Color Efex Pro 5

Presentation

The Color Efex Pro 5 module is an extensive library of filters that lets you apply creative effects, modify them as you wish with overall correction tools and control points, and even combine them to create an infinite number of special colour effects.

Preferences and Help

The various settings in Color Efex Pro let you choose your preferences for the interface, GPU acceleration, image output and language. Help gives you access to the user guide and a range of online services.

Preferences

To access Preferences:

• Mac: click on the Color Efex Pro 5 menu at the top left, then select Preferences.
• PC: go to the File menu, then select Preferences.

The Preferences window comprises a single tab named General. It offers the following options (from top to bottom):

• Preview Mode*: Lets you choose how images will be displayed when you open the app, either Single image preview, or Split preview (the image is separated by a line, with Before corrections on the left, After corrections on the right), or Side by side preview (the two versions of the image, before and after corrections, are displayed next to each other).
• Background colour*: You can select the level of grey for the background appearance: white, grey, dark grey, black.
• Zoom status*: sets the level of zoom to be applied when the app is opened, from Fit (screen) to 3:1 (300 %).
• GPU**: check this box if you want Color Efex Pro to use your computer’s video card to perform calculations.
• TIFF compression: Choose between LZW compression, which reduces file size, or no compression.
• JPEG Quality: Adjusts the compression and quality of JPEG files generated when saving your work in Color Efex Pro. The default setting is 80%, a good compromise between file size and quality.
• Language**: the Nik Collection offers a choice of 17 languages.
• Reset Preferences: Click the Reset button to reapply the default settings and options.

* By default, if you do not change this option, it is the setting previously used that will be applied.
**Changes are applied the next time you launch the plug-in.
Shared options and settings selected in one of the modules will apply to all Nik Collection plug-ins.

To save your Preferences:

• On Mac: click on the red button at the top left of the screen to exit the Preferences window (the changes are automatically saved, some are applied the next time you launch the app – see list above).
• On PC, click Save to keep the changes (some will take effect the next time you open the plug-in – see list above). You can exit the window without saving the changes – either click on Cancel or on the red button at the top right of the screen.

Help

To access the online help links, go the the Help menu (Internet connection required):

• User Guide*: consult online or download the PDF file.
• Frequently Asked Questions*: answers to common questions about Color Efex Pro 5.
• Online support*: report problems and ask questions, after creating a support ticket.
• Learning Hub*: tutorials, videos, webinars.
• Check for updates*: if an update is available, you can download and install it. When you install the update, you will be prompted to close Nik Collection and its host programs.
• About (Mac)/About Color Efex Pro 5 (PC): displays the home screen with the number of the version installed.

* Requires an internet connection.

Interface

Color Efex Pro 5 comprises the following elements:

1. The menu bar
2. The upper toolbar
3. The image display area
4. The left panel (Filters and Presets)
5. The right panel (tools)
6. The lower toolbar

The menu bar

Mac:

The menu bar at the top of the Color Efex Pro window comprises the following menus:

• Color Efex Pro 5: gives access to Preferences.
• Edit: contains the Undo and Redo commands, to undo or redo previous actions one by one, as well as the Apply Last Edit command, which lets you apply corrections made to another image during a previous session with Color Efex Pro to a new image.
• Help: contains links to the User Guide, DxO support, etc.

PC:

The menu bar at the top of the Color Efex Pro window comprises the following menus:

• File: gives access to Preferences.
• Edit: contains the Undo and Redo commands, to undo or redo previous actions one by one, as well as the Apply Last Edit command, which lets you apply corrections made to another image during a previous session with Color Efex Pro to a new image.
• Help: contains links to the User Guide, DxO support, etc.

The upper toolbar

The upper toolbar includes the display, comparison, and zoom tools.

The Compare buttons let you compare your image before and after correction:

• Alternate: click on the button to display the image before correction, release to display the corrected image.
• Split vertically or horizontally: divides the image in two with a vertical line that you can move left or right, or toggle to horizontal mode by clicking on the arrow in the centre of the line, which you can move freely up or down. The left half (or upper half) displays the image before any corrections were applied, while the right half (or lower half) displays the processed and corrected image. You can zoom and move synchronously in both halves of the image, either with the Navigator or with the Hand tool, by pressing the Space bar.
• One above the other or side-by-side preview: the pre-processed version is shown at the top, the post-processed version at the bottom. You can also display both versions of the image side by side by clicking on the button between the two. You can also zoom and move synchronously in the two images, either with the Browser or with the Hand tool, by pressing the spacebar.

Zoom +/Zoom -: use to change the scale of the image displayed:

• Fit: adapted to your screen size to show the full image in the image display area.
• Fill: displays the image so that it fills the entire display area (the image may look cropped therefore).
• 1:1: zoom value equivalent to 100 % (1 pixel of the image = 1 pixel of the screen).
• 2:1: zoom equivalent to 200%.
• Other zoom values: click on the arrows to select other zoom values from the menu. When you select one of these values, it is displayed in the 2:1 button.

You can also press the spacebar to zoom in; release the spacebar to zoom back out. In this case, the image will be zoomed to 1:1 (100%).

Whenever you zoom in on an image (including in Fill mode), a floating window is displayed to the top right of the image display zone. You can move around the image by clicking and dragging the tile or by clicking in the floating navigation window.

The image display area

This is where the image is displayed, on a medium gray background, which you can change in the Settings.

Below the image you will find the following information:

1. If you have opened several images, a small horizontal scrollbar lets you switch from one to the next.
2. File name and extension If the image has EXIF metadata, the shooting and material settings will also be displayed.
3. You will also see the checkbox to select non-destructive mode.

To gain space to display your image, you can use the Tab key on your keyboard to hide/unhide the two side panels at the same time.

The left panel

Filters and Presets

The left panel comprises all the Filters, grouped in categories (All, New, Fine Art, Travel, etc.) in list form (with access to the variants for each filter when you click on the chevron), and the Presets, i.e. the ready-to-use recipes that combine several filters.

To select a category, click on one of the tiles: the frame turns yellow and the list of filters shows those included in the selected category. Click on a preview thumbnail to select a filter and a yellow bar will be shown to the left of the filter name; the associated tools will be shown in the right panel. Likewise, if you add a filter using the “+” button, which appears when you hover over the list with the mouse.

The Filters and Presets are shown as preview thumbnails of the image opened in the plug-in. If the image is framed horizontally (landscape format), the thumbnails are arranged in a single column, and if the image is framed verticallly (portrait format), the thumbnails are grouped in pairs.

