Image Editing

Luminar Neo

AI-powered photo editing for photographers

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You'll find yourself staring at Luminar Neo's interface wondering if Skylum still cares about this software. This AI-powered photo editor promises smart enhancements and automated corrections. The experience feels oddly dated for something marketed as cutting-edge AI technology.

Wedding photographers dealing with mixed lighting conditions might gravitate toward Luminar Neo's portrait enhancement features. Skylum's software attempts to handle skin smoothing automatically. Eye brightening too. Results vary wildly depending on your source material.

Luminar Neo runs as both a standalone application and a plugin for Lightroom and Photoshop. AI masking tools work decently for basic selections. Background replacement feels clunky compared to what you'd expect in 2024. Sky replacement produces acceptable results most of the time.

Skylum's development cycle raises questions about long-term viability. Updates arrive sporadically. Bug fixes take months to appear. You can't shake the feeling that they've moved on to other projects — leaving Luminar Neo in maintenance mode.

Performance remains sluggish on older machines. AI processing eats up RAM like nobody's business. Export times drag on longer than they should for simple edits.

Luminar Neo might handle your basic photo correction needs. Don't expect the polished experience you'd get from more established competitors. The price point doesn't help its case either.

Frequently asked

7 questions

Can Luminar Neo work as a plugin inside Lightroom and Photoshop?

Yeah, Luminar Neo works both ways -- as its own app or as a plugin. You can drop it right into Lightroom or Photoshop. This means you don't have to switch programs to use its AI stuff, which is pretty handy if you're already set up with your usual editing workflow.

How much RAM does Luminar Neo actually need for AI processing?

Luminar Neo's a total RAM hog -- especially when it's doing AI stuff. Skylum doesn't really spell out the minimum requirements (which is annoying). But users say you need a lot of memory or things get sluggish fast. Export times? They drag on way longer than you'd expect.

Does Skylum still actively develop Luminar Neo or is it abandoned?

That's the million-dollar question. Updates show up whenever they feel like it -- sometimes months apart. Bug fixes take forever. Honestly, it feels like they've put it on the back burner while working on other stuff.

How reliable are the portrait enhancement features for wedding photography?

The portrait tools do skin smoothing and eye brightening automatically, which wedding photographers like. But here's the thing -- results are all over the place depending on your photos. Sometimes it looks great, sometimes not so much. The AI just isn't consistent enough for pro work.

Is Luminar Neo's sky replacement feature competitive with other editors in 2024?

It's okay for basic stuff but feels pretty clunky now. Works fine if you just need something simple. But compared to what other editors are doing in 2024? It hasn't really kept up with the times.

What's the biggest limitation of Luminar Neo's AI masking tools?

The AI masking is fine for simple selections but that's about it. It feels outdated compared to modern AI tools. You can do basic masking jobs, sure -- but anything complex and you're gonna struggle.

Is Luminar Neo worth buying given its current state and pricing?

Honestly? Probably not. It might handle basic photo fixes but there are better options for the money. The slow performance and dated interface make it hard to recommend when competitors offer way more polish for similar prices.