Paris, France—DxO Labs introduced the latest edition of its Nik Collection photo-editing suite. Its seven applications extend the capabilities of programs such as Photoshop, Lightroom, Affinity Photo as well as DxO PhotoLab. Further, the Nik Collection 7 plug-in suite features major advances in Nik Collection’s U Point technology.
Consequently, it gives you more options for ellipses, polygons and luminosity masks, offering photographers more control than before. In addition, the suite is faster across the board, with 30% faster opening and instant switching between plug-ins. This is true whether from a host program or in stand-alone mode.
“Nik Collection exists to accelerate visual creativity in any photography workflow. With version 7, not only have we maximized performance, but we’ve introduced new selection tools that deliver a remarkable level of control,” explained Boris Oliviero, product director. “As an upgrade, users get creativity, speed and flexibility like never before.”
Nik Collection 7 Plug-In Upgrades
The Nik Collection’s signature U Point local adjustment technology gets three new tools to provide more precision when making selections. The introduction of a new polygonal tool allows you to mask out irregular shapes faster. Moreover, you can now stretch or squash the standard control points into any elliptical form. 
In addition, a new color picker tool lets you choose a hue and tone for the adjustment to target, independent from the placement of the adjustment itself. Also, you may use luminosity masks across the suite to target levels of brightness.
Version 7 also permits you to jump between plug-ins without having to return to the host program. Furthermore, you can access Nik Viveza from within Nik Color Efex. You can also output images from within a plug-in, for a smoother workflow experience. Additionally, there are library upgrades with a quick search tool and the ability to organize presets and filters for quicker access. 
Nik Color Efex Improvements
What’s more, Nik Color Efex now features an extended HSL filter for altering color ranges with a new vibrancy slider. A new “stacking” feature also means you can combine and reorder all filters as required for creative effects.
Moreover, for consistency, Nik Perspective was removed from Nik Collection 7. However, thanks to parallel installation, owners of previous versions are able to continue to use this plug-in.
Nik Collection 7 (Windows and macOS) is now available. The full version of Nik Collection 7 has a suggested retail price of $159. The upgrade alone costs $89. A free, 30-day trial is also available.