To hide or unhide the content of a filter or a section, click on the chevron on the right. The figure indicates the number of filters or presets in each section and, depending on the section, you can use the double arrow to save, import or export a filter or preset.

The Custom section is used to create your own filters and presets. In the Import section, you can upload filters and custom presets shared by other users. Finally, the History section lists all the corrections and settings applied to the selected image.

In each section, you can filter the filters and presets to show your favourites or recently used choices. You can also hide or unhide the left panel, either by clicking on its right-hand edge or pressing the L key.

The History section

The History section shows all the processing and correction steps of your image, from top (oldest) to bottom (most recent).

To view the image at a particular stage, click on the stage in question in the list. The selected step is displayed in yellow, all previous steps (above) are white, and all subsequent steps (below) are greyed out: if you correct the image at this point, the greyed out steps will not be applied to the image.

In split or side-by-side display mode, you can apply a step to the left view from the history by moving the History selector (the yellow arrow on the left edge of the section).

The right panel

The right panel shows the following sections, based on the filters selected in the left panel, along with the permanent sections:

• The loupe and histogram (permanently shown).
• DxO filters: ClearView and Grain (permanently shown).
• Color Efex Filters

The Loupe and Histogram section

When you scroll the contents of the right panel upwards, the Loupe and Histogram disappear from view. Click on the pin on the right in the section header to lock the section in place (scroll down for the other tools).

The Loupe section is always available, regardless of the tools used:

• The Loupe always displays an enlarged preview of the area in the image area hovered over by the mouse. It is divided by a vertical yellow lie, the left-hand side showing the image before processing and the right-hand side after processing.
• The Loupe can be locked at any point in the image by clicking on the pin and then in the image (tilted pin: disabled, vertical pin: enabled).
• When you enable one of the zoom modes, the loupe is centred by default. You can move around the image by grabbing the tile or by clicking in the floating navigation window.
• To move around in the loupe, you need to unlock the pin.

The Histogram section is always available too, regardless of the tools used:

The histogram shows the distribution of the brightness levels of the pixels in the selected image, with shadows on the left, midtones in the centre, and highlights on the right, with the peaks corresponding to the number of pixels per brightness range.

Click on the buttons to view the histogram in different ways:

• RGB: default indication, covering the 3 channels Red, Green, Blue as well as the complementary colours Cyan, Magenta and Yellow, according to the additive color principle.
• R: displays the red channel only.
• G: displays the green channel only.
• B: displays the blue channel only.
• L: displays the overall brightness values.

Because you can display the brightness values per channel, you can adjust your tonality (exposure, contrast) and color settings more accurately.

The histogram can also be used to display the clipped values in the image, shown as masks whose color corresponds to the RGB channel and/or the complementary colour affected. This is especially important as Color Efex Pro provides tools that can significantly impact brightness and contrast.

To show the clipping masks, click in the histogram or on the button(s) in the top corners: left for clipped shadows and blacks, and left for clipped highlights and whites.

The DxO Filters section

The DxO Filters are based on tools that were originally developed for DxO PhotoLab. With ClearView, they can correct misty and atmospheric haze effects and draw on DxO Labs’ expertise in simulating film grain.

Uncheck the ClearView and Grain boxes to temporarily disable these corrections; use the curved arrow to re-enable them (or double-click on the sliders).

ClearView

Set to 0 by default, the Strength slider adjusts the atmospheric haze correction. The aim is to recover data in the shadows, which improves the perception of details, contrast and colour saturation.

ClearView can also be used to give your images greater impact.

Grain

The drop-down menu, set to Original by default (no grain applied) shows a list of silver emulsion films. Hover the mouse over the list to see a preview of the effect on the image.

Once you have made your choice, you can use the sliders to adjust the strength of the grain and its size.

The Grain Size slider is set to a low value by default (1.0) so you may want to increase the value and zoom in on the photo to see the effect.

The Color Efex Pro Filters section

When you select a filter in the left panel, a new section and the associated tools are displayed in the right panel, along with buttons you can use to access the Check Points.

Although the tools and sliders available depend on the filter(s) and preset selected, the sections share some common features:

1. Box to check to disable/enable all the tools in the filter (for a quick comparison with and without the corrections and effects applied).
2. Double arrow to reset the filter (keeping the local adjustments or not) and copy/paste the Control Points.
3. An “X” button to close the section (which also disables the effects and corrections applied).
4. A chevron to collapse or expand the section’s content.

The lower toolbar

The lower toolbar includes the following information and features:

1. File source: indicates the name of the host application.
2. Cancel: cancels the current processing and corrections and closes the plugin. The image in the host application is not modified.
3. Apply: saves the processing and corrections and closes the plug-in. The image is modified in the host application. If you have more than one image open, the button shows “Apply…” (short for “Apply to all”).

Keyboard shortcuts

Action	PC	Mac
Clipped highlights	Shift + H	Shift + H
Clipped shadows	Shift + S	Shift + S
Add a Filter	Shift + Click on a Filter	Shift + Click on a Filter
Add a Recipe	Shift + Click on a Recipe	Shift + Click on a Recipe
Cancel	Ctrl + Z	Cmd + Z
Redo	Ctrl + Y	Cmd + Y
Full Screen	F	F
Preview	P	P
Show/Hide Control Palettes	Tab	Tab
Apply Filter	Enter	Backspace
Cancel Filter	Esc	Esc
Zoom	Spacebar	Spacebar
Zoom In	Ctrl + “+”	Cmd + “+”
Zoom Out	Ctrl + “-“	Cmd + “-“
Zoom to Fit	Ctrl + 0	Cmd + 0
Zoom to 100 %	Ctrl + Alt + 0	Cmd + Alt + 0
Add a + Control Point	Ctrl + Shift + A	Cmd + Shift + A
Add a – Control Point	Ctrl + Alt + Shift + A	Cmd + Option + Shift + A
Delete Control Point	Del	Del
Duplicate Control Point	Ctrl + D, Alt + drag, or Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + V to paste	Cmd + D, Alt + drag, or Cmd + C to copy and Cmd + V to paste
Expand/Collapse Control Point	E	E
Group Control Points	Ctrl + G	Cmd + G
Ungroup Control Points	Ctrl + Shift + G	Cmd + Shift + G

Filter Library

Color Efex Pro 5 offers 55 filters in 20 categories (plus the DxO ClearView and Grain filters permanently docked in the right panel). When you select a cateogry, only the Filters in that category will be displayed in the list in the left panel. To display the full list, click on the All category. You can hide some of the categories or unhide them by clicking on Show Less/Show All just below.

