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10-05-2019, 03:25 PM   #1
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Luminar 4

Our camera club has a deal on the purchase of Luminar 4 but I don't have any idea of how good this package is in editing photos. I now use Lightroom and don't know if I need to purchase this software. Does anyone have any opinions on the Luninar 4? Thanks.

10-05-2019, 04:05 PM - 1 Like   #2
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I really like the Luminar interface and how it handles things. It has about 50 or so filters and each comes with your choice of masking (radial, gradient, or brush) and all sorts of blending choices. When you select a particular filter group (landscape, portrait, etc), Luminar pre-loads a selection of filters. You can then add or remove filters from the group. You can also create your own custom group to match your workflow. Interface is incredibly personal, so, as they say, your mileage may vary. Luminar also has a couple of nice "AI" filters that are especially handy when doing quick adjustments.

I have had problems with the library in Luminar 3 while I have had no problems with the On1 library. For Luminar, I access it as an Apple Photos plug-in. I do not know how many others are having problems with the Luminar Library. I am hoping Luminar 4 will solve my library problems. I don't think the problem is computer related as I am using a 2017 iMac 27" with 16 GB of memory and the fast processor which should be able to handle just about anything.

Maybe the company still has a 30 day trial. If so, why not try it? I don't think the interface will change.
10-05-2019, 04:39 PM - 1 Like   #3
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Luminar 4 hasn't been released yet, but some of its tech has; I've been using Luminar since its public release and love it...

currently using Luminar Flex, which the same software but without the cataloging/library functions....
10-06-2019, 01:04 AM   #4
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I would do a 30 trial if it is offered. Their idea and marketing shows promise but the proof will be in the product to live up to all the marketing.

Luminar 3 when released was not ready to be a prime time app. They have fixed many of problems and are now moving on to 4.

After all the problems with Luminar 3 I am going to pass on 4 and stick with software that is proven to work.

10-06-2019, 07:04 AM   #5
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Thanks for everyones comments. I think I'll pass on this software.
10-06-2019, 11:09 AM   #6
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When I renewed my subscription to Smug Mug a few weeks ago, I got an offer to download a free version of Luminar 3. Actually I never heard of Luminar 1 or 2 ? In any case, the download was not really "Free". It was a 7 day Trial version. Meaning you had "exactly" 7 days to try it out, whether you used it or not. To me its an easier version of Lightroom . No Export/Import functions which a lot of people including myself have problems with. The package took too damn long to download in my opinion and even worse, took too long to open at least on my computer. Some of the functions were also a little slow which activated the hour glass on my computer. I'm guessing that for $69 some people who do not have Lightroom, might be very happy with this software. After all it is way cheaper and performs most of LR's basic functions. The Compare feature is also pretty nice. Since I have LR already on my computer I think I'll pass though. I need to buy another lens pretty soon anyway.

Last edited by hjoseph7; 10-06-2019 at 11:38 AM.
10-06-2019, 01:16 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by hjoseph7 Quote
When I renewed my subscription to Smug Mug a few weeks ago, I got an offer to download a free version of Luminar 3.

My wife, who is fairly new to DSLR photography and RAW editing, downloaded v3 prompted by that free SmugMug offer and says she prefers it over my DxO PhotoLab 2 for casual super-fast-results editing. I took a quick look at it too but couldn't find dedicated camera-and-lens profiles, which would be a bit of a showstopper for me. This is not to say that Luminar is lacking powerful editing tools. Noticed that it has a cataloguing functionality, which, however, is of little interest to me since I just use a simple year-date-out-of-camera-filename system to organize my images.

What I find kind of intriguing are the supposedly AI-powered portrait retouching tools advertised in connection with v4, which reminded me of an occasion when I had to edit quite a bunch of student portraits, which likely would have been a lot less time-consuming yet with acceptable results if I could have done it with Luminar 4.

Still, none of this has been able to lure me away from PhotoLab and the equally powerful Nik Collection with their, to my taste, unmatched results.

10-30-2019, 02:07 PM   #8
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They offer a 7 day trial (of ver 3 currently) from their website. Popular Science was running a deal for Luminar 3 for $29, so I grabbed a license. For that price, it seems like reasonable value, and gets me a discounted rate to upgrade to 4 when it comes out.

Are there more powerful alternatives? Yes, but for my needs, and for that price, i am a happy camper.
11-11-2019, 08:01 AM - 3 Likes   #9
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Hello everyone!

