Introduction
If you have read the disclaimers at the end of my reviews, I have been a long-time user of Adobe's Lightroom Classic for post-processing and like many, I have been seeking ways to simplify my post-processing, simply because time is the most valuable asset for all of us.
And this round, after the recommendations from fellow photographers and my previous positive experience with DxO's software, I decided to take the jump with DxO's Nik Collection 8, and so here's sharing my initial experience covering installation, the learning curve and my 'restart' with it.
The output from Nik Colour Efex - Portraits Presets
Nik Collection 8 is the 8th version of DxO's very popular photo suite just released on 6th May 2025 and designed for use with an excellent set of host programs like Photoshop, Lightroom, DxO Photolab and etc-cetra.
SO ... What exactly does the Nik Collection 8 contain and what's new?
Beyond what I expected, Nik Collection 8 actually contains 7 sets of plugins: Colour Efex, Silver Efex, Analogue Efex, Viveza, Dfine, Sharpener and of course, HDR Efex, each with their specific post-processing purposes.
In the 8th edition, one of the most exciting upgrades is the smarter, improved workflow with Photoshop's AI masking, where Nik Collection 8 now seamlessly integrates with Adobe Photoshop's AI-powered Select Subject and Mask tools.
This means users can start with Photoshop's automatic object or background selection, then refine and enhance specific areas using U Point™ technology in Nik plugins like Colour Efex or Viveza. The combo of Photoshop's AI-based masks with Nik's manual precision provides a best-of-both-worlds workflow, ideal for portrait retouching, selective colour grading, or artistic enhancements.
I realised that given all the functionalities of Nik Collection 8, a comprehensive full length review will exceed 10,000 words hence for today, I am focusing on getting you acquainted on how easy it integrates with one's current post-processing software as a supplement and starting one's journey with Nik Collection 8 with Lightroom Classic.
Installation and key things to note
To start, of course, one can access Nik Collection here, and the site gives one a quick introduction to what's noteworthy, plus access to a set of tutorials to get one started right.
Downloading the application and getting the installation done was quite a breeze, and in fact, fast within a few minutes, even on my 2021 Macbook M1 Pro chip laptop.
One thing to note is that on the second installation screen, the installer should pick up your host post-processing software, and if not, now is the time to add it to the list, and Nik Collection 8 should automatically install itself to integrate with the host application. Short, easy and sweet.
Integrating Nik Collection 8 with Lightroom Classic
As someone new to Nik Collection and basically having not used DxO's software for a few years, I was looking forward to a smooth and intuitive flow and glad it indeed is.
Once installation is done, restart the computer, and once Lightroom Classic is started, go to Preferences → External Editing tab → Select the preferred one Nik Collection Plugin from the Presets List → Choose the file format between TIFF or JPEG, repeat with the other Plugins and exit preferences and you are done with setting up.
Setting up Lightroom Classic only needs to be done once.
From here onwards, my workflow is now to import files as usual, proceed with the usual post-processing on exposure, cropping and whatever is necessary and once ready, a 'right click' gives me the option 'Edit In' to edit the image further with any of the 7 Nik Collection 8 plugins.
Edits in Nik Collection 8 are non-destructive, and you can also choose to work on a copy of your file, whether it is the Lightroom-edited or original unedited file.
Beyond what was already available and in the previous version, Nik Collection 8 introduces 50-plus new creative presets across Analogue Efex and Colour Efex. These include cinematic LUT-inspired looks, vintage film emulations, and modern toning options to help users jumpstart creative workflows or match current visual trends.
Now, the impressive part is the Nik 8 Colour Efex alone comes with curated presets across a multitude of categories (genres) going from Architecture, Landscape, Creative, Portrait, Vintage, Wildlife and on.
And for the one who wants full control, after selecting a preset, the RIGHT window presents a full host of customisation options for you to tweak each file at the details and granular level needed.
While having so many options can be dizzying for the beginner, I am very sure this is a very welcome feature for professionals
In fact, the customisation doesn't stop at provided presets; one can also save customised versions of the presets for future use or simply for batch processing.
Once this step is completed, one can then select 'Apply', and you will be returned to Lightroom's environment for you to wrap up and export the file.
The output from Nik Colour Efex - Wildlife Presets
Zoomed in
The Wildlife category of presets alone provides a good 6 choices, going from Clarity Bump to Fur Details.
The original image
A tip is that Nik 8's 7 plugins are not stand-alone, and can be used stacked on each other, for example applying the Sharpen Eyes feature in Nik 8 Viveza after one has worked with Nik 8 Colour Efex.
Beyond presets in Nik Colour Efex, moving into Nik Viveza provides very useful features allowing one to make granular level adjustments such as Sharpen Eyes, Soften Skin, Sky Adjustment and on, including 'Fill Light' to give an overall brighter feel to the image.
Using the Sharpen Eye functionality
The final image
Of course, the genres covered are expansive, and one of the favorite of mine are the presets from Nik 8's Silver Efex.
The original file
The original file above is a good starting point, not that bad an image, but I felt it kinda lacked a punch or probably, could be improved with a more vintage colour scheme, and so here are the options in Nik 8 Colour Efex I considered.
Checking out the presets in the 'Vintage' category.
And after some detailed adjustments using the right panel, the final product below,
The output from Nik Colour Efex - Vintage Presets
Of course Nik Collection 8 supports presets for Landscapes and Skyscapes
The original file
Checking out the presets under the 'Landscape' category, that's 'Super Punch' on top and 'Even on a Cloudy Day' below.
My choice, and after adjustments in the right panel.
Leading to the final output below with the help of Silver Efex,
Conclusions
The fact is that while there is an uncountable number of presets/ software available, but I have not really warmed up to them for three key reasons, which Nik Collection 8 fulfils:
- Allowing fine adjustments to the presets, with the option to save them for use
- An extremely versatile set of presets, and actually going beyond ones that allow one to work on other aspects of post-processing, the 7 plug-ins of Nik Collection 8 support.
- An intuitive interface to work with, with options for further work, depending on how competent one is.
This is not even touching the surface of the many other strengths of this software. For example, I like the non-destructive TIFF Workflow across all plug-ins.
Image processed with Nik 8 Viveza and Colour Efex
Ashamedly, I know I am just scratching the surface of the powerful options made available to photographers in Nik Collection 8, especially version 8's improved integration with Photoshop's AI Masking, and I will continue sharing as I make my way through it as a novice.
In a nutshell, Nik Collection 8 is not just a cosmetic refresh. It smartly builds on DxO's strengths: non-destructive editing, powerful local adjustments, and creative control on while embracing modern workflows like AI masking in Photoshop. Whether you're an enthusiast or a working pro, the suite will contribute to your post-processing flow.
Thank you for reading.
Disclaimers:
- All product photos and samples here were photographed by me. I believe any reviewer with pride should produce their own product photos.
2. All images were shot with a variety of cameras, for example, the Leica M11-P, Leica M10-R, Fujifilm X-H1, Fujifilm X-T3 and on.
3. This review is not sponsored.
4. I write as a passion and a hobby, and I appreciate that photography brands are kind enough to respect and work with me.
5. The best way to support me is to share the review, or you can always help support me by contributing to my fees to WordPress for the domain using the Paypal button at the bottom of the page.
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