There are different versions of each filter: click on the chevron on the right to see them. To apply a Filter, either click on its name or on one of the thumbnails once you’ve clicked on the chevron. The associated tools will then appear in the right panel. To add a Filter, click on the “+” button.

You can add a Filter to your Favourites, but not an individual thumbnail. Your Favourites are shown by a gold star. To find your Favourite or recently used filters, click on the Filter By buttons.

The descriptions of the Filters and associated tools below follow the alphabetical order of the Filters in the library.

Each Filter comes with an Opacity slider [LIEN] and Control Points [LIEN]. For more on how they work, see the related sections in this guide.

Bi-Color Filters

Simulates a traditional two-color glass filter by mixing two colors and then adding the result to the image. From the drop-down menu, select a predefined color combination, each with four variations.

Color Set	Select one of the 20 predefined color combinations, grouped in 5 different color sets.
Opacity	Controls the overall intensity of the filter.
Blend	Controls the transition between the two colors.
Vertical Shift	Controls the position of the filter horizon.
Rotation	Controls the angle of the filter horizon.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Custom Bi-Color

Simulates a traditional two-color glass filter by mixing two colors and then adding the result to the image. Both colors can be customized.

Opacity	Controls the overall intensity of the filter.
Blend	Controls the transition between the two colors.
Vertical Shift	Controls the position of the filter horizon.
Rotation	Controls the angle of the filter horizon.
Upper Color	Indicates the upper color to be applied to the image. Use the eyedropper to select a color in the image or click the color chart to open the color picker tool.
Lower Color	Indicates the lower color to be applied to the image. Use the eyedropper to select a color in the image or click the color chart to open the color picker tool.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

B/W Conversion

Use this filter to convert a color image into a black and white version, and control shadows, highlights, and relationships between the original colors. Three black and white conversion modes are available in the filter displayed in the right panel:

• B/W Conversion: black and white conversion (default setting).
• Tonal Enhancer: improves the rendering of the different tonal ranges.
• Dynamic Contrast: Creates a stronger and harder contrast effect (brighter highlights, denser shadows).

The tools available vary depending on the conversion mode selected.

Color Filter	Adjusts the color of the simulated filter and controls the relationship of colors in the image. This filter brightens subjects of the selected color in the image and darkens subjects of the complementary color.
Filter strength	Drag the slider to the left to decrease the contrast between colors or to the right to increase it.
Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Contrast	Adjusts the overall contrast of the image. (B/W Conversion only)
Contrast Enhancer	Also adjusts the overall contrast, but more forcefully than the Contrast slider. (Dynamic contrast only)
Method	Offers three options with different types of contrast to bring out shadow detail or create a high-contrast image. (Tonal Enhancer only)
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Bleach Bypass

Simulates the technique used on color films where the bleaching process has been skipped. The result is high contrast and low saturation. Both set photographers and animated filmmakers use this effect to create striking, stylized images.

Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Saturation	Controls the overall color intensity by increasing or decreasing the saturation throughout the image.
Overall Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the image.
Local Contrast	Uses a custom variation of the Structure slider, found in some other Nik Collection plug-ins, to emphasize fine detail and texture in the image.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Brilliance/Warmth

Lets you control the brightness of the color within the photo and give it a warm or cool tone.

Saturation	Increases or decreases the vividness of the colors in the photo.
Warmth	Adjusts the color temperature of the photo. Move the slider to the left to cool the colors (adding a blue cast) or to the right to warm them up (adding a red cast).
Perceptual Saturation	Although it does not directly increase the saturation of colors, this slider alters the hues slightly to increase the perception of saturation of the corresponding colors. To achieve this, the complementary color component is increased in the surrounding colors, which affects the eye’s perception of colors. This process’s operating principle is similar to that of perceptual contrast, where the contrast seems to increase when the image is placed against a black background.

Classical Soft focus

This option simulates blur filters and traditional diffusion techniques.

Method	Offers 3 different levels for each of the Blur and Diffusion effects.
Diffused Detail	Adjusts the density of random details added to the Blur effect. This option helps maintain the appearance of the details and prevents interference.
Filter strength	Adjusts the level of softening added to the photo.
Brightness	Adjusts the overall brightness of the image.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Colorize

Inks the image with one color, and offers different color and contrast relationships to stylize the image.

Method	Offers six different modes for applying color to the image.
Color	Selects the color to be added to the image. Use the eyedropper to select a color from the photo or click on the color chart to open the color picker tool.
Filter strength	Adjusts the degree to which the filter is applied to the photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Color Stylizer

Use this filter to overlay a color on the photo, while retaining control of the color saturation of the original image.

Color	Selects the color to be added to the image. Use the eyedropper to select a color from the photo or click on the color chart to open the color picker tool.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Saturation	Adjusts the vividness of the original colors. Drag the slider to the left to create a monochrome image or to the right to maintain all the colors of the original.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Contrast Color Range

Adjusts the contrast between the selected colors in an image.

Color	Selects the color range to which to apply contrast. Select a color and the subjects in that color will be lightened, while the opposite colors will be darkened.
Color Contrast	Adjusts the level of contrast to be added between the selected color and the complementary subject of that color.
Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Contrast Only

This filter provides various controls for contrast, including the “Contrast Only” method, which adjusts contrast without changing the color of the objects in the photo.

Brightness	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Contrast	Applies standard contrast to images, similar to the contrast provided in your image editing application.
Contrast Only	Applies contrast without changing colors.
Soft Contrast	Provides a softer alternative to the usual contrast. Move this slider to the right to create a contrast that gives character to the image, with smooth transitions between areas.
Saturation	Controls the overall intensity of colors in the photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Cross Balance

Simulates the use of a daylight film under artificial tungsten-type light, or a tungsten color film in daylight. Use this filter to warm up your photos with an orange color or cool them down with a bluish effect.

Method	Select one of the 6 available options to get a daylight-to-tungsten or tungsten-to-daylight effect. Each option gives a more accentuated effect than the previous one.
Filter strength	Adjusts the degree to which the filter is applied to the photo.

Cross Processing

Provides a variety of different options for C41 to E6 processing (color negative film processing in slide film chemicals) and E6 to C41 processing (slide film processing in color negative film chemicals).

