Pro Contrast, Brilliance/Warmth

Before | After Edited using Color Efex 9 Filters - Tonal Contrast, Pro Contrast, Brilliance/Warmth, Foliage, Lens Vignette, Global Adjustments [Viveza] (with AI Mask)

Before | After Edited using Color Efex 9 Filters - Tonal Contrast, Pro Contrast, Brilliance/Warmth, Foliage, Lens Vignette, Global Adjustments [Viveza] (with Depth Mask) to darken background

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.

Edited using Color Efex 9 Filters - Tonal Contrast, Pro Contrast, Brilliance/Warmth, Foliage, Global Adjustments [Viveza] (with AI Mask) to darken background

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.

Related Articles

Nik Collection 9 Mini-Review: What's New, What Matters, and How to Save 15%https://www.ronmartblog.com/2026/04/nik-collection-9-mini-review-whats-new.html Quick Look at Nik Color Efex 8 + DxO Discount Offerhttps://www.ronmartblog.com/2026/02/quick-look-at-nik-color-efex-8-discount.html REVIEW: DxO PureRAW 6 - The King of RAW Detail Recovery?https://www.ronmartblog.com/2026/04/review-dxo-pureraw-6-king-of-raw-detail.html

Camera ReviewRonMartBlog

Nik Collection 9 Mini-Review: What’s New, What Matters, and How to Save 15%

If you’ve been around here for a while, you already know that Nik is not just another plugin suite to me.

A long time ago, Nik helped put this blog on the map, and for a while it even helped generate real income for me. Those days are long gone, but I still pay attention when a new Nik Collection drops because this product has been part of my photography and editing journey for a very long time.

Today DxO officially launched Nik Collection 9, and rather than pretend I’ve already done a deep real-world review, I want to do something more useful: give you a practical first look at what’s new, what actually matters, and what I’m most interested in testing first.

TL;DR ⚡

My early take is that Nik Collection 9 looks less like a minor cosmetic update and more like a meaningful workflow release.

The biggest thing that jumps out at me is not just another creative filter. It’s the smarter masking and selection tools. If those work well in the real world, they could make several of the Nik tools a lot faster and a lot more useful than before.

The more stylized additions also look interesting, but those are the kind of tools that can either be used tastefully or abused very quickly. So for me, the real story here is control, speed, and flexibility.

Nik Collection 9 looks like a genuinely useful upgrade thanks to AI Masks, Depth Masks, and better workflow tools, and if you’re interested you can save 15% with my code at the end of the article.

Table of Contents

1. Quick Edits Using New Features
2. Video Overview
3. What’s New in Nik Collection 9
4. The Features I Think Matter Most
5. The More Creative Side
6. What I Want to Test First
7. Pricing, availability and discount details
8. Closing thoughts
9. Related articles

Quick Edits Using New Features

Before | After New Color Grading and Levels & Curves Filters

Before | After Nik 9 AI Object Mask Inverted with B&W Filter

Before | After Nik 9 Halation with AI Object Mask

Before | After Nik 9 Depth Filter on Foliage around waterfall

Video Review 🎥

If the player doesn’t load here, watch on YouTube.

What’s New in Nik Collection 9

DxO added a pretty healthy batch of new tools and workflow improvements in Nik Collection 9. Here’s the short version of what’s new:

• Depth Masks
• AI Masks
• Color Grading in Nik Color Efex
• Chromatic Shift
• Glass Effect
• Halation
• Blending Modes
• Workflow improvements and usability refinements

The Features I Think Matter Most

The two biggest additions for practical photographers look like AI Masks and Depth Masks. Those are the kinds of tools that can actually speed up real editing work instead of just giving you another flashy effect to play with for five minutes.

AI Masks should make it easier to isolate subjects quickly without the usual pain of tedious manual selections. That has obvious value for portraits, street photography, travel shots, and anything else where you want to guide the viewer’s eye without spending forever building masks.

Depth Masks also look interesting because they appear to let you target adjustments based on distance from the camera. If that works well in the real world, it could be very useful for landscapes, layered scenes, and images where you want the foreground, midground, and background to feel more intentionally separated.

I’m also very interested in the new Color Grading tool inside Color Efex. That feels like a smart addition because it gives photographers more direct tonal and color control in one of the most popular parts of the Nik suite.

