After putting out 2 versions that were broken (3 and 4) which they sold on sizzle like sky replacements and less than a year since they released 4 they announced Luminar AI yesterday. Nothing but marketing bs, no details but if you buy NOW we will discount it. This is a company that has no idea how to develop and release software. They still haven't fixed the base parts of the product like the DAM and lots of people on both macs and pcs are having issues with 4 just like 3. Claiming they will keep working and releasing fixes to 4 after AI is out but they promised that with the move from 3 to 4. Needless to say, they didn’t keep their promise. They will not be getting any money from me until they have a stable working version out which I doubt they will. I think they should go back to selling plugins which are mainly sizzle not steak anyway.
I purchased version 4. For some reason, it did not work on my desktop windows 10. It did work on my windows 8 laptop. I will keep the software for i did get a faint Northern Lights photo that I wanted to enhance.
I have to say that as an amateur, I am really liking Topaz's offerings. Haven't had time to learn the masking, but given the other apps they produce, I just need the time to delve into it. I will say their customer support is very quick and comprehensive. I do have a subscription to Lightroom and Photoshop. I will cancel those. Not even close to being a pro; Topaz works well for me!
I’m an amateur. I have no aspirations of self glory or making money through photography, though I admire those who can.
I just terminated my LR/PS subscription after 5+ years. Why?....because I stopped lying to myself that I would ever become proficient at PS (which I never used after trying to wrap my head around it and watching dozens of tutorials). I was reasonably competent with the LR tools I used, but never developed proficiency in many of them.
The bottom line for me is that programs such as Luminar have a place in my toolkit. Rather than beating myself up for not mastering LR/PS I can push a few buttons here and there and, for the most part, achieve something that suits my needs all while creating time for pursuing other, equally important hobbies.
Works for me.
I use L4 as a plug-in to LR, as I did with L18. It works flawlessly on my Mac--never a problem, so I’m thinking about the new guy that’s coming out.
If you like the way Luminar works but are unhappy with Luminar, you should take a look at ON1. They have a free trial.
Just to check the pricing, I clicked on the above link, and got a price of $69. Then, to check their “loyalty discount” I entered my registration info and got a price of ....... $69. What am I missing?
I purchased Luminar last year, fed up with the need to switch my Lightroom account to the monthly $9.99 fee after working with Lightroom since it was first introduced years ago. I am very happy with Luminar 4.3 on my iMac, but feel betrayed that it will be an orphan. Now I am wondering if I should consider even another editor - ON1 was mentioned as a possibility.
Anyone else feeling frustrated?
Dave
I, too, was surprised at the cost despite seeing an option for a discounted price beyond $69.
Finally, I just said screw it and pushed the button.
Ednsb wrote:
After putting out 2 versions that were broken (3 and 4) which they sold on sizzle like sky replacements and less than a year since they released 4 they announced Luminar AI yesterday. Nothing but marketing bs, no details but if you buy NOW we will discount it. This is a company that has no idea how to develop and release software. They still haven't fixed the base parts of the product like the DAM and lots of people on both macs and pcs are having issues with 4 just like 3. Claiming they will keep working and releasing fixes to 4 after AI is out but they promised that with the move from 3 to 4. Needless to say, they didn’t keep their promise. They will not be getting any money from me until they have a stable working version out which I doubt they will. I think they should go back to selling plugins which are mainly sizzle not steak anyway.
After putting out 2 versions that were broken (3 a... (
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Why do you state that Luminar 3 & 4 are broken? I have both and haven't had an issue with either.
rcarol wrote:
Why do you state that Luminar 3 & 4 are broken? I have both and haven't had an issue with either.
I have never had an issue with Luminar either, but many have.
rcarol wrote:
Why do you state that Luminar 3 & 4 are broken? I have both and haven't had an issue with either.
Luminar 4.3 has a known issue affecting many (but not all users) and Skylum has not provided a fix yet.
Are these programs different than PSElements?
Are these programs different than PSElements?
Yes this company is guilty of overhyping flaky products.
But I still use my Luminar 2018 with PS plug in as it has the best erase and sun ray tool I have ever used.
Luminar 2018 also has AI features which has become a overused term.
But be cautious as they oversell.
I agree whole heartedly. The Skylum teams don't listen to end user feedback. They don't fix the bugs brought to their attention that are causing their customers pain (look at their own forums). These platforms (both Aurora & Luminar) are not simply ready for prime time because they ignore customer input. It is truly a shame because if they just took care of their customers, they might have a winner. Unfortunately at this time, as a knowledgeable engineer, project manager, and someone with his fair share of marketing and customer support under his belt, I can't recommend these under performing and unsupported products.
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