Skip to main content

Two for One? Maphun Luminar will soon gain Lightroom-like manager

Short preview: new DAM module in Luminar
Hundreds of thousands of digital photographs require more than just a fancy file folder system — Macphun, the developers behind Luminar, will soon be launching its own digital asset manager to organize, then edit all those RAW images. The tool, designed to compete with Adobe Lightroom, will be integrated into Luminar sometime during 2018.

Macphun is teasing the added feature with a pre-release look at some of the features the new tool will offer, shared on Thursday, October 19. The update will give Luminar both a “browse” and a “develop” section, giving the photo editor management tools, too. The sneak peek shows an album organization, along with options for favorites and recently modified images.

Integrating photo libraries into the existing Luminar RAW photo editor will give the software both organizing and editing tools. While Luminar is a Photoshop competitor, the change will also make the program a Lightroom competitor as well. Macphun says the assets manager will work on hard-drive stored photos, or with any cloud storage system, and, unlike Adobe’s option, is available for a one-time payment for $69 instead of a subscription.

The added organizational tool will be part of a free update launched next year, while access to some of the new features in Luminar 2018 Supernova begins in November. The updates include a new tool to add a control for artificial sun rays that, unlike just brushing them on, brightens the surrounding area as real sunlight does as well. Additional new filters include dodge and burn, hue shift, brilliance, and a matte option.

Macphun says that Look Up Tables Support will also launch with the new version, which will allow users to convert Lightroom presets for use in Luminar.

Luminar also works as a plug-in for Lightroom, mixing Adobe’s management system with new tools, including Luminar’s digital polarizing filter, golden hour filter and artificially intelligent “Accent A.I.” one-click edit. Adobe’s move to split Lightroom into two programs, however, affects plug-in programs — while plug-ins continue to remain compatible with Classic, they aren’t compatible with the new Lightroom CC.

Luminar 2018 also brings the Windows version out of beta testing and into public availability after several years of being a Mac-only program. Macphun says they will be releasing more details about the new digital asset manager soon, with more sneak peeks for guests at the Photo Plus expo in New York City next week.

Editors' Recommendations

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
Lightroom adds first new slider in 4 years and will teach you how to use it
lightroom texture slider may 2019 update contextual help  menu

1.
Adjusted with selective texture, reducecd from the waterfall and added to the trees and rocks.
2.
Image sample using the global texture tool.

While Adobe Lightroom sees an update every few months, the photo editing program’s selection of sliders hasn’t changed since the Dehaze tool in 2015. That’s changing with the May 2019 update, however, as Adobe brings the texture slider to all versions of Lightroom, including Lightroom Classic, Lightroom CC and Camera RAW. The tool allows photo editors to add or smooth out detail -- and new in-app learning tools will also help teach the different options. The updates begin rolling out Tuesday, May 14.

Read more
Luminar’s libraries gain speed, drop need for you to manually import images
skylum luminar 3 with libraries lifestyle shot 10

Previous

Next

Read more
Sony camera Black Friday deals: Save on camera body and lenses
sony-a9-best-mirrorless-camera

The deals season has officially started and Black Friday deals are coming out of the woodwork to get us items that we might normally pass on. And if there is one company that has been dominating again and again this year, it is Sony. We've seen flush rosters of Sony Black Friday deals, such as Sony headphones and earbuds deals where you can get a pair of headphones for as low as $10. Meanwhile, Black Friday Sony TV deals are getting us up to a thousand dollars off on an 8K TV. So, the big question becomes, what are photographers getting from Sony this year?

We've already seen the Sony brand pop up in the mirrorless and point and shoot categories for our investigation of the best Black Friday camera deals. Now, we wish to go more in depth and see what else we can snag from the brand, including lenses. If you're not set on a Sony, there are great GoPro Black Friday deals, Nikon Black Friday deals, and Canon Black Friday deals available as well.
Best Sony body Black Friday deals

Read more