Instead, it’s simply a File Explorer, but it’s not that hard to find your camera media folder and start working on the pictures.

I would prefer that the Add Photos button could find attached camera media as many apps do, but it doesn't. Moving forward and backward through images in the catalog was also snappier than in most applications. My card with 858 files was “imported” in a few seconds. You can start viewing and editing instantly. Though this means you do without things like transferring image files from a card to your computer, it does get you to your pictures fast. You choose a folder and bingo, all the images it contains are added to your Luminar catalog. There’s no explicit import process in Luminar. On the first run, you see a very simple interface with a big Add Photos button. Skylum Luminar Neo's Catalog mode shows a grid of your images with a left-side panel for dates, folders, and albums, along with photo shot details. When the installation is done, you sign into a Skylum account and then you’re presented with a QR code to install the companion mobile app for wirelessly transferring images. The program takes up about 2GB of hard drive space, similar to Lightroom’s size. Setting up Skylum Luminar NeoĪt setup (or later), you can install Luminar Neo as a plug-in for Photoshop and Lightroom Classic, but unlike its predecessor, it doesn’t let you install plug-ins in Luminar Neo itself (for example, for Topaz noise reduction). Lightroom costs $9.99 per month and you have to pay for as long as you want to keep using the app. There's a 30-day money-back offer.įor comparison, Capture One costs $299, CyberLink PhotoDirector costs $99, and DxO PhotoLab costs $219. Luminar Neo is available as a Windows Store app and a Mac app in the App Store (I prefer desktop apps be available in the app stores, since they make updating and installing on multiple computers easier and are vetted for security and functionality). Skylum is still selling the simpler Luminar AI application ($47), which is mostly about applying one-click fixes and styles to your photos, but lacks some of Neo’s powerful features.

Luminar is available directly from Skylum's site for $149 (often discounted), with no subscription required. The company continues to improve the program's user interface and performance, as well. Upscale AI, Supersharp AI, Focus Stacking, Background Removal AI, Noiseless AI, and HDR Merge are the latest extensions, and I like the strategy of not forcing everyone to install lots of features they may not use. These come with the subscription pricing option or you can buy them each separately ($49) or all seven together in a pack ($299). Since my last look, Skylum has delivered a steady flow of what it calls extensions-really just optional features and effect modules you can install or not as you choose. Unique AI adjustment tools and filters-and the fact you can install it as a plug-in for the more complete Photoshop and Lightroom apps-make it a worthy addition to any photographer's software toolkit.

It also gets layer support with a library of textures and overlays. It has a simple interface that's a pleasure to work in, and it retains the company's previous Luminar application’s sky replacement and extensive set of filters and editing tools. The impetus for Skylum Luminar Neo was the desire for a photo app that would make extensive use of AI to improve and enhance your digital images.

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