ImageCreator Loc: Northern California

After playing with it for a few hours its very similar to Luminar 4. There are some new features, but overall is just a Luminar 4 upgrade. Maybe I'll discover more in the days ahead.

There are many really cool features that you can add and download--FOR A FEE. It looks like the really cool stuff is going to cost you extra. It irks me that they have held the good stuff back and offer it only for add'l costs.

I wouldn't be surprised if Luminar 4 is discontinued in place of AI.
Is it worth the price, hmmm, not so sure, but then again, if they as many of us believe, discontinue L 4, then you'll have to upgrade anyways. A lot of advertising hype for very little in return.

These are my initial thoughts. I hope to discover reasons for me to have coughed up 79 bucks.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Get you $$$ back.

Luminar is just a money pit.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I keep finding and learning new fun stuff in Photoshop, the five Lightrooms, ACR, Portfolio and Bridge. And, it's always the same $10 a month. I don't really know what AI is or how it works. Adobe says there is a lot of AI in their stuff. For some reason they call it "Sensai". I know that the "Auto" button works a lot better than before it had some AI power.

That said, I will be enjoying the inevitable YouTube reviews and will have fun getting Luminar AI when and if it blows my socks off.

waltnetto Loc: LaVerne, CA

It started out as irritating. But it took me until last year to realize the veracity of your hypothesis . Now every super-trick wazoo addition to the Skylum world of photo enhancing comes with a cost while they make sure to let us know it is NOT a subscription based software developer. I'm not saying Adobe is perfecto! But I have given up on Skylum/Luminar until such they convince me they have more to offer - then an invoice.

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

I am fairly well pleased so far with Topaz AI Sharpen

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Are you saying this as you are being held hostage by Adobe for the monthly subscription?

murphle Loc: Wisconsin

Luminar will indeed cease support for version 4 eventually. Luminar AI is the next 'model'. As for Adobe's subscription service.... the discussions and hate rhetoric towards that make me chuckle. The money paid for any other software does not include their yearly upgrades. You have to pay for those. Capture One... On1, etc. For Adobe, I'm on the Photographer's plan and pay my 10/mo for two different applications. I could walk away from Adobe anytime; however, Photoshop is still the industry leading photo editing software (I have Affinity Photo and enjoy it as an alternative but will stay with Adobe). Look. I used to run all the Adobe software and it cost me hundreds annually if I wanted to keep up to speed. Which I do. I keep my computers up to date and my graphics software up to date. Are there cheaper options? Affinity is an outstanding option as are LR replacements such as Capture One and On1; however, don't be bamboozled into believing that it's a buy once and forget it, because that's just a scam. You have to pay for upgrades - not little updates. Upgrades. Pay, pay, pay:)

leftj Loc: Texas

This guy probably doesn't even own Luminar 4 or AI.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

Software development is an ongoing cost for a manufacturer, and there are only 2 ways for a business to survive - subscriptions or upgrade charges.

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

I am being held hostage by the electric company, Comcast, the bank, My HOA, a subscription to flying magazine, and the list goes on. And yes, I subscribe to Adobe and can quit any time I want to. And I think that Lightroom and Photoshop are the very best.

POVDOV

Amen to that. Just took a quick look after downloading and it is narrow in its offerings. Will look more and see. Not near as good as Luminar 4. Could be wrong.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

I'm an Elements user and haven't upgraded in five years, but your analogy is appropriate and the best argument for using a subscription service I've read.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

What are the extra-cost features?

odujim Loc: New Jersey

I was concerned about the Looks Collections that I had amassed in Luminar 4 and whether they could be used in LuminarAI. "Looks" is now referred to as "Templates" in the LuminarAI. After doing a brief search online, I discovered that most of the Looks Collections from Luminar 4 are automatically migrated over to LuminarAI. My only complaint is that the "legacy" Looks Collections are not grouped by category as in Luminar 4; they are simply put on a single list under My Collection.

Skylum posted instructions on how to access the "legacy" looks in LuminarAI:

"The looks from Luminar 4 should have been migrated to LuminarAI automatically. Make sure you have installed them in Luminar 4."

Here's how to find Luminar 4 looks in LuminarAI

Launch LuminarAI.

In the top bar, click Templates > Switch to My Collection: https://prnt.sc/w0f896

You'll be able to find your looks from Luminar 4 under Legacy tab: https://prnt.sc/w0f969

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

(Download)