Method	Use this drop-down menu to select one of the predefined processing methods.
Filter strength	Controls the degree to which the filter is applied to your photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Dark Contrast

Uses an exclusive technique to amplify details and textures throughout the photo, with a denser and more striking rendering.

Detail Extractor	Lets you control how much detail is accentuated. Increase the value of this slider to amplify details while lightening shadows and tamping down highlights. As a result, the tone is distributed more evenly throughout the photo.
Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Saturation	Controls the intensity of the colors in the photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Detail Extractor

Uses a unique new technique to exaggerate details to create oustanding stylish photos. Use this filter to balance light and tone, and extract detail throughout the photo.

Detail Extractor	This is the main control for this filter. Drag the slider to the right to lighten shadows and darken highlights while accentuating details throughout the photo.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Saturation	Controls the overall intensity of colors in the photo.
Effect radius	Controls how the Detail Extractor function brings out details. Select “Fine” to emphasize small subjects, which gives the image more texture. Or select “Large” to highlight large subjects.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Duplex

Creates a two-color effect and offers different options for color, blur and saturation.

Color	Adds a color to the image. To choose a color for this command, use the eyedropper to select a color from the photo or click on the color chart to open the color picker tool.
Filter strength	Adjusts the degree to which the filter is applied to the photo.
Diffusion	Controls the amount of blur added to give style to the image.
Saturation	Controls the intensity of the colors in the photo.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Darken/Lighten Center

Draws the eye towards the center of the photo or away from it. A light center and dark edges draw the eye toward the center of the image, while a dark center and light edges draw the eye toward the edges.

Method	Controls the shape of the effect. You can choose between an oval or circular shape.
Center Luminosity	Controls the brightness at the center of the photo.
Border Luminosity	Controls the brightness at the edges of the photo.
Center Size	Controls the size of the effect.
Place Center	Click on the “Place Center” icon and then click in the area of the photo you want to use as the center of the effect.

Dynamic Skin Softener

Creates soft, shiny skin without altering other objects in the image. You can also use this filter in photos that do not show a person if you want to apply the softening effect to other subjects.

Skin Color	To select the skin color, use the eyedropper to choose a color from the photo or click on the color chart to open the color picker tool.
Color Reach	Lets you control the range of colors involved. Drag the slider to the left to narrow the color range or to the right to widen it. If you select 100%, the softening effect applies to all colors and objects in the photo.
Small Details	Controls the amount of softening applied to small details in the photo.
Medium Details	Controls the amount of softening applied to medium details in the photo.
Large Details	Controls the amount of softening applied to large details in the photo.

Film Efex: Faded

The Film Efex Series “Faded” filter applies a unique style to the image, giving the impression that the photo has been aged.

Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Saturation	Controls the intensity of the colors in the photo.
Blur	Gives a diffuse effect to the image, reducing contrast and softening details.
Vignetting	Darkens the edges of the image in a circular shape.
Grain per pixel	Based on Nik’s unique grain engine, this slider lets you add realistic grain to the photo. Moving the slider to the left reduces the number of grain elements applied per pixel, increasing the size and visibility of the grain throughout the photo. If you don’t want to apply any grain to your photo, move the slider all the way to the right.
Film Strength	Controls the intensity of the unique stylization applied to the film. To maintain the original colors of the photo, set the slider to 0 %.
Film Type	Select one of the available film types. Each is designed to give the image a different appearance.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Film Efex: Modern (Branded)

The “Modern” filter from the Film Efex series is used to simulate the appearance of color films, negatives and slides, including grain. Using the advanced sliders in the “Film Details” section, you can even define your own film types to create never-before-seen imaginary films.

Film Type	Select one of the available films. For each type, multiple films were printed, scanned, and analyzed to create the most authentic film emulation possible.
Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Sensitivity	Each slider can be used to control the brightness of a specific color in the photo.
Saturation	Each slider can be used to adjust the intensity of a specific color in the photo.
Tone Curve	This tool lets you adjust the contrast of the film type, and change the tone and contrast of red, green, and blue separately.
Grain	These sliders let you add realistic grain to your photo using Nik Software’s unique grain engine. Move the Grain per Pixel slider to the left to reduce the number of grainy elements applied per pixel, increasing the size and visibility of the grain throughout the photo. If you don’t want to apply any grain to your photo, move the slider all the way to the right. The “Grain Hardness” slider lets you control the intensity of the grain. When the grain is coarse, the image will appear more detailed and sharper. The finer the grain, the more natural the image feels.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Film Efex: Nostalgic

The “Nostalgic” filter in the Film Efex series creates effects based on imaginary film types. Use this filter to create special and interesting interpretations of your photo, with vivid colors, and give the feeling that it was taken by a toy camera.

Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Perceptual Saturation	Although it does not directly increase the saturation of colors, this slider alters the hues slightly to increase the perception of saturation of the corresponding colors. To achieve this, the complementary color component is increased in the surrounding colors, which affects the eye’s perception of colors. This process’s operating principle is similar to that of perceptual contrast, where the contrast seems to increase when the image is placed against a black background.
Glow	Adds a small amount of glow around bright subjects.
Vignetting	Darkens the edges of the image in a circular shape.
Grain per pixel	Based on Nik’s unique grain engine, this slider adds realistic grain to the photo. Moving the slider to the left reduces the number of grain elements applied per pixel, increasing the size and visibility of the grain throughout the photo. If you don’t want to apply any grain to your photo, move the slider all the way to the right.
Film Strength	Controls the intensity of the unique stylization applied to the film. To maintain the original colors of the photo, set the slider to 0 %.
Film Type	Select one of the available film types. Each is designed to give the image a different appearance.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Film Efex: Vintage

The Vintage filter in the Film Efex series creates photos that feel like they have been taken with the very earliest types of color film.

Saturation	Controls the overall intensity of colors in the photo.
Warmth	Adjusts the color temperature of the photo. Move the slider to the left to cool the colors (adding blue tones) or to the right to warm them (adding red tones).
Vignetting	Darkens the edges of the image in a circular shape.
Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Grain per pixel	Based on Nik’s unique grain engine, this slider adds realistic grain to the photo. Moving the slider to the left reduces the number of grain elements applied per pixel, increasing the size and visibility of the grain throughout the photo. If you don’t want to apply any grain to your photo, move the slider all the way to the right.
Film Strength	Controls the intensity of the unique stylization applied to the film. To maintain the original colors of the photo, set the slider to 0 %.
Film Type	Select one of the available film types. Each is designed to give the image a different appearance.