The More Creative Side

New Color Grading Filter in Nik Collection 9

Nik Collection has always had a creative side, and version 9 leans into that with Halation, Chromatic Shift, Glass Effect, and Blending Modes.

Halation is probably the one I’m most interested in because it has the potential to add a subtle cinematic glow around highlights without instantly screaming “cheap effect” if it’s done well. Used with restraint, that could be genuinely useful.

Chromatic Shift and Glass Effect look more stylized, and these are the kinds of tools that can either add a cool analog or experimental vibe or go off the rails fast depending on how heavy-handed you get. In other words, the potential is there, but so is gimmick territory.

Blending Modes may end up being one of the sleeper additions in this release. Advanced users could get a lot of mileage out of having more control over how different effects and filters interact with an image.

What I Want to Test First

Depth Filter in Nik 9 seems very promising

Once I get more time with Nik Collection 9, these are the things I want to test first before drawing any serious conclusions:

• How good AI Masks really are on difficult subjects like hair, edges, and busy backgrounds
• Whether Depth Masks feel genuinely useful or just look impressive in a demo
• Whether Color Grading in Color Efex is fast and intuitive enough to become part of a normal workflow
• Whether Halation can be used tastefully without turning every image into an overcooked cliché

That should tell me pretty quickly whether this is just a flashy launch or a genuinely useful update for real photographers.

Pricing and availability

• When: Nik Collection 9 is available now as a perpetual license.
• How Much: $179.99 for a new license and $99.99 for upgrades from Nik Collection 7 or 8.
• Discount: YES, 15% off - use code RONMART when placing your order

Closing Thoughts

Nik has a long history, and for a lot of photographers it’s one of those products that carries a little nostalgia along with the actual "must have" functionality.

For me, Nik matters because it was part of the early story of this blog, and because some of the tools in this ecosystem have been genuinely useful for photographers who care more about results than hype.

Nik Collection 9 looks promising at first glance, especially on the masking and control side. I’m cautiously optimistic, and I’ll follow up once I’ve had a chance to put it through a real-world test.

If you’re a longtime Nik user, this looks like a release worth paying attention to.

👉 Click here to learn more

Related Articles

How to use my Discount Offerhttps://www.ronmartblog.com/2026/02/quick-look-at-nik-color-efex-8-discount.html#Discount DxO Pure Raw 6 Reviewhttps://www.ronmartblog.com/2026/04/review-dxo-pureraw-6-king-of-raw-detail.html Quick Look at Nik Color Efex 8https://www.ronmartblog.com/2026/02/quick-look-at-nik-color-efex-8-discount.html

Camera ReviewRonMartBlog

REVIEW: DxO PureRAW 6 — The King of RAW Detail Recovery?

Click here to see how to use my discount for all DxO products

TL;DR ⚡

DxO PureRAW 6 is a powerful detail-recovery tool that can revive surprising amounts of information from RAW files, but it is too slow to justify on every image.

PureRAW 6 consistently recovered more detail than I expected, especially from files I would have otherwise considered limited or borderline throwaways. The tradeoff is speed, which makes it most compelling for important keeper images rather than bulk processing.

Table of Contents

1. Who it’s for and who should skip
2. Before & After
3. Side by Side Shots in Lightroom
4. Closing thoughts
5. Related articles

Who it’s for

• Photographers who want the best possible detail recovery from RAW files, not just “good enough”
• Pros or serious enthusiasts restoring older, sentimental, or hard-to-replace images
• Shooters willing to trade speed for maximum image quality on select photos

Who should skip

• Photographers who are already happy with Adobe or manufacturer RAW conversions
• High-volume shooters who need fast turnaround and cannot wait on long processing times
• Anyone expecting it to fix motion blur, missed focus, or fundamentally bad captures
• Anyone shooting mostly HEIC or small RAW formats, since DxO seems built around full RAW support first and is not especially friendly to HEIC workflows

Before & After

Before | After f/2.8 for 1/30 sec at 44 mm ISO 6400 [0 EV, Pattern metering, Flash fired, Manual with EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM]

Before | After f/5.6 for 1/160 sec at 200 mm ISO 12800 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM]

Before | After f/5.6 for 1/125 sec at 105 mm ISO 65535 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS]

Before | After f/2.8 for 1/200 sec at 155 mm ISO 25600 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM]

Before | After f/22 for 1/13 sec at 24 mm ISO 25600 [0 EV, Other metering, No flash, Aperture priority with NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S]

Before | After f/5.6 for 1/25 sec at 16.5 mm ISO 5000 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR]

Before | After f/4 for 1/100 sec at 18.3 mm ISO 6400 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with 24-70mm F1.8-2.8]

Before | After f/2.8 for 1/125 sec at 90 mm ISO 10000 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS]

Side by Side Shots in Lightroom 📷

The photos below are the test photos used for my review. Click any photo to open to see a larger size.

