Affiliate Disclosure: I'm a DxO affiliate. If you purchase through my discount code or links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I've been using Nik Software in my own workflow since 2008 — and I only share deals I genuinely stand behind.
If you've been waiting for a reason to finally buy Nik Collection 9, this is it. DxO is running a summer sale — 20% off any DxO or Nik product for new customers — from June 15 through July 10, 2026. Use code RBLOGSummer2026 at checkout. That's all there is to it.
I've been using Nik Software since version 1.0 — since 2008. If you don't have this product, you are missing out on the secret sauce that most photographers quietly rely on for color and black-and-white work. This is a no-brainer if you're a new customer.
TL;DR ⚡
New to DxO? Grab Nik Collection 9 ($179.99 → ~$144 with the summer code). Perpetual license. No subscription. The AI masking and depth mask tools in version 9 are the best additions to the suite in years, and Color Efex alone is worth the full price.
Already own an earlier version? The summer code is for new customers only — use my regular year-round discount (code: RONMART, 15% off) for upgrades instead.
| Scenario | Code | Discount | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|
| New DxO customer, any product | RBLOGSummer2026 | 20% off | June 15–July 10, 2026 |
| Existing owner upgrading to Nik 9 | RONMART | 15% off | Year-round |
TODO: Wrap the shop.dxo.com URL below in a ronmartblog.com affiliate redirect URL before publishing if one is available.
Shop: shop.dxo.com/en/ · How to apply the code (step-by-step with screenshots) →
Who This Is For — and Who Should Skip It
✅ Grab this if you are:
- A new customer who doesn't own any DxO or Nik product yet — this is your best entry price
- A portrait, landscape, or sports shooter who wants to take color and contrast further than Lightroom's built-in tools allow
- A black-and-white photographer — Silver Efex is the best B&W tool I've ever used, period
- Someone who finds Lightroom masking slow and wants a faster, smarter workflow
- A RAW shooter who wants a creative finishing layer on top of a RAW processor like DxO PureRAW or PhotoLab
⛔ Skip this sale if you are:
- An existing Nik or DxO owner — the summer code won't work for you; use RONMART instead
- A strict SOOC JPEG shooter who never opens an editing app
- Happy with your current color workflow and not looking to change it
- Already running DxO PhotoLab with the Nik Collection bundle included — check your license before buying
The Secret Sauce — Why Nik Has Been in My Workflow Since 2008
I was using Nik Software when most people hadn't heard of it. Version 1.0. That was 2008. It's been a critical part of my photo workflow every single year since, and that's not something I say lightly.
What does Nik do that Lightroom can't match? The one-sentence version: U-Point controls let you drop a point anywhere in the image and adjust color, brightness, or contrast in just that zone — no selection, no masking, no painting. That alone changes your editing speed. But the bigger draw honestly is the depth of the creative presets: Tonal Contrast, Pro Contrast, and dozens more that are each genuinely useful starting points rather than party tricks. There are so many great filters and it's easy to build powerful presets on top of them.
I can't live without Color Efex for color work. And Silver Efex is a must for any black-and-white image I edit. Nothing else gets close for B&W — the blacks are simply delicious when Silver Efex is involved.
See the Difference: Before & After
These are real images from my own shooting. See what Nik can do with very little effort — the before shots are straight output, the afters are Nik-treated edits.
Color & Saturation — Garden Tulips
A simple garden shot. The after has more pop, better shadow-to-highlight separation, and richer saturation without going over the top. This is Color Efex doing exactly what it's supposed to do.
Portrait — Kayla, Fuji GFX 100s II
The before is a technically clean portrait — great camera, great lens. The after is the version you'd actually want to print. Richer greens in the background, better local contrast on the face, improved skin-tone separation — all without making her look like she wandered out of a wax museum. That's the balance Nik nails every time.
