Disappointed with Luminar AI
Answered
I pre-purchased Luminar AI several months ago and I'm sorry to say the wait was not worth the cost. Luminar AI appears to be truncated version of Luminar 4. Some elements of the interface appear to be stream lined whiles others that were useful (In Luminar 4) like the editting history and layers have vanished. I'm also upset that the catalogue from Luminar 4 was dropped. All of the photos I've processed in Luminar 4 will have to be redone. This is crap.
I'm also annoyed with the constant flow of spam from Skylum urging me purchase an annual Luminar X members. I dumped Lightroom to escape subscription based software. Unformtunately, this appears to be Sky;um is headed.
I will be requesting a refund fro Luminar AI.
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Hi Dan Jacobs,
I'm sorry to hear about your experience.
As far as Layers concerned, indeed, we removed the Layers tool, but it was replaced with Local Masking tool. Let me clarify why we did that.
While many feel that layers, masks, and selections are the only way to work, they can really slow you down. Adding manual steps and extra processing time.
Most of our tools make selections for you thanks to artificial intelligence. While we offer masking for every tool, you won’t need it 95% of the time. AI perfectly handles the segmentation and application of tools to just the right areas.
We’ve added a new Local Masking tool that lets you solve the problems that many rely on layers for. With it, you can make specific adjustments for individual areas or people. You can overlay textures or make targeted adjustments. Local masks are also easier to sync with multiple photos and can be stored in a LuminarAI Template. The Local Masking tool eliminates the need for complex layers, bringing results and performance without clutter.
Here you can find your Local Masking tool. To create a new mask simply press on + Add icon > Basic: https://prnt.sc/w2ayw3
As to the History button, we haven't dropped it. Here's where you can find it: http://prntscr.com/w3qpp6
Regarding the emails you receive, you can unsubscribe from our mailing list or reach us out via https://skylum.com/support so we could manage your subscription settings.
Still, if you want to request a refund, please, reach us via https://skylum.com/support so we could help you with this.
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Unless there will be a way to link edits and favorites from Luminar 4, AI cannot be considered a professional tool since there is no continuity of work. I understand that in about 1 year Luminar 4 will no longer be supported so potentially I will lose thousands of hours of work. This is not acceptable and will force me to return to Lightroom and Photoshop. Very disappointed......
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"While many feel that layers, masks, and selections are the only way to work, they can really slow you down. Adding manual steps and extra processing time."
That is simply untrueLayers, masks and selections are editing tools. Not only were layers indispensable for detailed editing they also allowed third party plugins. Now that the plugins are gone the partially edited Luminar image has to be exported, opened in the app that was once a plugin, re-saved from that app then reloaded into Luminar AI to continue editing. That's what really slows you down.
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Without layers how do you merge multiple images. At minimum, I have lost the ability to add my logo to each image by adding an image layer. Luminar 4 made that process easy. Its one thing to give people multiple options, but its another to take away key functionality and determine for me what slows me down and what doesnt. Its not all about speed you know. We are caught between a rock and a hard place with AI. We cant use it and we cant go back to L4.
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Having disappeared layers and gradient adjustments special tool, you are not allowed to make a good blending. Luminar has become only for beginners. But, what kind of beginners? Nowadays there are a lot of cheaper apps.
Luminar AI does not improve Luminar 4, it is worse.
In my opinion Skylum has made a great mistake we can see in the next future.
I wish, they will rectify and compensate for the mistreated clients, earning the trust of true photography lovers.
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I was so looking forward to Luminar AI, but what a dissapointment it turned out to be! As stated by other users, Luminar AI isn't an improvement of Luminar 4. On the contrary, I would say. Layers are so important to me as an artist, since I want to decide myself where a certain effect is needed in my image. Is that slowing me down? No, for me it's not, it's me expressing my creativity. With Luminar AI this isn't an option. Not to mention the templates. There's no easy preview. You have to click on each and every one of them. Talking about slowing you down ... Sorry Skylum, but I'll be asking for a refund for sure!