Click here to view the entire gallery of images used for this review.

This 2012 image was the first file I threw at PureRAW 6 to decide whether it was even worth reviewing. The recovery in the hair, eyebrow, and eye detail stopped me cold. I genuinely couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Naturally, my next move was to see whether any of the tools I already use could beat it. They couldn’t.

Canon 1DX, f/2.8 for 1/30 sec at 44 mm ISO 6400 [0 EV, Pattern metering, Flash fired, Manual with EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM]

Even Canon’s own DPP couldn’t match what PureRAW 6 did with this image. It honestly felt like I had unlocked a kind of magic—something powerful enough to make me want to go back through my older photos and see how many of them could be given new life with better sharpness and detail. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

This one gave me a pretty funny surprise. It was shot at ISO 10,000, and PureRAW recovered enough detail that I suddenly realized my daughter had colored her face with a highlighter—something that was completely lost in the original file.

Sony a7R Mark III, f/2.8 for 1/125 sec at 90 mm ISO 10000 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS]

Notice how the hair by her cheek and the marks on her face are recovered, while the skin still looks natural and believable. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

The Sony RX100 V is an impressive camera, but its tiny sensor can only do so much at ISO 6400. Even so, I was shocked by how much detail PureRAW was able to recover from this image.

Sony RX100V, f/4 for 1/100 sec at 18.3 mm ISO 6400 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with 24-70mm F1.8-2.8]

Notice how well the wires and the tonal detail in the rocks are restored, especially considering this came from a 1-inch sensor camera. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

This was another one of those “are you kidding me?” results I never saw coming. The shot was taken after sunset at f/22, ISO 25,600, handheld at 1/13 sec, and yet the amount of detail PureRAW recovered from the Kazaridaru is remarkable.

Nikon Z 7, f/22 for 1/13 sec at 24 mm ISO 25600 [0 EV, Other metering, No flash, Aperture priority with NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S]

Even the gravel and wall texture are recovered well enough given what was asked of the camera, but what really stands out here is the color recovery. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

Since this was shot handheld at 1/25 sec with no support, some motion blur is baked in, and PureRAW is not a magic fix for that. Still, the restored color pops and the detail recovery is strong enough that, viewed as a full image instead of a 100% crop, it is a legitimately impressive restoration.

Fujifilm X-T30, f/5.6 for 1/25 sec at 16.5 mm ISO 5000 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Aperture priority with XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR]

Even details like the wallpaper at the far right edge of the frame are noticeably improved. The out-of-focus flowers also look better, and the textures around the table are significantly enhanced compared to the original. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

What really blew my mind here was the colored bands on the braces. It almost felt like PureRAW was using AI to reconstruct detail that barely seemed to exist in the original, yet the result still looks believable.

Canon 1DX Mark II, f/2.8 for 1/200 sec at 155 mm ISO 25600 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM]

To be fair, this is the second version of this image because the original conversion came out a bit too dark. For this version, I used DxO PhotoLab 9.6.1 with its default preset to push the image a little further than Adobe’s default rendering. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

I almost spit out my coffee when I saw this result. This was a throwaway shot I took just to see how the Canon R6 Mark II would expose the flowers against a very bright background, yet the recovered detail in the drum and pine cone makes this ISO 12,800 image look more like ISO 100 than it has any right to.

Canon R6 Mark II, f/5.6 for 1/160 sec at 200 mm ISO 12800 [0 EV, Pattern metering, No flash, Manual with EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM]

With modern camera sensors, PureRAW 6 is capable of recovering an impressive amount of detail. A well-composed image with the right shutter speed no longer has to be dismissed as a throwaway shot just because the original file looks rough. This result proves that, in many cases, the detail really can be recovered. Click the photo to open the original size 👆

Closing Thoughts

I tested eight RAW files from eight different cameras, including images shot as far back as 2012, to see whether DxO PureRAW 6 really earns its reputation for detail recovery. It does.