Film Grain

Adds a realistic film grain to images.

Grain per pixel	Based on Nik’s unique grain engine, this slider adds realistic grain to the photo. Moving the slider to the left reduces the number of grain elements applied per pixel, increasing the size and visibility of the grain throughout the photo. If you don’t want to apply any grain to your photo, move the slider all the way to the right.
Grain Hardness	This slider lets you control the intensity of the grain. When the grain is coarse, the image will appear more detailed and sharper. The finer the grain, the more natural the image feels.
Film Contrast	Adds a natural S-curve to the image, similar to that of film.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Fog

Simulates a traditional fog effect: a pronounced blur that gives this look to the image.

Method	Allows you to choose from 4 artistic blur ranges.
Filter strength	Controls how intensely the filter will be applied.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Foliage

Identifies foliage and greenery in an image, and enhances or stylizes these objects.

Method	Controls the color of the foliage visible in the photo.
Enhance Foliage	Controls how intensely the filter will be applied.

Glamour Glow

Provides portrait photographers with a powerful tool to stylize images with soft and dreamlike effects.

Glow	Lets you control to what extent the filter’s softening technique is applied.
Saturation	Adjusts the overall vividness of the colors (to the right) and gradually fades the colors (to the left).
Glow Warmth	Controls the temperature of the effect added to the image. Move the slider to the left to cool the image with blue tones or to the right to warm the image with red-orange tones.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Graduated Filters

Simulates the use of a traditional glass graduated filter that fuses a color in one half of the photo.

Color Set	Select one of 16 predefined color combinations, grouped into four different color sets.
Opacity	Controls the overall intensity of the filter.
Blend	Controls the transition between the filter and the original photo.
Vertical Shift	Controls the position of the filter horizon.
Rotation	Controls the angle of the filter horizon.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Graduated Fog

Simulates a traditional glass filter and lets you add an accentuated softening effect to one half of the photo.

Fog Method	Provides a range of different soft focus effects.
Opacity	Controls the overall intensity of the filter.
Blend	Controls the transition between the filter and the original photo.
Vertical Shift	Controls the position of the filter horizon.
Rotation	Controls the angle of the filter horizon.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Graduated Neutral Density

Darkens or brightens part of an image while preserving its color. Use this filter to correct the tonality of an image that is too high in contrast.

Upper Tonality	Controls the brightness of the upper part of the filter.
Lower Tonality	Controls the brightness of the lower part of the filter.
Blend	Controls the size of the transition between the fog effect and the details in the original image.
Vertical Shift	Controls the position of the filter horizon.
Rotation	Controls the angle of the filter horizon.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Custom Graduated

Simulates the use of a traditional graduated glass filter and lets you select any color to merge it into one half of the photo.

Color	Indicates the color to be applied to one half of the photo. Use the eyedropper to select a color in the image or click the color chart to open the color picker tool.
Opacity	Controls the overall intensity of the filter.
Blend	Controls the size of the transition between the selected color and the details in the original image.
Vertical Shift	Controls the position of the filter horizon.
Rotation	Controls the angle of the filter horizon.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

High Key

Lets you simulate the look of a photo in bright light, with uniformly light tones and low contrast. This filter is also useful for enhancing photos originally taken without highlights.

Glow	Controls the degree of brightness added around objects from the “Standard Highlights” effect.
Standard High Key	Lets you add highlights uniformly throughout the image.
Dynamic High Key	Adds a unique highlight effect that changes according to the color and tone of the original subject. This command makes dark subjects lighter than light subjects.
Saturation	Controls the overall intensity of colors in the photo.
Blacks	Brings out the darkest subjects in the photo and ensures that black tones (a crucial element in a high-light image) are present.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Image Borders

Use this filter to add a unique, natural, and random outline to your photos. This filter uses Nik’s exclusive technologies to create borders that are not only infinitely variable, but also incredibly natural.

Border Type	Select from among 14 borders or frames.
Size	Controls the size of the outline added to the image. Tip: Adding an outline always removes part of the image. To prevent your image from being cropped when you add an outline, use a pixel editing application such as Photoshop to increase the size of the image canvas and apply a black outline around the image. Then use the Size slider to create the desired overlap between the image outline and the black outline.
Spread	Controls the depth of the added outline. Move the slider to the right to widen the space taken up by the border elements in the image.
Grunge	Controls the random details added around the image. Move the slider to the right (more towards Rough) to add more random details to the border and give it more style.
Vary Border	Click here to select another border category number at random. A different border is created at random for each number, giving a wide range of results. To create exactly the same border each time, make note of the “Size”, “Spread” and “Clean/Rough” settings and the border category number. To achieve a border that is similar but still different for each image, use the same values (éSize”, “Spread”, “Clean/Rough”) but with a different border category number.

Indian Summer

Identifies foliage and greenery in an image, and enhances or stylizes these objects. This filter can be used to create warm colors similar to autumn landscapes.

Method	Applies one of the 4 available renderings for the color of the foliage visible in the photo.
Enhance Foliage	Controls how intensely the filter will be applied.

Infrared Film

Simulates color and black & white infrared films. This filter simulates different methods of capturing the infrared portion of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum, as well as the effects produced by films capable of capturing these wavelengths.

Method	Selects Color or Black & White infrared film types, each with different styles.
Lighten Highlights	Controls the brightness of the light tones in the picture.
Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Ink

Simulates the stylistic effect of special photographic papers and toners.

Color Set	Select one of the 11 color combinations.
Filter strength	Controls how intensely the filter will be applied.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Levels & Curves

Levels and curves are among the most commonly used tools for adjusting the brightness and tone of an image. This filter is especially useful when combined with other filters in a stack.

Channel	Selects the channel for which the tone is to be ajdusted. In addition to the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) channels usually located in the Curve dialog boxes, the Levels & Curves filter also provides a brightness channel that lets you adjust the brightness and contrast of your photo without changing the colors. You can also adjust the brightness and contrast of your photo without changing the colors.
Opacity	Adjusts the degree to which the filter is added to the photo.
Tone Curve	Click on the curve to add anchor points to it directly. To remove an anchor point, double-click on it.
Levels Sliders	Drag the Black Point, White Point, or Midtone slider to adjust the tone levels.

You can find more information about the Levels & Curves tool in the Overall and Selective Correction Tools section.