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Hi everyone,
Here's how you can add a watermark: https://youtu.be/TumoVTFhcIg
Here's a workaround for the adjustable gradient tool: https://youtu.be/iEIpsHJtdzY
@Lin O. - you can stack several basic / texture local adjustment tools to apply the edits selectively.
As for the preview, I'll share your request with our team.
We'll process all refund requests as soon as we reach them in the queue.
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I would have been happy to leave a comment on Luminar AI.
But that would require that it can be installed and open on my computer, which is not the case since Luminar 4.2 to luminar AI
Or that any kind of help from Skylum (by any kind of help, I mean an answer, any kind ... Well I must confess I had an answer once, it consited of denning my previous requests).
So I consider that you guys are lucky enough to be disappointed by what you see, at leat you can see something.
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My experience is the same. I pre-ordered Luminar AI because I was having issues with Luminar 4 (my imported raw images were worse than the originals).
It is so frustrating to work with Luminar AI! I have asked for a refund as well but it looks like Skylum Support is ignoring my emails.This is probably not the forum (or may it is) but any suggestions on good alternatives for post-processing?
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Top Reasons Why I'm so frustrated with Luminar AI that I've requested a refund.
I don't think there's anything here that is unique long-time users of Luminar 4.
1. Takes forever to load and no indication that it's loading until you've waited and waited. If using as a plug in on PS also takes forever and not all functionality is available compared to stand alone. Once an image "loads" it isn't really sharp until you zoom in and then out again or wait even longer. Also crashes from time to time.
2. The Erase tool sucks; I'd much rather use PS Content Aware. This is an important tool in my workflow. Cropping is another tool that's much better in PS. There's also the mini Histogram which is mostly an afterthought. So many problems with the tools in AI.
3. While there are some streamlined tools, mostly just a repeat of Luminar 4 which I already have. Also, almost no difference between AI Templates and L4 "Looks". No import on my L4 Looks, which is something many of us have built over time.
4. In the portrait mode, you can't choose individual faces like L4, and the "group" changes are not to my liking.
5. There's no layers, but there's a work around (local masking). So if I want to change portrait faces it actually takes longer in AI than in L4.
6. Can't easily merge multiple images like in the past, and doing the work around is much more time consuming.
7. The more I tried to get the look I was after using AI templates the more frustrating and time consuming my editing process became.
8. I feel I'm being treated like such a beginner when I use AI; I know what I want and I'm tired of clicking a button or two and not getting what I want. Then I spend extra time fixing what AI gave me. It's a time waster of an application.Last: poor customer service! I requested a refund and Skylum is ignoring my emails. There's no phone number to call. Skylum bragged about how revolutionary the program would be and delivered so very little on their promises.
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Hi Peter. Please contact us via https://skylum.com/support and we will figure something out.
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Luminar AI is the biggest piece of garbage ever created. The company races to make new versions and never fixes the bugs in older versions. Their focus is to create new software to keep the dollars flowwing. Luminar AI crashes all the time when working with large catalogs. COMPLETE GARBAGE!!!
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I hear ya. But consider a few things. Luminar is about making photo editing easy. Period. Image management was always bad. I gave up on it the first time the catalog crashed. Luminar can be useful as a plug-in to do fast basic edits that dont require masks or layers. I dont use it to manage my images and I dont use it for local edits.
As for this continuous stream of new versions that aren't compatible with the old versions, I am with you 110%. That is another reason to use it only as a plug-in for select edits. Skylum doesnt seem to know what they want to be when they grow up. First they're straight, then they're gay, now they're bi. Next year they will be celibate and vegan. They dont get that creating new software with new UI and features on an annual basis is cruel and unusual punishment for us. Instead of growing with the software, we are watching How-to videos every year and shuffling a complex workflow.
I suggest finding a host application, Adobe Bridge, Lightroom. ON1, CaptureOne, etc and setup Luminar as a plug-in on a layer. Let Skylum flounder with an unstable corporate vision. Maybe someday they will stop re-creating the wheel every year. In the meantime, we have a stable workflow.
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