The tradeoff is speed. Even on my 2026 system with fast M.2 SSDs, those eight files took 38 minutes to process. That makes PureRAW impractical for bulk use, but extremely compelling when image quality matters more than time.

I would not call it an everyday necessity. I would call it a premium restoration tool. Manufacturer RAW software is often good enough, but for paid work or sentimental image recovery where you want the best possible result, PureRAW clearly has a place.

👉 Click here to see how to use my discount for all DxO products

Related Articles

Quick Look at Nik Color Efex 8 + DxO Discount Offerhttps://www.ronmartblog.com/2026/02/quick-look-at-nik-color-efex-8-discount.html

Quick Look at Nik Color Efex 8 + DxO Discount Offer

Camera ReviewRonMartBlog

Quick Look at Nik Color Efex 8 + Discount Offer

For more than 17 years, I’ve been a devoted fan of the Nik Collection, with Color Efex remaining my go‑to tool for editing the majority of my photos. It’s actually been since the Google-era Nik days—before the DxO acquisition—that I last did a full review. So now, I’m kicking off a deep dive into version 8.

This series will include both short and long reviews covering the different tools in the collection. To start, here’s an introduction and a quick look at how I use Color Efex, along with some of my favorite filters.

Nik Color Efex 8 with 7 filters applied

Table of Contents

1. Before & After
2. Video review
3. Filters Used and Why
4. Discount Offer
5. Closing thoughts

Before & After

Before | After Heavy processing for effect only using only Nik Color Efex 8.0 by DxO

Video Review 🎥

If the player doesn’t load here, watch on YouTube.

Filters Used and Why

• Tonal Contrast: Adds a bit more depth
• Brilliance/Warmth: Saturatates the image for more color pop
• Pro Contrast: Brightens face and details in shirt
• Color Stylizer: Adds a bronze tone to the image overall but selectively toned down on the face with a U-Point control
• Darken/Lighten Center: Darkens the entire image except the face to draw more attention to it
• Image Borders: Adds a old-schoool deckled-edge effect that simulates peel‑apart instant photos
• Reflector Efex: Simulates a silver reflector at the waist to demonstrate the usefulness of this filter

Discount Offer

For a video demonstration, CLICK HERE

Enter the code RONMART, enter your email address, then click the Validate button to apply the discount

If you did it right, this is what it should look like when your code is applied:

RONMART discount promo code successfully applied

Closing Thoughts

I’ll admit I went a bit overboard with this photo, but I wanted to show how powerful Color Efex can be when you start stacking its filters. You don’t need complex masking or AI replacements—simply combining and experimenting with filters can dramatically transform an image. And once you land on a look you love, you can save it as a Preset for quick reuse.

In future videos, I’ll take a deeper dive into individual filters and highlight some of the creative ways you can use U‑Point controls.

Leave a comment to tell me what your favorite filters are and what you'd like to see me discuss in more depth in a future article.

Imagenomic Portraiture 3 ai Discount and Video Review

Check out the latest tutorial using this image and more

Video Tutorial

Check out my latest video tutorial on Imagenomic Portraiture 3 ai:

Before and After Images

Click to view the full original unedited image

Click to view the full image after Portraiture 3 ai editing

Conclusion

I've been using this product since it first came out and still to this date there's nothing I like more. Check out the free demo for Photoshop and Lightroom to see for yourself - it really makes skin enhancements a simple one minute step in your photo editing workflow.

Where to Buy?

CLICK HERE to learn more or buy today.

Enter the code and click update to apply the discount

Enjoy these and more on the Reviews tab as well as Ron's Recommendations.

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

REVIEW: Imagenomic Portraiture 3 (DISCOUNT OFFER) - Video Tutorial

Imagenomic Portraiture has always been my favorite skin softening product because it does a wonderful job of softening the skin without obliterating the texture like most other products (and techniques shown on YouTube). It's the secret sauce use by a lot of high end fashion and beauty photographers, so it's been a key part of my digital workflow for nearly a decade.

Buy and SAVE now using coupon code RONMART20

One of the big new features of version 3.0 is how the user-interface scales on a 4K UHD or larger display, like the NEC PA322UHD that I use.Here's the old UI which looks tiny both in thumbnail and when you click to view the 4K screenshot:

And here's the new UI which scales beautifully to any size:

The heart of the new user-interface can be found in the left panel which is functionally similar, but now just bigger and easier to read:

The new user-interface is significantly more responsive thanks to hardware acceleration, so zooming is now instant with no painful minute waiting for the softening effect to be applied.