FWIW, I've been a Luminar user from the very beginning. I truly appreciate the vision and ambition of the folks at Skylum, even though they sometimes promise more than they can deliver. As an example, when I first installed Luminar 3, the first version that offered both image editing and a library management system, I eagerly uploaded my 6K+ image library, only to discover that Luminar somehow created a mountain of duplicate shots that took hours to ferret out and remove.

After sorting things out, I sent Skylum a detailed report of my debacle. Much to my surprise, I received a prompt (and apologetic) reply within 48 hours, thanking me for bringing the issue to their attention. It was promptly fixed with the first update, and things only got better from there. It's one of the reasons I still support them, heart and soul. I like where they're headed, and I like that they're not the least bit concerned about what the competition is up to. They just fearlessly keep listening to their customers and making their software better and better.

Luminar's interface has been uncluttered and purpose-built since day one, which is why it’s still simple to use, even after a series of updates have added loads of important tools, presets and features along the way. Can it do everything Lightroom can? Nope. Conversely though, there are a number of things Luminar does that no program (Lightroom or otherwise) can.

Skylum is at the forefront of applying machine learning to the image editing world. For Luminar 4, they have created the truly jaw-dropping A.I. Sky Replacement and Skin Enhancement sliders, which promise to dramatically simplify workflows for landscape and portrait photographers, respectively. Without sounding like a sales rep here (I'm not), I think Luminar 4 holds the greatest promise of any version yet. And I’m eager to get my hands on it when it releases next week.

But don't take my word for it. Check out Anthony Turnham’s terrific review here:
If seeing this doesn’t excite you about Luminar 4, nothing will. Whatever you decide, may your photographic journey be a grand one!
11-13-2019, 04:28 PM - 1 Like   #10
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Couldn't agree more! Bought Luminar 3 at a discount and can hardly wait till Luminar 4 is released.
11-16-2019, 02:28 PM   #11
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Was using Luminar 3 for a while and still got it on my machine but must say its easy to over edit an image with it, got back to lightroom and bought the new version (yes I know its a recurring cost, but heck its worth it I think) only for denoise I probably buy topaz AI denoise the trial version is almost used but it delivers great results. I recommend ya give it a try. As for Luminar 4 looks promising but I probably pass on it.
11-16-2019, 02:38 PM - 1 Like   #12
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I've never used Luninar 3. But after watching all of the Luminar 4 YouTube videos, I pre-purchased Luminar 4. I'll get it next Monday (November 18th).


I look forward to giving it a try. I'm hopeful that the leading edge "A.I." in Luminar 4 and Topaz Gigapixel A.I. (already own & love) will completely replace my current Adobe "non-A.I." Lightroom/PhotoShop post processing workflow. From where I sit, A.I. is the future of post processing software. (Note that the A.I. in Luminar 4 is manually controlled and can be selectively applied with a brush for full control of the A.I.).
11-17-2019, 05:53 AM   #13
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I received an email ad for Luminar 4 (had never been on their mailing list before) that centered around the easy, simple sky replacement feature. This is appealing to me, especially the simple, easy part. I realize there's no way we can know how good this feature is if it's entirely new but I was wondering if 3 had a sky replacement tool and if anyone has experience with it and might hazard a guess about 4 in this regard. Also, is there a trial period available with 4 (I've lost the email ad)? Thanks for any info.
11-17-2019, 08:23 AM - 1 Like   #14
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Like AggieDad above I had significant trouble with Luminar 3 and even after they released the first major update to the software I simply could not get the library to work. I eventually uninstalled the software and reverted back to the previous version. I downloaded the plug-in version (Luminar Flex) and use this as a plug-in to Lightroom and photoshop and really like the software and what it can do. I will almost certainly upgrade to Luminar 4 if the black Friday prices are good -- even if only the plug-in version works I think it is well worth it.
11-17-2019, 10:04 AM - 1 Like   #15
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Some really great posts, everyone. We're all just one day away from Luminar 4's release. I sure hope it lives up to the hype. Fenwoodian, I couldn't agree more: A.I.is the potential game changer here. Sure, there are bound to be hiccups along the way, but all but the most artful images stand to benefit from this technology. And anything that will reduce my post-processing time, allowing me more time to simply shoot photos is welcome news, indeed!
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