Luminar Neo’s ability to simplify once-complex photo editing processes into single clicks is unmatched, making Neo one of the best photo editing applications for beginners and experts in a rush. Jump to Conclusion | Try Luminar Neo – For Free
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Luminar Neo Review – Contents
- What is Luminar Neo
- What can Luminar Neo do
- Key Features of Luminar Neo
- Generative AI
- What is Luminar Neo like to use
- Luminar Neo Alternatives
- Conclusion
What is Luminar Neo
Luminar Neo is a photo studio application for Windows PCs and Mac OS. It combines basic photo management with advanced AI-powered photo editing.
Luminar Neo is an effects-orientated photo editing application. In other words, Neo is stocked with straight-to-the-point adjustments such as Foliage Enhancer, Demist, and Golden Hour Glow. As a result, you don’t need to know much about photo editing to edit photos with Luminar Neo. Yet none of this is to say that Luminar Neo is dumbed down.
On the contrary, Neo also includes the usual adjustments such as Exposure, Tone Curves, and White Balance. Therefore, you can use Luminar Neo much like any other photo editing application. But what makes Luminar Neo unique is its AI-powered effects.
These effects include Sky Replacement, Portrait Bokeh AI background blur, Face AI, and Relight AI. Neo also utilizes generative AI. With GenSwap, you can add new elements to your photo or use GenErase to delete unwanted objects. You can even expand your photo’s content with GenExpand.
With Noiseless AI, you can denoise noise-ridden images and correct blurred photos with SuperSharp. There’s also an HDR merge tool, a Panoramic Stitching feature, and a Focus Stacker.
What is new in Luminar Neo
Luminar Neo’s photo management has been expanded to include Smart Search and Quick Filters. With Smart Search, you can browse your photos using terms such as Birds, Mountains, and Trees. Quick Filters allows you to select images based on properties such as camera model, date taken, and focal length.
Also new is Color Transfer, which enables you to take the color profile of one photo and apply it to another. Other additions include masking based on color range and the option to display a filmstrip in the editing tab.
How much does Luminar Neo cost
A single Luminar Neo lifetime license will cost you a one-time payment of US$189. Alternatively, you can subscribe to Luminar Neo Pro for US$8 per month.
With Luminar Neo Pro, you get the same software, avoid an upfront payment, and can activate Luminar Neo on up to two computers. Moreover, you get free updates and upgrades, plus limitless access to GenSwap, GenExpand, and GenErase.
Luminar Neo Promo Codes
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Luminar Neo Free Trial
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What does Luminar Neo do
Luminar Neo combines essential photo management, Luminar Share – a photo sharing app, presets, batch photo editing, and photo editing.
Photo Management
With photo management in Luminar Neo, you can rate your images, flag photos as favorites, and assign them to any number of Albums.
You can also use Smart Search to find pictures featuring specific elements. For instance, you can search your photo collection for all images featuring ‘Birds’. You can also filter your images based on properties such as Date Taken, Camera Model, ISO, and Focal Length.
Double-clicking on any of your images while in the Catalog view opens the full-screen photo viewer. Here, you can zoom in to check your image’s sharpness and compare the edited version of your photo with the original.
Luminar Neo is compatible with Raw, JPEG, and HEIC files. Exported images can be resized, compressed, and saved as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, JPEG 2000, PDF, and Photoshop PSD files. You can export photos to local folders, email, or Luminar Share.
Luminar Share
Presets
Luminar Neo features 22 different Preset Collections, each containing five to six individual Presets. Each preset collection is oriented toward a specific style, such as Urban, Landscape, Filmatic, and Portrait. Furthermore, Luminar Neo will analyze your photo and recommend which Presets best suit your image.
You can buy additional presets from the Skylum Software Marketplace. Alternatively, you can make your own by saving the sum of a manual edit as a new preset.
Photo Editing
Luminar Neo’s Develop tab features all the traditional photo editing adjustments, such as Exposure, White Balance, and Tone Curves. However, Luminar Neo also offers user-friendly AI-powered alternatives like Sky Enhancer, Golden Hour Glow, and Structure AI. Not only are these compound effects well-named, but they are highly effective and very straightforward to use.
For instance, the Enhance AI tab includes two adjustments – Accent AI and Sky Enhancer. With Accent AI, you can process your entire photo by doing no more than dragging a slider, while Sky Enhancer’s function, as the name suggests, is limited to processing your photo’s Sky. So effective are these tools that it is possible to process your image to a high standard using these two adjustments alone.