The user-interface does lose my beloved tabs feature which allows you to experiment and see the results of different settings spread over multiple tabs, but that was a geek feature most people didn't know exist so I don't think most users will miss it.

Skin Softening Results

Original Image - BEFORE Skin Softening (Zoomed to 111%) - Click for larger version

Portraiture 3 Normal Preset AFTER Skin Softening (Zoomed to 111%) - Click for larger version

Video Tutorial

My previous tutorial on Portraiture 2 had nearly 150,000 views and the advanced techniques tutorial was featured on the Imagenomic support website. In this all new for version 3 review, I focus on both a face and full body with basic and advanced techniques with improvements that hopefully address user suggestions for my past videos:

Conclusion

If you have a high resolution display, the upgrade is a no brainer because it's so much easier (and faster) to use. However, if your budget is tight I can honestly say that I don't see any improvements to the skin softening algorithms that make me prefer the new version over the old version.

This is still a great product that I highly recommend, especially for those who are disappointed by the wealth of terrible skin softening products and techniques currently available today. It's fast and easy to use and a must have for anyone who edits a lot of photos with people.

Where to Buy?

CLICK HERE to learn more or buy today, and be sure to use my coupon code RONMART20 to save 15% on one or more Imagenomic products as shown below:

Enter the code and click update to apply the discount

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Imagenomic Noiseware Discount & Tutorial (iOS Version)
• Imagenomic Portraiture 2 Tutorial
• Plotagraph Pro (Discount)
• Perfectly Clear 3 by Athentech (Discount)
• Scott Kelby's Professional Portrait Retouching Techniques for Photographers using Photoshop - My favorite portrait editing book
• Topaz Labs Impression 2 (new review 11/23/16)
• Topaz Labs Texture Effects 2.0
• Ron's Recommendations
• Home Studio on a Budget

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Imagenomic Noiseware & Portraiture Advanced Techniques Video Tutorial

ISO 6400 Edited Image (Click for Full Size)
Original Full Size –> Click here

Here’s a video where I demonstrate some of the more advanced techniques of the Noiseware user interface:

View Full Screen for 1080p here or on YouTube

Page down for more articles about these products and special discount offer.

Conclusion

Noiseware has been my favorite noise reduction software ever since it won my noise reduction roundup in March 2009. I use it all the time, but a little less so these days as cameras are getting to be so good and sensor level noise reduction. 

Portraiture is the only product I use for skin softening, and my Latest Version Tutorial I did for it shows more examples of how I use this awesome product.

I hope you enjoyed this and if you need either product, please support this article by using my purchase links below.

Special Offer – Save 15%

See the Discount Coupon Code page for the latest code if this doesn’t work

CLICK HERE to use my coupon code RONMART20 when you check out.
Want to get rid of noise from your images?
Noiseware is the king of noise removal while preserving detail – period!

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Noiseware for iOS
• Imagenomic Noiseware 4.1.1 Professional (Latest Version)
• Imagenomic Portraiture 2.x (Latest Version Tutorial)
• Noise Reduction Software Comparisons - CONCLUSION (5 products)
• HDRSoft Photomatix Pro 4.x (4.2 Update)
• Which camera should I buy?
• Which Printer Should I Buy? Epson or Canon?

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

PREVIEW: on1 Photo RAW

I've been playing around with the final release version of on1 Photo RAW 2019  starting with this 5 minute edit of a Nikon Z7 NEF RAW Image that was taken in a nasty display case under horrible light and quickly turned it into a pretty decent image. It was a little slower than expected on my Windows system, but it's 2.5 years old so perhaps it might be time for me to consider a system upgrade.

This next image was a quicker edit that took advantage of the effects features much in the same way Luminar offers its effects for a workspace. The net result was a big improvement in a hurry:

Here's what's new for 2019:

A New & Faster Editing Workflow – All of the editing modules from previous versions have been combined into the Edit module to create a single place for editing photos. The former editing modules are now available as tabs to allow you to work in each seamlessly without changing the application appearance. These include Develop, Effects, Portrait, and Local Adjustments tabs.

