The strange differences between Luminar 4 and Luminar AI

I use Luminar 4 and have no intention of switching to AI, I like editing my photos myself and creating my own images this way, just the way I want them. With AI you run the risk of all developing the same style, depending on whether you all start using the same (most presentable!) settings. So I’m sticking with Luminar 4
JOHN

Honestly, I do regret buying Luminar AI because I do like editing myself and then miss the fun features like layers etc., I do most of it in LR and only then switch over to Luminar 4 or AI.
Bram

From listening to you, I'm also glad I didn't buy Luminar AI. It adds absolutely no value with this switch. So I'll happily stick with LR 6.0, PS and Luminar 4. I only use Luminar 4 for small adjustments that can be made quickly and easily. In all other cases I use LR and PS.

I let myself be tempted into buying Luminar AI. I occasionally use Luminar 4. For me, Luminar AI is "old wine in new bottles". Not much that’s new. And all those templates lead to "over the top pictures". Lots of HDR look and unrealistic brightness and contrasts. And as far as "look" is concerned, all those portraits start to look alike. Moreover, it’s quite an ordeal to load and handle, for example, 5,000 photos. For me, Lightroom remains the package for editing your photos so that you can keep your own style in hand.

It wasn't necessary for me. I completely agree with Nando.
Too bad but a missed opportunity.

Bought Luminar 4 about a year ago to use alongside PS and LR. It was advertised as the future in editing.After barely 9 months they come with something new, Luminar AI, and with the announcement that they will continue supporting Luminar 4 for a little while but will stop doing so. I find this ripping people off and a money grab. This is the business side. Both programs are fun to work with, easy, but do watch out for a lot of the same. Making your own looks is a solution.

When I bought Luminar4, Luminar AI appeared soon afterwards. I actually felt seriously taken for a ride at the time and I didn't buy AI. And I'm very glad about that, because even with 4 I don't do much. Just give me Lightroom and Photoshop, then I can edit my photo the way I want and I also don't have any hassle about things I have to buy separately again, which makes Luminar much more expensive than you initially think.

I use Silkypix Developer Studio Pro 10E and also Affinity Photo.(before that Photoshop) Those remain my main editing programs. I had Luminar 4 , but rarely used it actually a waste of the purchase (I am not an advocate of fake skies etc.). I now have Luminar AI as an addition in difficult situations and after following 5 webinars I now have a reasonable idea when it is useful to use it. My main programs remain Silkypix 10ProE is really very good but that mainly because I am used to using it. The transition from Photoshop to Affinity was difficult but because of the many videos everything can be figured out.
Luminar AI is especially useful when, for example, you want to edit portraits quickly etc. For me a nice tool to have as an extra but even then it is necessary to know the program well.
I will not sharpen with it but the noise reduction is for exampleperfect in my opinion.

I purchased AI because I thought it would be an improvement, but I feel ripped off, it is not suitable for photographers and for as long as it lasts I will only use 4.
Jan

4BYE wrote on Tuesday 2 February 2021 at 21:10  | reply

I don't really see the problem with editing. You can adjust quite a lot with Luminar AI, after all. The templates are merely a guideline. If it's too much, you can also reduce them in the bottom right or go straight to edit. For only 69.00, I can't complain about the price. You pay that for a bit of a plugin too.

People looking for a good alternative to LR, I would recommend the trial version of DxO PhotoLab 4.0 and give it a try. No subscription.

PS is of course a renowned program, but for stacking Helicon Pro is the better one and for stitching PTGui is a better alternative.

I am an ordinary amateur photographer. I found PS and LR difficult and expensive. From the beginning I bought everything from Skylum and Luminar. I found the cost acceptable and above all: I could work very well with the workflow. I found it much easier than PS and LR. But since the introduction of AI I also feel that everything has become much more commercial with Luminar. Lots of tips to buy all sorts of things. But the most important argument why AI has disappointed me: AI is not an extension of Luminar 4. So I fully agree with everything Nando has described above.

4BYE wrote on Monday 20 September 2021 at 09:41  | reply

@Hans de Boer - I don't know what your assumption is based on. If I had to assume that a program will disappear from the market, I wouldn't be able to buy much. Why would Luminar have a lot of problems? I hardly encounter them and they're very quick with updates and improvements. What's funny is that PS is actually lagging behind when it comes to focus stacking and stitching, for which I bought two better programs. I use a lot of them interchangeably to achieve what I have in mind. Ultimately, that's what matters to me personally. I worked with Corel PhotoPaint for decades because I had the Corel Suite at my business for advertising signs and such. In the end, you paid for changing some icons, but nothing more came out of the "new" versions. The basic program I use for RAW conversion is DxO PhotoLab. When I went with it, it was the better of several programs, including LR. Finally, if you stop using Adobe for whatever reason, you have nothing left. You can normally continue using any other program. That's just how it all is... LOL (After spending more time with Luminar AI, I'm still satisfied)