This means that Luminar Neo caters to both experienced photo editors and beginners. However, it stands out from other photo editing applications because of its generous supply of AI-powered super features.
Luminar Neo Features
- Portrait Bokeh AI
- Sky AI
- Relight AI
- Face AI
- Studio Light
- Upscale AI
- Portrait Background Removal
- Mask AI
- Layers
- GenSwap
- GenErase
- GenExpand
Portrait Bokeh AI
Portrait Bokeh AI allows you to apply background blur to any portrait you’ve ever taken, enabling you to blur away distractions and add a sense of depth to your image. Moreover, you can adjust the amount of depth, the severity of the blur, the brightness of the highlights, and more. Critically, the results can look great, as the sample below illustrates.
Sky AI
Sky AI enables you to easily trade your photo’s sky for another. Moreover, Luminar Neo will relight your image to match the new sky and even add reflections. Critically, Sky AI is straightforward to use, but its effectiveness will depend on the complexity of the original image. Nonetheless, Sky AI is one of the best and most reliable Sky Replacement tools I have tested.
Relight AI
Relight AI determines your photo’s foreground from its background, enabling you to adjust the brightness and warmth of either—perfect for correcting backlit portraits.
Face AI
Face AI, Skin AI, and Body AI allow you to relight your subject, whiten eyes, redden lips, remove dark circles from eyes, and much more. Best of all, it requires no skill whatsoever.
While such tools can be used to dehumanize your subject, I find them extremely useful for correcting things like wide-angle distortion, unflattering lighting, and, indeed, a poor night’s sleep. With Portrait Bokeh AI, you can make a cheap smartphone selfie look more like a pro portrait. Sadly, as you can see, there’s no grey hair fix.
Studio Light
With Studio Light, you can add and position digital light points to your photo to simulate the effect of using multiple lights and flashes. Moreover, you can adjust the brightness, depth, and color of each and even add textures and effects.
Upscale AI
Upscale AI is an AI-powered upscaler that anticipates and inserts new details as it enlarges your image. As a result, pictures enlarged with Upscale AI look superior compared to images enlarged using traditional methods.
Although Upscale AI works well enough, it falls short of rival products; therefore, if upscaling is an essential feature, check out my list of the best AI upscalers.
Background Removal
Background Removal swiftly removes your subject’s background—ideal for creating those YouTube thumbnails! Moreover, Background Removal is pretty reliable, particularly if your subject is well separated from their surroundings. If necessary, you can refine the mask with manual brushing.
Mask AI
Mask AI can automatically mask recognized photographic objects such as People, Mountains, Skies, Water, and Architecture. Then, you can apply adjustments exclusively to your masked objects, leaving the remainder of the image intact. Mask AI’s accuracy depends on the complexity of your photo. However, you can correct and fine-tune wayward masks with manual brushing.
Layers
Using Layers, you can stack and blend multiple images to create unique effects and graphics. To this end, Luminar Neo includes several effects layers, such as Light Leaks, Bokeh, and Flare. Alternatively, you can blend multiple photos.
However, it would be best if you did not consider Luminar Neo, a layer-based photo editor in the traditional sense. For instance, you cannot apply your adjustments in layers or add text or shapes as you can in Photoshop. But the upside of such simplicity is that Luminar Neo layers are easy to use and fun to play with
GenSwap
GenSwap AI is a cloud-powered generative AI tool for Luminar Neo, enabling you to insert and swap photographic elements. For example, you might trade a bird in a tree for a squirrel, insert some seabirds into a featureless sky, or add a honey bee to a lonely flower. While inserting objects into a photo is hardly new, GenSwap is different in that you only need to specify the nature of the object and where it will appear, and GenSwap will go to work. This is both good and bad.
On the positive side, the number of objects on hand feels infinite, and the possibilities seem limited only by one’s imagination. Unfortunately, the nature and quality of the result are impossible to anticipate. Overall, GenSwap is a new and immature technology. Yet, even in its early iteration, it can produce stunning results on occasion. Therefore, GenSwap is well worth a go.
GenErase
GenErase is an erase tool for removing unwanted elements from your photo. But, unlike other erase brushes, GenErase leverages generative AI to reconstruct the image post-deletion, thus making it seem like your deleted object was never there. Critically, GenErase works. Sometimes.
As with other generative AI tools, GenErase is widely unpredictable—even when applied to the same photo using the same selection. Therefore, GenErase has the potential to impress and frustrate at seemingly random intervals.