A New Workflow for Layers – ON1 Layers is no longer a separate module. Instead, the power of layers is accessible within the non-destructive workflow in the new Edit module. This allows for creating or editing multi-layered files, including raw files, and keeping non-destructive settings for each photo layer. Customers can also move, size and mask each layer. More importantly, and a new concept, each layer has its own non-destructive settings, all the way back to the original file. What’s most exciting is if you are working with raw files, powerful adjustments like exposure, highlights and shadows can now be processed using the raw data in a layered photo workflow. All without having to change modules or applications.

• New Lightroom Photo Settings Migration – New AI-powered algorithms give customers the ability to transfer Lightroom edited photos, keep the non-destructive settings, and move them into ON1 Photo RAW 2019. The updated Lightroom Migration Tool in version 2019 transfers almost every edit you can make in Lightroom including raw processing, crop, retouching and local adjustments along with folders, photos, collections, and metadata.
• New Focus Stacking – Automatically blend a series of photos at different focus distances to increase depth-of-field. It’s so fast, you can adjust the focus in real-time, just like changing the focus on your lenses. Think of it like HDR, but for focus instead of exposure.
• New Auto-Align Layers – Easily combine multiple photos as layers, then automatically align them based on image content, making it easy to mask and blend them together.
• New AI Masking Tool (coming Winter 2019) – This new tool, powered by machine learning, will allow customers to easily identify areas of their photos to create a selection or mask and the AI technology detects your subject matter and automatically creates a beautiful mask.
• New Portrait Tab – The new Portrait tab automatically detects faces in your photo allowing you to easily retouch, smooth skin, brighten and sharpen eyes, and whiten teeth.
• New Text Tool – The new text tool is perfect for creating posters, postcards, or adding your byline or watermark. Easily control font size, color, position, and more and then save a preset to add the same text overlay to a batch of photos quickly.
• New Master Keyword List – Now you can see every keyword you use in a single, searchable list. You can quickly apply, clear, edit, or delete keywords.
• Enhanced Local Adjustments – Local adjustments have been enhanced to use the raw processing data. This allows for more highlight and shadow details with more tonal range. This also includes new controls like haze, whites and blacks.
• New Layered HDR Workflow – With the powerful new non-destructive layers you can combine other photos, text or alternate exposures with your HDR photos. Use the powerful masking tools to combine multiple HDR renditions even.
• New Filter Options in Effects – We have added dedicated film grain, curves and color adjustment filters to Effects. These let you add film grain to color photos and make advanced, targeted color and tone adjustments faster. There’s even a new filter selector that allows you to search for filters, learn what they do and even view a sample before you add them.
• New User Interface – The new user interface has a fresh and modern feel. Overall contrast has been reduced to make photos stand out along with a new font to help increase readability. Updated icons, tabs, and sliders will also take up less visual space.
• Other Updates –  including support for HEIC files, keyboard shortcuts for changing modules, more accent color options, color labels on folders and more.
• Additional Camera Support – Added support for the Fujifilm XF10, Fujifilm X-T3, Nikon P1000, Nikon Z7, Panasonic LX100 II, Leica M10-P.
• Additional Lens Profiles – Added lens profiles for: Canon EF35mm f/1.4L II USM (750), Chinon Auto Chinon 35mm f/2.8, KMZ Helios-40 85mm f/1.5, Nikon 200-500mm F5.6 174, Panasonic LEICA DG 8-18/F2.8-4.0, Panasonic LEICA DG NOCTICRON 42.5/F1.2, Pentax Pentax SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4, Sigma Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM, Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS, Sony FE 50mm F1.8, Tamron 14-150mm F/3.5-5.8 DiIII C001, Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 (A032), Voigtländer Voigtlander Super Wide Heliar III

Focus Stacking

Probably one of the biggest new features is the built-in support for Focus Stacking, something that usually requires a 3rd party solution to get right. I wasn't able to try it out yet though as I did have images suitable for trying this feature. Here's a sample provided by on1:

HDR Support

Improved HDR support is included as shown in this sample provided to me by on1:

Pano Support

Stitch your images quickly with the built-in support for building panoramic photos as shown with this feature provided by on1 by Hudson Henry...

HEIC File Format Supported

I was really happy to see that HEIC files worked fine on Windows and even with no edits the images looked as good as they do on the iPhone as was the case here...

Conclusion

This is the best version of on1 Photo Raw I've used yet, so I'm looking forward to spending more time getting to know the features better. I wasn't able to deep dive with the new features just yet, but I was happy with the support it offered for my Nikon Z7 raw files and Apple iPhone X HEIC files, so new camera or phone users are definitely going to appreciate it.

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