Luminar 2018 announced: Macphun (Skylum Software) taking on Adobe with new software
posted Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 7:00 AM EDT
Macphun, which will soon be known as Skylum Software, has announced Luminar 2018.
The all-in-one RAW editor includes artificial intelligence-powered filters, major speed improvements, a dedicated RAW develop module and in 2018, a new digital asset management platform. The software also includes a new intelligent Sun Rays filter, Lookup Table adjustments (LUT) support and real-time noise removal.
If you're unfamiliar with Luminar, the general list of features includes a scalable user interface, RAW file conversion and non-destructive editing, over 100 one-click presets, over 40 image enhancement filters, stackable layers with layer masking, a history panel, real-time noise reduction, object removal and clone and stamp (coming soon for PC) and more. You can learn more by clicking here.
Luminar 2018 has been rebuilt from the ground up for much improved performance and the in-app filters have been revamped as well, now offering richer colors. The user interface has been streamlined, which Macphun states has led to speed boosts when working with presets, filters and masks. Speaking of the user interface, Luminar 2018 has adaptive workspaces to allow the user to tailor the software to their own needs.
For more advanced users, Luminar 2018 includes support for layers, masks, blending modes, complex repairs and photo compositing. The software also works on both Mac and Windows computers, a recent shift in Macphun's development and an impetus for the name change to Skylum Software.
Of Luminar 2018, Macphun CEO Alex Tsepko says, "We've taken the time to listen to photographers, and what they want is performance and quality. The less time photographers have to spend in front of computers, the more they have for taking pictures. Our mission is to get Luminar streamlined with just the tools and controls photographers need. The goal is simple: enable the best-looking images with the least amount of effort."
To that end, Luminar 2018 also includes a brand new RAW Engine which includes improved lens corrections and a transform tool. If you're a big fan of presets in Lightroom, these can be easily converted via a free third-party tool into LUTs, which can then be used in Luminar 2018. While Luminar 2018 is designed as a standalone piece of software, it can be installed as a plugin for Lightroom and Photoshop.
Luminar 2018 will be available starting on November 16 with preorders opening today, November 1. For current Luminar users, you can preorder for a special price of $39, which will become $49 after the software releases. For new users, Luminar can be preordered for $59 and will cost $69 after release.