Product & Gear — Canon EOS by a Forest Stream
Nik isn't just for people and landscapes. Even a gear shot becomes dramatically more interesting in the after — warmer, more cinematic tones, and the kind of micro-contrast that makes metal and rubber textures read as premium. The forest background snaps into focus as a complement rather than a distraction.
Sports Portrait — Kai, Sea Prep 2025 (After Only)
No before available for this one, but you can see exactly what Nik's depth masking and color work does on a dramatic sports portrait. The blacks are deep, the blue jersey pops, and the whole image has the look you'd expect from a professional studio shoot — not a sideline grab.
What's New in Nik Collection 9
DxO released Nik Collection 9 on April 21, 2026, and they're calling it the "biggest ever update." Based on what I've seen, that's not hype — the new AI tools are genuinely useful, not just feature-list filler.
- AI Masking — One-click subject selection, or draw a bounding box and let the AI do the rest. Blazingly fast, and all processing runs locally on your machine. No image data leaves your computer. (Manufacturer claim; verified by independent reviews at the time of writing.)
- Depth Masks — Nik now generates a depth map entirely from your image in software — no embedded sensor depth data required. You can target adjustments by distance from camera, with feathering controls for smooth transitions between foreground and background. This is the best addition to the suite since U-Point controls were introduced.
- Color Grading in Color Efex — Hollywood-style color grading is now built into the Color Efex workflow rather than requiring a separate step.
- New Analog Filters — Chromatic Shift, Glass Effect, and Halation join the lineup with a film-inspired feel.
- New Blending Modes — More control over how your Nik edits composite with existing layers in Photoshop or Lightroom.
- Perpetual license — You buy it once. No subscription, no annual fee, no expiration.
I covered the new features in detail in my Nik Collection 9 mini-review — worth reading before you buy if you want to dig deeper into what each tool actually does.
Also Worth a Look: DxO PureRAW 6
The summer sale covers all DxO software, not just Nik. If you shoot RAW and haven't tried DxO PureRAW 6, this sale is a great opportunity to grab it. Version 6 brings DeepPRIME XD3 noise reduction to Bayer sensors (previously exclusive to Fujifilm X-Trans), AI sensor dust removal, and a high-fidelity compression option that outputs DNG files up to four times smaller with no quality loss. I called it the king of RAW detail — my full review is at Review: DxO PureRAW 6 — King of RAW Detail.
How to Use the Code
- Go to TODO: Replace with a ronmartblog.com affiliate redirect URL if available.shop.dxo.com/en/
- Add Nik Collection 9 (or any DxO product) to your cart
- At checkout, enter discount code RBLOGSummer2026 to apply 20% off
- Not sure exactly where to paste the code? Step-by-step instructions with screenshots are here →
Remember: Code RBLOGSummer2026 is valid for new customers only, June 15–July 10, 2026. If you already own a DxO product, use code RONMART instead — it's 15% off and works year-round on upgrades. Full details at the discount page.
Closing Thoughts
I've been recommending Nik for almost two decades, and that should tell you something. The products that earn a permanent spot in a photographer's workflow are the ones that make you better without slowing you down. Nik is that product — Color Efex for color, Silver Efex for black and white, and now with AI masking and depth masks in version 9, it's faster and more powerful than ever.
If you've been on the fence, 20% off is meaningful on a $179.99 product. The code is RBLOGSummer2026, it works from June 15 through July 10, 2026, and it's for new customers only. Shop here →
Sound off: Which Nik tool do you reach for first — Color Efex, Silver Efex, or something else? Drop your take in the comments.
Related Articles
- Nik Collection 9 Mini-Review: What's New, What Matters, and How to Save 15%
- Quick Look at Nik Color Efex 8 [Discount] — and How to Use My Code
- Review: DxO PureRAW 6 — King of RAW Detail
Affiliate & Cookies Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and discount codes. I earn a small commission if you purchase through my links or code, at no extra cost to you. I received no payment or free product from DxO for this post — this is my genuine recommendation based on 18+ years of daily use. See my full cookies and affiliate policy for details. All prices are in USD and subject to change; verify at checkout.
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