Complete Nik Software Suite for Huge Discount

In a move seemingly just for folks like us, Google has reduced the price of the entire Nik image software suite from $499 to just $149. [UPDATE: See the comments for coupon codes allegedly giving further savings. Also, if you purchased one of the programs recently they'll give you the rest for free, I'm told. —Ed.] This comes with an assurance from Google that the famous imaging tools aren't going to be abandoned (Google acquired Nik last fall—primarily, it was widely believed, to get Snapseed. That left the fate of the rest of Nik's products not in limbo but in doubt.)

The present offer includes Nik's famous Sharpener (the latest Pro 3 version) originally based on Bruce Fraser's excellent book. [CORRECTION: Whoops! This is wrong. It was Pixel Genius PhotoKit Sharpener ($99.95) that was based on Bruce's ideas. Thanks to David Mantripp for setting that straight.  —Mike.]

I've only used Sharpener and Silver Efex Pro 2, the B&W conversion tool, but Nik software is prized by a great many photographers and post-processing ninjas.

The download process is efficient and quick and loads right into your applicable programs (as plugins in Photoshop CS6 for me—with Lightroom too I'm told).

To see more go to the opening page of the Nik Software site or just Google "Nik software."

Mike
(Thanks to Kevin Purcell)

Original contents copyright 2013 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Stephen Scharf: "As a registered Siver Efex Pro 2 customer, I can confirm that just sent me a link to download the rest of the suite for free."

 

Comments

[Joe Boris]

It scares me that they've just discountinued the desktop version of Snapseed, and now this huge price drop for the suite...? I guess if you're not planning on buying a new camera any time soon, it's not too sketchy a purchase.

[Phil Service]

Mike,

For folks who have already purchased one or more of the Nik modules, and who are registered with Nik, the entire suite is FREE. I got an e-mail yesterday with click-able buttons (one for Mac, one for PC) that will simply download the whole suite to your machine. I just downloaded and installed. I ignored the e-mail yesterday, thinking that it was just advertising junk. I expect I'm not the only one.

Phil

[Rob]

This really is good news for us Nik fans. There was a considerable anxiety over the possibility that Google would euthanize the Nik plug-ins, as they do not seem to fit into Google's overall business theme. Now we must hope that they put significant resources into continually improving in the plug-ins. Though some purists may sneer at the use of such "crutches," I find them to be extremely helpful and simple to use.

[Christopher Holland]

You can also get ANOTHER 15% off if you use the coupon code "MU-43". They could disable that at any time, of course.

[David Mantripp]

As far as I recall, the original Nik Sharpener predates Bruce Fraser's book by several years. Is it not PixelGenius Sharpener which is based on Bruce's book?

[Jim]

I own a couple of their programs. I got an email from them that said since I'm an existing customer, I can download the entire suite for free. Figured it was some kind of scam, though. Maybe I should check it out.

[Howard Fleming]

Mike, I received the e-mail yesterday as a free offer. Supposedly because I am a Nik software registered owner. (silverEfex Pro2).
Checked everywhich way from tomorrow, and couldn't find any gottcha. Downloaded, installed easily, and Norton said OK. No mention of reduced price, trial, or any other whatever. Works well. Great price free.

howard p.s. if there is a poisoned arrow, let us know.

[Richard Parkin]

It is worth googling nik software coupon codes to get an extra discount or look on SeriousCompacts/mu43.

[Scott]

The discount code "STUCKINCUSTOMS" currently gets you another $20 off too.

[Ed]

There is a fairly well publicised coupon code (DZISER) that gets you 15% off. Disclaimer I have not yet tried this code myself.

[Kevin Purcell]

Nik discount coupons work too e.g. the coupon DZISER gives 25% off. Worked for me and more than 670 people :-)

http://www.retailmenot.com/view/niksoftware.com

The plugins work in Aperture (in addition to Photoshop and Lightroom) too.

Other tidbits from Google+ comments:

The biggest changes are:

1. installer for all products
2. Windows 8 support
3. Google branding
4. Price change

Owners of the Nik Collection will get future upgrades for free. Google have made noises that there will be future versions but nothing specific.

You get a link to download either the Mac or the Windows version or both. Google don't lock you into a platform and can switch at any time.

You can install on all of the systems you own, regardless of platform. The license is a per-user license, not a per-computer license.

There will not be an additional academic discount on top of this product discount.

Windows XP is no longer supported.

There is no serial number protection or activation (as far as I can see) so there's no reason for this to stop working in the future should Google drop it.

Downloadable educational movies from Nik Software have disappeared but you can still stream them.

Vague comments about Picassa and Nik: "There's nothing to announce at this point. Picasa is still being worked on, and there are always other projects being worked on here in the Google+ team."

"at this point" :-)

And Google announced that Snapseed Desktop was dead

[Ian]

You might mention that if you already have one plug in from Nik, they are giving you the rest of the suite free! I already have the link from Google for my free suite.

