Like Exposure X2, ON1 RAW comes with a raft of preset effects which you can reverse-engineer with your own manual adjustments to produce any look you want. Actually, it goes a step further than Exposure X2 by offering layered montages made from separate images, complete with sophisticated masking tools. Like Exposure X2, ON1 Photo has evolved from a plug-in (actually, a suite of plug-ins) into a fully-fledged standalone app with file browsing/organising tools and non-destructive, layers-based editing. In ON1 Photo RAW you can create your own effects by combining up to 20 different effects filters in a ‘stack’ and then saving the result as a preset of your own. Exposure X2 is particularly good at analog effects like grain, bokeh, light leaks, vignettes and frames, and its non-destructive approach will be welcome to Nik users who have previously had to commit to baked-in adjustments before saving their work. Its effects are a little more traditional and restrained than some of those in the Google Nik Collection, which many might regard as a good thing, but once you get to grips with the manual adjustment tools you shouldn’t find it too hard to get close to your favourite ‘Nik’ looks. It can work with JPEGs and RAW files, even applying automatic lens corrections, and it has a large collection of effects presets organised into categories.

Once a film simulation plug-in, now a full-blown standalone image-editor with file browsing and non-destructive adjustment layers and masks, Alien Skin is a very interesting Nik Collection alternative.

It’s a very effective everyday image-editor. This image has been enhanced with a modern Fujifilm Velvia 50 film simulation and a carefully placed vignette effect. Alien Skin Exposure X2 isn’t just for old-fashioned film effects. Google has decided it will no longer develop the Google Nik Collection, so what do we all do when it’s gone? Here are five Nik Collection alternatives that could fill the void.

Google nik collection for free