A new update for Luminar launched, today. It’s a free update, and it’s boasting big speed increases and some new features. They’ve improved the RAW engine and added support for more cameras, too. They’ve improved details at high contrast areas so you’ll see less chromatic aberration (that pink/green fringe you may see with some lenses) and less of that halo effect that sometimes happens in high contrast spots–like a subject in front of a bright sky.

The best new feature (in my opinion) is that picture profiles from your camera are now included so you can see your photo just as it looked on the back of the camera when you shot it.

A big one that I’m excited about is support for DCP profiles, which are the color profiles you can make using a tool like the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport. These profiles let you adjust the color of your pictures to precisely match the colors that were truly in your scene when shooting, no matter the lighting color. This is a pro-level feature, and I’m glad for it.

There’re also a bunch of new features for Windows users. You may remember that Skylum used to make Mac-only tools, but this update brings them closer to total parity between the two platforms and shows their dedication to making a great tool for everyone to use. The updates for Windows users include:

  • Batch processing
  • Free Transform Tool
  • Localization and languages support
  • Better Cloning
  • Faster Zooming
  • Full-Screen Preview Mode
  • Better Masking Controls
  • Improved Cooperation with other apps
  • Exporting workspace presets to other computers

You’ll be seeing a lot more about Luminar on Photofocus. I personally enjoy the software and I’m impressed with all that they are doing to continually evolve it and make it a great tool. Here’s a paragraph from the press release that embodies Skylum’s goals for the app:

“We truly want Luminar to be your hub for photo editing… a genuine alternative to Adobe Lightroom.  We know that photographers need two things in order to make the switch. First is a high-quality raw converter to unlock the best image that’s rich in detail and color, while free from noise and artifacts. Second is speed– a responsive application that keeps up with you and makes it easy to edit photos to look their best.”