Low Key

Lets you simulate the look of a photo in low light, with uniform dark tones and low contrast. This filter is also useful for enhancing photos originally taken without low light.

Glow	Controls the degree of brightness added around objects from the “Standard Shadows” effect.
Standard Low Key	Lets you add shadows uniformly throughout the image.
Dynamic Low Key	Adds a unique low-light effect that changes according to the color and tone of the original object. This control darkens light subjects more than dark subjects.
Saturation	Controls the overall intensity of colors in the photo.
Whites	Brings out the lightest objects in the photo and ensures that white tones (a crucial element in a low-light image) are present.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Midnight

Creates the illusion of a photograph taken at night to gives the image character. Use the Midnight filter to create a cinematic effect and reduce detail throughout the image with an advanced blur technique.

Color Set	Use this drop-down menu to select one of the predefined color combinations.
Blur	Controls the amount of blur added to give style to the image.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Color	Controls the relationship between the amount of color added by the filter and the amount of color from the original photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Monday Morning

Creates a diffused atmosphere and gives the photo a restful look. Use this filter to control contrast and saturation, add grain and apply a blur effect.

Color Set	Use this drop-down menu to select one of the predefined color combinations.
Grain	Controls the amount of grain added to the image.
Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Smear	Lets you control to what extent the filter’s softening technique is applied.
Color	Controls the relationship between the amount of color added by the filter and the amount of color from the original photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Old Photo

Transforms an image so that it looks like an old photo. Different styles let you simulate various color or black & white processes.

Style	Choose a color or a black & white process. There are six styles available per process.
Grain	Controls the amount of grain added to the image.
Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Paper Toner

Simulates the different types of toners commonly used in black & white prints in the darkroom. Use this filter to automatically convert an image to a black & white version before adding the toner effect. For best results and accuracy, apply the B/W Conversion filter first.

Paper Tone	Use the drop-down menu to select one of the 8 preset tints to be applied to the photo.
Filter strength	Controls how intensely the filter will be applied.
Texture	Adds a unique paper texture to the photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Pastel

Brightens and softens the image by giving it a smooth and stylish effect. The result is an understated, desaturated image.

Method	Use the drop-down menu to select a predefined pastel effect.
Diffusion	Controls the level of smoothing applied to the photo details.
Saturation	Controls the overall intensity of colors in the photo.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Photo Stylizer

Use this filter to give style to any or ordinary image and make it more attractive.

Stylizer Type	From the drop-down menu, select one of the 5 available styles (the choice of style determines the availability of the following sliders).
Style	From the drop-down menu, select one of the available color sets.
Filter strength	Controls how intensely the filter will be applied.
Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Warmth	Adjusts the color temperature of the photo. Move the slider to the left to cool the colors (adding blue tones) or to the right to warm them (adding red tones).
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Polarization

Simulates the polarization filter (or PL) of traditional glass. Use this filter to accentuate the blue of the sky while increasing the contrast in the rest of the image.

Rotation	Simulates the effect of rotating the filter in front of the lens with the resulting different color contrasts.
Filter strength	Controls how intensely the filter will be applied.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Polaroid Transfer

Simulates the effect of Polaroid Instant Processing color film and the transfer of the rough image to paper before it is fully developed. The result is a version of the image with low saturation and contrast, with subtle shades of color throughout the image.

Border	Adds a border (to which a texture is applied) around the image. When the cursor is set to 0, the entire image is displayed.
Texture	Lets you adjust the paper texture effect added to the image.
Outer Color	Adds elements from the original image to the border area. The higher the value of this slider, the more elements from the original image are added to the areas created using the Border slider.
Saturation	Controls the amount of color from the original image to be preserved.
Smear	Lets you control to what extent the filter’s softening technique is applied.
Tear Off	Simulates the effect of tearing off different parts of the image during the transfer process. To prevent details from being removed from the image, set the slider to 0.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Pro Contrast

Provides advanced options that change the color and contrast of images by analyzing each one and making improvements based on their specifics. Use this filter if you want to increase contrast levels while maintaining detail throughout the image.

Correct Color Cast	Adjusts the reduction of a color cast automatically identified by the filter in the image.
Correct Contrast	Increases the contrast in the image according to the distribution of light and tone.
Dynamic Contrast	Adjusts the contrast of each object in the image according to the tone distribution. This unique control automatically adjusts different areas to varying degrees.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Reflector Efex

Simulates traditional photographic reflectors that allow shadows to stand out and control the light in the image.

Method	Select Gold, Soft Gold, or Silver. The Gold and Soft Gold options give warmth to the image shadows in varying degrees. The “Silver” option adds neutral light to the shadows.
Light Intensity	Controls the amount of light that the reflector adds to the image.
Light Falloff	Controls the intensity at which the effect should fade.
Position	Controls where the transition should begin.
Source Direction	Specifies the point at which the reflector effect begins.

Remove Color Cast

Lets you remove color dominants from the photo quickly and efficiently.

Color	Indicates the color dominant to be removed from the image. Move the slider until the selected color matches the dominant color in the image.
Filter strength	Controls the proportion of color tone to be removed.

Skylight Filter

Simulates warming lens filters. Use this filter to attenuate dominant blues while adding warmth sparingly to the colors in the photo.

Filter strength

Controls the degree of warming effect to be added to the picture.

Solarization

Simulates the Sabatier darkroom process (more often called solarization). Use this filter to create a style effect in which certain tones and colors are reversed.

Method	Use this drop-down menu to select the type of solarization applied to the image using different styles designed for color or black & white effects.
Saturation	In the color methods, this slider controls the intensity of the colors in the photo. In the black & white methods, this slider controls the saturation of the image prior to black-and-white conversion, allowing you to adjust the resulting image contrast.
Elapsed Time	Adjusts the effect as darkroom photographers do when they change the amount of time the image remains in the developer before re-exposing it to achieve varying results.

Sunlight

This filter adds natural sunlight and warmth to the image. Use this filter to give the impression that your photo was taken on a warm, sunny day.

Light Strength	Controls the amount of light added to shadows in the image. Move this slider to the left to increase contrast or to the right to add warm light throughout the photo.
Light Temperature	Controls the temperature of the light added to the image. Move this slider to the left to increase the warmth of the light or to the right to decrease it and give the image a cooler tone.
Brightness	Controls the overall brightness of the image.
Contrast	Controls the overall contrast of the photo.
Saturation	Controls the intensity of the colors in the photo.

Tonal Contrast

This filter lets you modify the textures and details of the photo efficiently.