[Jason]

Viveza is by far the best tool I've used for local adjustments. I was really excited to see this.

[Paul Marriner]

Mike, if you purchased Silver Efex Pro 2 you should get the bundle for free.

[Pierre Munson]

Thanks Mike, that's a good price. I found that by using the coupon code, DZISER, it was possible to save an additional 15%.

[Peter R]

15% off that price if you use voucher code "mu-43"

[Jim Henry]

I just did the Nik download (for Windows). It was copied to my downloads folder, but WITHOUT any file extension. When I doouble-clicked, Windows was unable to figure out how to run the installer.

I renamed the file to have a .exe extension, double-clicked on it, and it went ahead and appeared to correctly install... I'm about to try it now in Photoshop.

[ksobota]

15% off using "mu-43" confirmed. I just bought the package for $126.65. The "DSIZER" code also works, but prints a note about some exclusions. So I played it safe and used "mu-43".

[Lars S.]

To quote Vic Gundotra (Senior Vice President, Engineering) on Google+: "We are continuing to invest in the high end tool set. We are just getting started. Today's release makes these tools available to more people and bundles everything into a simple package."

Some more info given on G+:
- Customers who bought the tools at the old price in the last 30 days are going to get the difference refunded. (Too bad I bought the Lightroom collection about 45 days ago when I thought "better buy it now, before they discontinue it".)
- Anybody who bought any of the products (I think it was in the last five years) will get the whole collection for free.

[David Ralph]

Elements of Pixel Genius Photokit Sharpener were allegedly put into the current version of Lightroom for output sharpening, the connection being Jeff Schewe. While I love the NIK filter set, and I paid the long buck to get them, I cannot bend my head around their sharpener program. I read the Bruce Fraser book (and, yes, my head hurt), but it makes a lot of sense. Photokit Sharpener optimizes output sharpening according to the media, the printer device, and the size of the image. Another filter worth its weight in gold. NIK, on the other hand, wants you to figure out how far away from the print the viewer will place their eyeballs. No thanks. The neighborhood of error in that estimate is beyond what I can predict in our species.

[Dennis Ng]

Good hint Mike! Just got it! BTW, DZISER gives 15% off not 25% stated above only.

[Armand]

Thanks Mike. I got it :-)

[Wayne Fox]

I just bought the entire package about 35 days ago for full price :P

[Wayne Fox]

OK ... I just got an email that said they are going to refund the difference! Sweet.

[DAvid Seelig]

I did not get an email but called nik today after reading them my product codes they sent me a link to download the suite. Installation was a breeze. Much easier then the past.

[Ivan Muller]

Yes, I got this very nice e-mail from Google offering me the whole suit for free! I immediately downloaded the lot and I am actually impressed with the sharpening tool. Processed a whole bunch of images using 'Color Efex Pro' and 'Bleach Bypass' and then a bit of sharpening with 'Sharpener Pro'. Mike this lets me play a lot (and kept the GAS in check)and it was much cheaper than buying a new camera or lens!

[Arg]

Google does not fill me with confidence, with their track record of discontinuing any application they like whenever they like "for business reasons".

[Pavel]

Very nice prices. The twice bitten cynic in me wonders,only somewhat jokingly, of this being Google, and so if every shot processed won't somehow be tracked and info sent to advertisers. Has anyone checked this weeks changes to the licensing terms?

[Peter]

I bought Silver Efex Pro 2 last year. On Monday I got the email with download links, downloaded the whole suite, installed. The process did not touch my old Silver Efex Pro 2. Everything works as advertised. Now I have to figure out how to use the new tools...

[Christer]

So I tried Silver Efex Pro2, and am disappointed. I selected some different film types, and yes, they were different from one another. I liked Panatomic X and Agfa APX 100. Then I went on to look for different developers like Rodinal and Xtol. Bz there aren't any developers to choose from. Not even Rodinal and Xtol! Seems like a very basic program. That's not for me.

[Jim Meeks]

I downloaded the free collection to my Mac and every time I try to open it I get "no mountable file systems". Tried downloading again and running disk repair with no luck. Anyone else have similar results or a fix?

[William]

Viveeza 2 rocks!

Although someone would certainly point out a skilled Photoshop peron could whip up the same sort of functionality in about 30 seconds.

In my case doing anything similar to what Viveeza 2 can do would take me at least 3 months of dedicated training on Photoshop. This has nothing to do with the easy-as-pie Photoshop GUI. It has to do with my intellectual defects that keep me from making any sense whatsoever of the easy-as-pie Photoshop GUI.

[Christer]

Jim: RTFM which says: open LR (or whatever you use), open "Photo" menu, open "Develop in..." and click on "Silver Efex Pro 2" or whatever you want to use.

[Rob Young]

I got my free bundle this morning, installed and working fine, thanks Mr Google.