GenExpand
GenExpand uses Generative AI to build new content into your photo, enabling you to expand your photo’s borders and content horizontally or vertically. For example, you might wish to add more sky, make your photo taller, or widen your image’s scenery, thus converting your photo into a panorama.
Like Luminar’s other generative AI tools GenSwap and GenErase, GenExpand is somewhat unpredictable. At times, it produces results that will drop your jaw—other times, not even close. However, you can rinse and repeat until you find a result that satisfies your quality standard and creative vision.
Other Notable Luminar Neo Features
In addition to the features above, Luminar Neo includes HDR Merge, focus stacking, and panoramic stitching tools. I also enjoy using Magic Light AI to enhance the light points in my photos. Crop AI sometimes crops better than I do, and I like the automated Dust Spot removal tool.
There are Supersharp AI and Noiseless AI, AI-powered sharpeners, and noise reduction applications. Unfortunately, while these tools work somewhat, they both fall well short of the best image sharpeners and noise reduction software applications I have tested.
What is Luminar Neo like to use
Luminar Neo’s attractive and well-presented interface is logically organized and stocked with sensibly named tools, features, and menus. Beginners will appreciate Neo’s inbuilt and well-implemented photo editing tutorials, while experienced users will enjoy being able to organize and stack their favorite tools and adjustments.
Photo management is easy and intuitive, while photo editing is as straightforward as you want it to be, thanks to Luminar Neo’s generous supply of Presets and Effects-Oriented enhancements—many of which include mouse-activated tooltips and tutorials.
Overall, imagining how Luminar Neo could be easier to use isn’t easy. Thus, I consider Neo the best photo editing application for beginners and an excellent choice for experts in a rush.
Speed and Performance
Luminar Neo’s performance ranges from excellent to poor. When applying simple adjustments, Luminar Neo responds to your inputs in real time, resulting in a productively smooth workflow. Naturally, more complex adjustments, such as Portrait Bokeh AI and Super Sharp, take a little longer to apply, but the wait remains acceptable, given the result.
The problems begin with larger edits. As you combine multiple AI-super tricks such as Portrait Bokeh AI, Studio Light, and Noiseless AI – Luminar Neo begins to slow under its weight. Typically, the latency is tolerable, but in extreme cases, Neo will become unresponsive for extended periods and even crash.
However, these are the extreme cases. For the most part, you’ll notice little to no latency and be entirely happy with your experience. Of course, your expectations and hardware almost certainly differ from mine. Therefore, I strongly recommend you try Luminar Neo before you buy. Try Luminar Neo Now – For Free
What is missing in Luminar Neo
Luminar Neo’s photo management still lacks some key features. For example, the inability to add keywords remains a curious omission. I would appreciate the inclusion of Face Recognition so I might browse my photos by those who appear in them. I’d also like to see improved versions of SuperSharp and Noiseless AI.
Alternatives to Luminar Neo
Luminar Neo vs Lightroom
Luminar Neo and Lightroom present two very different takes on photo editing. While Luminar Neo uses AI to create compound effect-orientated adjustments like Golden Hour Glow, Lightroom is more about nudging exposure, pulling tone curves, and tweaking white balance.
That being said, Adobe Lightroom is a near-perfect example of a traditional photo editor in that it’s easy to use, highly responsive, and produces lovely results. And despite being traditional, Lightroom is no dinosaur. For instance, Lightroom features object recognition for automated masking, face-recognition-powered photo management, superior AI-powered upscaling, and substantially better noise reduction.
However, Lightroom’s greatest attribute is its seamless integration with the Cloud. When boarding Lightroom, your photo collection is uploaded to Adobe’s Creative Cloud. After this, your images can be accessed and edited on any up-to-date internet-connected PC, Mac, Android, or iOS device. You can also leverage this technology to share your pictures and albums with family, friends, and clients.
Yet Lightroom’s biggest strength is also its biggest weakness. Since the Cloud underpins Lightroom, you can never own It outright and must pay a subscription. Moreover, Lightroom lacks many of Luminar Neo’s signature features, such as Portrait Bokeh AI and Sky AI, and requires more skill to operate in general.
Therefore, Lightroom is an excellent choice if you’re willing to develop your editing skills and are happy to subscribe to the confines and warmth of Adobe’s walled garden. But if you want simplicity, tricks, and no ongoing cost, go with Luminar Neo.
Read my Lightroom Review for more information.
