alexol

As far as I can tell, their product line now includes

- Luminar 4
- Luminar Neo
- Luminar AI
- Aurora HDR

I understand all or some can be used as stand-alone items.

Does anyone know what has superseded what? You can't need all of them, surely?

If you are going to reply about how much better Photoshop or Elements or whatever your personal preference is, please don't bother - I'd really appreciate on-point answers relating to this specific software only.

Thanks.

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

What makes you think Skylum and Topaz Labs are the same people?

alexol

Aha! Thank you - you are absolutely right - my error. I've amended the original post removing the Topaz products.

The question stands, but with a reduced 'headcount'.

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

Of the Luminars you only need the NEO version. It is the newest and actually combines the features of 4 and AI. NEO is a nice program and has many useful features. In truth, I use it on occasion but focus mainly on Lightroom and Photoshop.

I can't speak to Aurora...

jlg1000 Loc: Uruguay / South America

Luminar AI was a mixed bag... it added some AI features but removes editing ones... Luminar NEO put them back.

So NEO es kinda 4 + AI + their weirdo plugin system.

Keep NEO, drop the rest.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

As far as I'm concerned, Skylum is a money company, not software company. I get at least two emails from them every day. I should have added up all their pricing. I'm sure it would be over $2,000. I'll stick with their basic program.

Most of what I see online is demonstrating their Extensions, so online demos are pretty much useless for me.

Festus Loc: North Dakota

I agree! I have been suckered in to buying all their ugrades over the years. The software is iffy at best. Photoshop, Lighroom, Capture one, ON1, ACDSee, Corel etc. are all much better choices. I have them all and Skylum is at the bottom of the list.

jcwall396 Loc: Roswell, GA

I actually have all of them. I started using the Luminar product back when it was Luminar 1 or 2 (whatever the first version was) and have upgraded since. Luminar Neo is the latest and the only one they will continue supporting. I do like it and use it frequently on images that I want to have some fun with or for numerous things that need correcting. So Neo is the latest. Aurora is a different animal and unfortunately they have stopped supporting it. They moved their HDR processing engine into NEO, and it works just like Aurora EXCEPT.....it doesn't do batch processing, which is a killer for me. I use Aurora for real estate photography and the batch processing is an absolute MUST for me. So I will continue using Aurora until my system no longer supports it and keep my fingers crossed that they incorporate batch into Neo. Other than that, I think it's a great app. And yes, the constant extensions are a bother, but I paid, hm, $79? $129? Can't remember, but I'm getting all of them. Several new ones just dropped that I haven't tried yet, so I can't speak to those but I think they make a good quality product.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I suspect that some YouTubers are being paid to say nice things about the extensions.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUhgx7AuAhkOCeMhKwGdg8Qg

alexol

Thank you for the responses - my questions are fully answered, much appreciated.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

This sequence I know for sure. Luminar 4, Luminar AI, Luminar Neo. I don't think HDR is part of that chain.

bkwaters

The one thing I really like in Neo is the Vignette function. It easily allows main subject selection to change the centering of the vignette and also provides for center lighting. While I know most people do this with the radial filter in PS, Neo automates the process. Adding in the excellent Sky Replacement, to me it’s worth the money. DXO PhotoLab, ON1 and Corel are great products, but in my opinion, don’t add anything to LRC/PS.

Jim Long Loc: Baroda, Michigan

I use Aurora HDR as a Photoshop plugin on all of my landscape photos. The results are amazing. I have Luminar Neo but have not purchased any of the extensions. The few times I have tried Neo the results have not appealed to me. Maybe I need to use it more.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

Aurora HDR was the first product I bought; works very nicely.
Then Luminar 4 came out; bought it.
Then AI; tried but didn't upgrade.
Then Neo; bought it.

Luminar 4 and Neo are different enough not to be really considered related, i.e.: they each have their own strengths, weaknesses and functionality.

bwa

alexol

And those strengths and weaknesses would be?