Highlights	Controls the level of contrast applied to light tones in the photo
Midtones	Controls the level of contrast applied to midtones in the photo
Shadows	Controls the level of contrast applied to dark tones in the photo.
Saturation	Controls the intensity of the colors in the photo.
Contrast Type	Use this drop-down menu to select one of the 5 contrast types available.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Vignette: Blur

Attenuates the details around the center of the image, allowing the eye to be drawn into the image.

Shape	Use the drop-down menu to select a circular, oval or rectangular shape for vignetting.
Type	Use the drop-down menu to select the type of blur added to the image.
Transition	Controls the rate at which the vignetting effect is applied to the original image.
Size	Sets the area in the image to which vignetting is to be applied.
Opacity	Controls the overall intensity of the filter.
Place Center	Positions the center of the vignetting effect.

Vignette Filter

Simulates the application of a vignetting effect worthy of a darkroom.

Color	Lets you select the color to be used for the vignetting. Use the eyedropper to select a color from the photo or click on the color chart to open the color picker tool.
Shape	Use this drop-down menu to select a circular, oval, or rectangular shape (with smooth or coarse edges) for vignetting.
Adapt Edges	Controls the relationship between the shape of the vignette and the image details. The higher the value of this slider, the more the vignetting shape becomes part of the image.
Transition	Controls the rate at which the vignetting effect is applied to the original image.
Size	Sets the area in the image to which vignetting is to be applied.
Opacity	Controls the overall intensity of the filter.
Place center	Positions the center of the vignetting effect.

Vignette: Lens

Simulates the vignetting created by different types of lenses. The darkening of the edge of the frame helps to draw the viewer’s eye within the image boundaries and gives the picture more depth.

Amount	Controls the intensity of the vignetting. Move the slider to the left to add vignetting darkening to the image edges. Conversely, move the slider to the right to add lightening vignetting to the edges.
Shape	Controls the overall shape of the vignetting: circular or rectangular.
Size	Sets the area in the image to which vignetting is to be applied.
Brightness	Adjusts the brightness of the vignetting effect.
Place center	Press the Place Center button to select the center position of the vignetting in the image.

White Neutralizer

Removes color dominants from light-colored objects, such as a white wall or a wedding dress. Use this filter to clean up images and create bright, vivid whites without changing other colors in the photo.

Color	Indicates the color dominant to be removed from the image. Use the eyedropper to select a color from the photo or click on the color chart to open the color picker tool.
Adjust Whole Image	Removes the color selected in the Color command from the entire image.
Neutralized Whites	Removes only the color selected in the Color command from light objects in the image.
Shadows	Moved to the right, the slider will lighten only shadows and recover details drowned in the dark areas.
Highlights	Moved to the right, the slider will darken only the brightest areas and recover blown-out details.

Overall and Selective Correction Tools

The configuration and number of sliders depends on each filter.

In this chapter, we will look at the following topics:

• General information on the correction tools available with the filters.
• The Opacity slider.
• Use of the Levels & Curves tool.
• Use and management of Control Points.

Correction tools (general information)

Each filter in Color Efex Pro 5 uses a number of sliders and tools specific to the adjustments and effects it offers. They are used in the same way from one filter to another:

• The sliders all have a default value which may be 0%, 50% or 100%, depending on the case and effect.
• Sliders affecting brightness and tonality go from dark on the left to brighter on the right.
• Sliders affecting colour and effects are less intense to the left and more intense to the right.
• The Strength sliders can be moved from 0% (no correction or effect) to 100% (maximum correction or effect).
• To reset a slider to its default value, double-click on it.
• In the drop-down lists, hover your mouse over the effects and renders to preview them. Click on the desired effect or rendering to apply it.

Opacity slider

When using a Color Efex Pro filter, you can fine-tune the overall intensity of the effect and corrections applied.

By default, the slider is set to 100, its maximum value. Set it to 50 to halve the intensity, and to 0 for no correction at all.

When you apply Control Points, another Opacity slider lets you adjust the intensity of the locally applied corrections, independent of the overall opacity slider.

Levels & Curves tool

The Levels and Curves tool is found in the Filters list, in the Contrast category. Select it and it will be added to the Color Efex Pro Filters section in the right panel.

The Curve lets you refine or completely rework the contrast in your images, by affecting the curve either globally or via the RGB channel, and by using the Level sliders:

• RGB button: this is selected by default and is used to adjust the brightness and contrast of your image without altering the colors. The histogram represents the 3 RGB channels combined, and the curve is white.
• The R, G, and B buttons: let you adjust the brightness of the Red, Green or Blue channels, to attenuate or reinforce their respective dominance. The histogram represents the selected channel and the curve takes the color of the chosen channel (red, green, or blue curve).
• Curve: to adjust the curve, click and drag with the left mouse button. You can add anchor points to the curve, which lets you lock the contrast settings to specific points on the curve, and therefore on the image. To remove an anchor point, double-click on it.
• Levels sliders: Move the Shadows (left), Midtones (center), or Highlight (right) sliders to adjust their respective ranges.

To reset the settings:

• Click on the double arrow and select Reset Filter (you have the option of keeping or removing the local settings).
• Double-click on the anchor point(s) to remove them (the curve is reset once the last remaining anchor point is removed).
• To temporarily disable the tool effects, check/uncheck the Levels & Curves box.

Control Points

Control Points let you modify selected parts of the image only. When you add a Control Point, only the elements covered by the control point(s) will be affected when adjusting the corresponding sliders.

Add a Control Point

To place and use a Control Point:

• In the Color Efex Pro filter, click on the “+” icon to the right of Control Points.
• As you move through the image, the mouse cursor changes to a Control Point.
• Click where you want in the image to place the Control Point.
• The Control Point appears as a yellow (active control point) or white (inactive control point) dot.
• When it is active, the Control Point has a slider you can use to adjust the radius of its effect, represented by a circle.
• When the Control Point is inactive, you can move the mouse over it to see the slider and the radius (but to adjust them, you must first click on the Control Point to activate it).
• You can move a Control Point (active or inactive) anywhere you like by holding down the mouse button and moving the mouse.
• Repeat steps 1 to 3 to add as many Control Points as you want.
• To delete a Control Point, click on it to activate it and press the Delete key on your keyboard. A dialog box will prompt you to confirm (check the Don’t show again box to stop displaying the dialog box).