Luminar Neo vs ON1 Photo Raw
ON1 Photo Raw is an insanely feature-packed all-in-one photo management and editing studio. Like Luminar Neo, it has AI-powered super tricks and labor saves. These include Sky Replacement, a portrait enhancer, AI-adaptive presets, and Super Select AI, an object recognition-powered automatic masking tool.
Also, like Luminar Neo, ON1 Photo Raw features AI-powered upscaling, denoising, and sharpening. However, all three features are much better than those of Luminar Neo, as is ON1 Photo Raw’s implementation of Effects Layers. ON1 Photo Raw is also a better photo management tool and includes advanced features such as AI-powered automatic keyword tagging, Geotagging, and connectivity with your OneDrive and Google Drive accounts.
Yet, despite ON1’s best efforts, the feature-laden ON1 Photo Raw is more difficult to use, particularly when measured against a user-friendly application like Luminar Neo. For this reason, you might prefer Luminar Neo based on user experience alone. But if you want an affordable photo management and editing studio that does everything well, try ON1 Photo Raw.
Read ON1 Photo Raw Review for more information.
Luminar Neo vs ACDSee Ultimate
ACDSee Ultimate is an outstanding photo studio with Face Recognition-powered photo management and two separate photo editing modes – a raw editor that is at least as good as Lightroom and a Photoshop-like layer-based editor (though not as capable).
Unlike the effects-orientated Luminar Neo, ACDSee Ultimate offers a traditional photo editing experience. Yet, it is incredibly well-executed. Instead of dragging sliders, you can apply many adjustments, such as white balance, color, brightness, and tone curves, by interacting directly with the image (targeted adjustments).
Regarding modern features, ACDSee Ultimate has one of the best portrait enhancement tools I have used and a very accurate subject-selection tool. Sadly, Ultimate’s range of Presets and Effects is poor, and the HDR mode falls behind Luminar Neo’s, as does its Sky Replacement feature. Unlike Luminar Neo, ACDSee Ultimate does not feature AI-powered sharpening or denoising but does have a superior upscaler.
Overall, ACDSee Ultimate is a great photo editing application for those looking to contain their digital photography workflow to a single software application. In contrast, Luminar Neo is best for fast, effortless results.
Read my ACDSee Ultimate Review for more information.
Luminar Neo vs DxO PhotoLab
DxO PhotoLab is different from Luminar Neo in that it needs to be guided by a well-trained hand. Yet, DxO PhotoLab does have some outstanding automation in its Optics Modules. Specifically, DxO PhotoLab uses individual optics modules designed to overcome and correct the flaws of specific camera-lens combinations, resulting in class-leading image quality the moment you open your image.
Moreover, DxO PhotoLab’s DeepPRIME noise reduction is not only leagues better than Luminar Neo’s Noiseless AI but is probably the best denoiser on the market overall. Regarding Photo management, DxO PhotoLab is even more lacking than Luminar Neo.
Overall, DxO PhotoLab and Luminar Neo are for two very different audiences. If you want a precision instrument to craft your images to perfection, I recommend DxO PhotoLab. If you want to get great results quickly while adding some transformative effects, go with Luminar Neo.
Read DxO PhotoLab Review for more information.
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Conclusion
Luminar Neo’s well-designed interface and wide range of sensibly named effects-oriented features make it one of the best photo editing applications for beginners. Yet, even if you are a seasoned photo editor, there’s a lot to like about Luminar Neo.
Specifically, Neo automates many of the most tedious tasks in photo editing, such as masking and removing dust spots. If you want to perform a significant edit, such as replacing the Sky or blurring the background, you only need to click a button or drag a slider. Speaking from personal experience, it can be challenging to go back to traditional photo editing workflows after using Luminar Neo
Of course, Luminar Neo isn’t for everyone. For instance, while improved, Neo’s photo management is somewhat undernourished. Moreover, some of its features, such as SuperSharp and Noiseless AI, feel underdeveloped and, perhaps, even neglected in favor of adding entirely new features. However, other features like Portrait Bokeh AI and Sky AI remain best-in-class.
Luminar Neo’s most significant liability is performance. Neo begins fast enough but slows as you add one adjustment after another to a single edit. While I have found real-world performance decent-to-acceptable, some of my audience has not, and I have been able to replicate their issues with stress testing. For this reason, I recommend you test Luminar Neo on your own hardware and assess it against your expectations before purchasing.
Overall, I consider Luminar Neo one of the best photo editing applications on the market and the default choice for anyone who prioritizes fast results over process. Try Luminar Neo now – for Free | Go back to the Introduction.
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