Skylum launches Luminar NEO

Donald Willemsen wrote on Sunday 20 February 2022 at 00:04  | reply

Nando, I have been able to use the pre-release versions from the beginning and am now using the so-called full version. However, I have never experienced anything this bad and incomplete. There have already been several updates since February 17 and the Neo software package is still not complete. Some tools, which are included in the AI version, are still missing. The so-called layers are not layers in the sense of adjustment layers as in Photoshop. If you have a photo of a car on which a number of power lines are also visible, you can indeed remove those lines with the 'powerline-eraser'. Immediately, the windshield wipers on the car are also considered power lines and are therefore erased. By the way, removing power lines only works with sufficient contrast differences, such as a blue sky, but if those lines run in front of trees, it is guaranteed to go wrong.
For now, Neo is still deplorably bad and Skylum should be ashamed of bringing such an incomplete product to market. And then also making people pay in advance from September last year and thus making them wait 6 months for an incomplete product, is a disgrace.
It is not a reproach to you Nando, but a warning is certainly in order here. Apparently, moneymaking is more important to Skylum than delivering a good product

4BYE wrote on Tuesday 22 February 2022 at 12:38  | reply

Hi Donald, you beat me to it! LOL But I completely agree with you!!

I didn't even try those new options because I didn't feel like being a beta tester. Eventually, when the original product was ready, it was a huge disappointment. Basically, I just had my Luminar AI in an inferior version. Those new options aren't even there yet. So basically, you have all become beta testers now. I vented on the forum and many are deeply dissatisfied and, just like me, have asked for their money back. Actually, it was already a bit like that with Luminar AI, but not as sad as it is now. I bought a number of templates and took out a membership for a year. But those templates aren't usable, but they're going to work on that... What do you mean, they're going to work on that? Surely that should already be ready when you sell something. So in the end you buy Luminar AI again after a year in a new jacket with a few options that don't even work properly. That Portrait Bokeh works moderately and is already in Luminar AI. If you take it for granted that bits of ears, hair, etc. are removed, you'll probably like it reasonably well. So I also have less faith in automatically removing dust spots, and you can already hear from Donald how streamlining and such currently works. The intelligent removal of small obstacles or something similar also can't compete with PS. I fear that Luminar AI is finished and, despite the fact that I can do some things with it, could still use quite a few updates. What bothers me most is the aggressive way of selling, you can still refuse the daily emails, but when you are also offered a version you have to buy in the suggestion for the available (and purchased) template series, and a Neo pre-order button appears in your program, it becomes rather questionable. In any case, I've dropped out, even though I used to defend Luminar AI from time to time. In the end, I only use a handful of templates in Luminar AI, which also have to be adjusted again and again. The sky replacement is better than PS, but in the end it's still a hype because it quickly looks "fake" and, in my opinion, becomes more "digital art". In the end, I use Luminar AI as a plug-in to fine-tune some photos. I do have to admit that the refund was arranged immediately.

PvRFotografie wrote on Tuesday 22 February 2022 at 13:41  | reply

Also a NEO "user" here and my opinion at this point is that NEO is a crappy program. I have Luminar 4 and Luminar Ai and that works better for me. There is little to add to the stories above. I can also do most of it with PS CC, maybe not as quickly but better. I have now also requested a refund because I don't expect to get much enjoyment out of NEO..

Donald, completely agree it is unworthy of Skylum , by the way the program, contrary to what they indicated, is still quite slow on my iMac with a 3.6 Ghz 8-core Intel Core i9 processor and 64 GB 2667MMz DDr4 memory, so that can't be the cause, it seems to me. No advertisement for Skylum-Team.

Elja Trum wrote on Tuesday 22 February 2022 at 21:49  | reply

@Ron; We did indeed use our affiliate link. I’ve mentioned it now. I don’t think we get 20%, but to be completely honest, I don’t even know.

We haven’t worked with Neo ourselves yet. This is also just the announcement, not our judgment of the program. In any case, it’s good to hear from the comments that it seems to be disappointing. That warns others, but fortunately you can also simply get your money back from Skylum if you don’t like the program.

4BYE wrote on Wednesday 23 February 2022 at 11:17  | reply

@Ron/@Elja,

I already suspected as much. Maybe it's time to subject Neo itself to a little test as well. In any case, it must be clear that a breach of contract is being committed.

4BYE wrote on Wednesday 23 February 2022 at 22:07  | reply

@Donald I meant more as an article because now it seems like an advertisement for Skylum and people might read the comments less often. In any case, it's not our fault and many indeed agree with us.