Managing Control Points

The Selective Adjustments section lets you manage the various Control Points applied to the image, presented here as a numbered list. The active Control Points are indicated in yellow.

1. Create a Control Point: use these buttons to create a Control Point (“+” sign) to apply local corrections, or to create a Protection Control Point (“-” sign), to prevent corrections on a specific area of the image.
2. Size: indicates as a % the size of the Control Point’s radius of action.
3. Show/Hide selection for all Control Points: this button displays the monochrome masks for all Control Points. In the monochrome mask, white indicates the areas of the file where 100% of the correction is applied, black indicates no correction and various level of grey indicate the areas that are affected by the correction to varying degrees.
4. Control Point List: Control Points indicated by the yellow icon and white text are selected and active, while greyed-out Control Points are inactive.
5. Enable/Disable effect for all Control Points: the checkbox disables and re-enables all Control Points applied to the image, as well as the associated corrections and settings.
6. Enable/Disable effect for a Control Point: the checkbox disables and re-enables the Control Point applied to the image, as well as the associated corrections and settings.
7. Show/Hide Selection of Control Point: this button lets you display the monochrome mask of the control point concerned (also see point 3).
8. Duplicate: click on this button to duplicate the currently selected Control Point(s). You can also duplicate a Control Point by clicking on it while pressing the Alt/Option key, then dragging the mouse to reposition the duplicated Control Point.
9. Group: to group multiple Control Points, first select them in the list, holding down the Ctrl (PC) or Cmd (Mac) key and then click on the Group button. In the list, the Control Points are organized into groups named Group 1, Group 2, etc. In the image, the first Control Point selected to form the group is indicated by the normal dot, and all other Control Points in the group are indicated by a small yellow dot. When you apply a correction to one of the Control Points, the correction will be applied to the other Control Points in the group. However, you can use the size slider to adjust the size of each Control Point in a group independently. To select multiple Control Points, click in the image and then, while holding down the left mouse button, draw a selection rectangle encompassing the desired control points (you can then click the Group button to group them).
10. Ungroup: to cancel the grouping of Control Points, select the group from the list and press the Ungroup button. All the Control Points will be displayed as ungrouped, allowing you to delete, modify, or create new groups from individual Control Points.
11. Delete: click the Delete button to delete the currently selected Control Points.
12. Reset: resets all sliders and settings associated with the active Control Point.

You can group several Control Points together to apply the same correction to all of them. To do this, drag a rectangle with the mouse over all the desired Control Points.

The Color Selectivity sliders allow you to extend or reduce the range

of color tolerance covered by a Control Point. This lets you include variations in hue and its brightness level in your correction (for example, to take into account variations in skin color):

• Luminance: determines the range of brightness of the color (default setting 50%).
• Chrominance: determines the range of hues for a color (default setting 50%).

The effect of the Color Selectivity sliders is subtle, so use the black/white mask display of the Control Point, as shown below.

The Opacity slider is linked to the active Color Efex Pro filter, and if Control Points have been applied, it will be linked to the active Control Point.

Set to the maximum value of 100 by default, this indicates that the Control Point effect or correction is fully applied. If you reduce to the value to 50, the strength of the effect or correction is halved; at 0, no correction or effect is applied. This means you can adjust the effect or correction with a high degree of precision.

Rename Control Points

To help you manage and keep track of your Control Points and/or Control Point groups, which can grow quickly, you can rename them as you wish:

1. In the list of Control Points, double-click on the name of the Control Point or group to rename. The Control Point or group must be inactive when you want to rename it.
2. The name is highlighted: enter the new name directly. The old name is deleted as soon as you start typing.
3. If you just want to change the name, move the flashing input cursor using the left or right arrows on your keyboard.
4. Hit Enter to confirm.

Renaming does not change the order of the Check Points in the list, and there is no automatic alphabetical ordering. Nor can you change the order by drag and drop.

Presets

There are 39 presets in Color Efex Pro 5. Presets combine several filters. They can be selected, displayed, marked as Favorites, and sorted in the same way as the Filters. You can also combine a Preset with other Filters or other Presets.

Custom Presets

You can create your own Presets:

• By modifying the settings of an existing Filter.
• By combining multiple Filters and changing their settings.
• By combining Filters and Presets, where again you can modify the settings.

To create a Custom Preset

1. After selecting one or several Filters and Presets, make the desired overall and/or selective (Control Point) adjustments using the tools in the right panel.
2. At the bottom of the right panel, click the Save Preset* button.
3. In the Custom Preset dialog box, enter a name to describe your filter clearly (e. g. “Soft Contrast + Desaturated Colors”).
4. If you want to save the Control Points and associated selective corrections, make sure that the Save with Control Points box is checked (it is checked by default).
5. Click Save to confirm.
6. The Custom Preset then appears in the Custom section in the left panel.

* You can also save by going to the Custom section, clicking on the double arrow to the right of the number of presets and selecting Save Preset from the pop-up context menu.

Managing Custom Presets

You can take advantage of your Custom Presets with the following features:

1. Rename: click on the name of the Preset under the thumbnail to activate the input field. Enter the new name and hit Enter to confirm.
2. Mark as favorite: Click on the star to the left of the Preset (the star turns gold). Click again to cancel (the star turns black again).
3. Export: hover over the Preset to display the buttons to the right in the thumbnail. Click the top button to export the Preset so that you can share it. A system dialog box lets you choose where to save it; then click Open.
4. Update: After adjusting or adding corrections in a Custom Preset, hover over the thumbnail to display the buttons on the right. Click on the curved arrow to update the Preset with the adjusted or added corrections.
5. Delete: hover over the Preset to display the buttons to the right in the thumbnail. Click on the trash can to delete it.

Sharing Custom Presets

You can export and import Custom Presets so you can share them with other users.

Exporting Custom Presets

1. In the Custom section, click on the double arrow to the right of the number of Custom Presets.
2. From the pop-up menu, select Export all.
3. A system dialog box lets you choose the Save location and complete the Export process.

Importing Custom Presets

1. In the Imported section, click on the double arrow to the right of the number of Presets.
2. In the pop-up menu, select Import Preset.
3. A system dialog box will open. Locate the Presets you want to import. Select the Presets you want to import, then click on Open.
4. The imported Presets are displayed in the Imported section.

Imported presets can be renamed, marked as favorites, exported and deleted, in the same way as your Custom Presets. However, it is not possible to update the settings: if you want to, apply the imported preset, adjust the settings in the right panel then create a Custom Preset.