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Macphun DAM "tease" video
- Thread starter nicholasg
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I'm excited, and hope that buying Luminar a few months ago helped to pay for the development. The UI looks elegant, but I am reserving judgement until I try it. I don't like switching between sorting and editing modes, and I am curious how they handle file management.
I know this thread is more or less a love fest, but I just got the luminar 2018 email today. I bought the original luminar (which wasnt called luminar 2017 at the time) when the description clearly read a digital asset manager was coming. For the sole purpose of replacing Apertures asset manager - and pretty much nothing else. I have used the thing for less than 10 minutes.
Now there is a limited time sale on a newer version promising the same thing. Honestly, I cant express how pissed off I am. There are anti-consumer laws in this country for this type of behaviour. Are we supposed to be duped into buying on promised features, yet again, during a limited time sale?
At this point, I want a refund on luminar and my license revoked if possible. I'll be contacting support shortly.
Now there is a limited time sale on a newer version promising the same thing. Honestly, I cant express how pissed off I am. There are anti-consumer laws in this country for this type of behaviour. Are we supposed to be duped into buying on promised features, yet again, during a limited time sale?
At this point, I want a refund on luminar and my license revoked if possible. I'll be contacting support shortly.
I'm not aware of the original wording but I would make sure the verbiage clearly stated the DAM function would come to that version or in a future free upgrade. Quite often these things are open to interpretation and unless it is clear you will get the future feature for free, there isn't a huge amount you can do other than express dissatisfaction and hope the company are sympathetic.
Ultimately, I wouldn't buy an application purely for a future touted feature and solely buy it because it provides something you would use today and accept anything added in the future as an unexpected bonus.
Ultimately, I wouldn't buy an application purely for a future touted feature and solely buy it because it provides something you would use today and accept anything added in the future as an unexpected bonus.
I agree, they are absolutely open to interpretation, and some expectations arent always inline with reality. I bought luminar (which at the time had a version number, not a year after its name) not long after the beta period ended. I expected perhaps closer to a year of support and new features, but it seems the version I bought had a life span of 3 months. Granted, they never stated there wouldnt be a 2018 version coming in november, so they didnt lie, and my expectations were askew. Not often Im asked to upgrade a new product a few months into its life.
They mentioned a list of features that would be added to this fresh product of theirs called luminar. Granted they didnt mention that in a few months time a whole new luminar 2018 would be introduced with those features that would cost me more. So sure, if we go by the technicality of their advertisement, (which honestly I dont remember the exact wording of) I would presume they havent lied in the slightest. But I would argue it is possible to misconstrue a product, and create false expectations when you advertise upcoming features to a new product. I would say its like introducing 1password 8.0 with a big list of upcoming features including siri integration, only to introduce it in 1password 9.0 with a $39 upgrade fee. It's far from honest or ideal. I can also see that it probably wasnt macphuns intent, but as a consumer who purchased purely on a promised upcoming feaure, it has rubbed me completely the wrong way.
Completely understandable. The one thing I would take from this is Macphun was introduced at a reasonably low price by competing product standards and they need to maintain their revenue somehow. I would still speak to them re: the upgrade and what you thought would be covered with your initial purchase and I guess for those who skipped the initial release of Luminar, the 2018 version should be a good value purchase if the DAM shapes up well.
It appears you can pre-purchase Luminar 2018 for 59 dollars (10 dollar discount)
Link: https://macphun.com/luminar
Link: https://macphun.com/luminar
I don’t get it: I also bought Luminar when it came out to support development of the DAM. For everything else, I still use Aperture. At no point did I read Macphun’s, pardon, Skylar’s announcement as meaning I won’t have to pay for it. I read it as them outlining the direction of product development. Besides, Luminar is so cheap, if the DAM part is competitive, I have no problem shelling out money again. Zero. Software development isn’t free, and compared to what software used to cost (and some still costs), Luminar is inexpensive.
Even if you subtract the DAM, the new image editing features alone are a very solid year-over-year upgrade.
Why not wait for the initial reviews and then make up your mind?
Good news, bad news for us Aperture holdouts. Just got this from their tech support, and really disappointed.
"So far we don't have any information whether Aperture library import is possible or will be developed. Currently we are going to make Lightroom catalogue import possible."
So, I just placed my pre-order for Luminar 2018. $39 isn't too much to spend for good software. I've been using Luminar since it came out. As for the DAM part, I'm not too concerned. I use PhotoMechanic for my file management.
I haven't seen any information yet as tp whether Luminar's DAM will be a self contained catalog or will allow referenced files where I choose to keep them... Time will tell.
I haven't seen any information yet as tp whether Luminar's DAM will be a self contained catalog or will allow referenced files where I choose to keep them... Time will tell.
I do, too. But so far, they haven't mentioned that. They do seem to offer a mode where the photos are managed and stored manually (see quote below).
Actually, Macphun has said something here that will make you happy:
That sounds like there is at least an option where you manage all the files manually (e. g. via the Finder) and Luminar does not try to do that for you.Macphun said:
I am using Luminar 2018.
It is faster in every way than the old Luminar.
RAW images load much faster, and with better initial colors and contrast.
And even more importantly: When you drag sliders to tweak filters, the image updates almost instantly now. The old version felt like syrup because it finished drawing old slider moves before fully before reacting to your newest mouse move. The new one blazes through the slider changes in almost realtime. They have optimized the filter code of many of the popular and heaviest filters so that they run in less time, _and_ they've rewritten the engine which runs the filters, so that they update more efficiently now.
The GUI is cleaner. They've removed clutter from the right side and put them in menus at the top. The Tools menu at the top has stuff like noise reduction now. And all GUI knobs are now smaller and more professional looking and fits more on screen at once.
They've also redesigned tons of the default presets (the preset collection at the bottom of the screen). They still have the same names as in the old Luminar, but they now contain extra filters and look better.
I love it. It's 100% worth buying this upgrade in every way if you like Luminar. And I don't want ON1 Photo Raw, which some people mentioned. That one has even more impressive GUI speed due to its GPU acceleration, but costs $120 plus $80 every year for upgrades, and is very buggy. Luminar costs $79 plus $39 every year for upgrades and is incredibly stable, and its filters are so bigly great. Structure, Accent AI, etc. Luminar is awesome stuff.
(This photo is just to prove that it's definitely not an official screenshot. ;-))
It is faster in every way than the old Luminar.
RAW images load much faster, and with better initial colors and contrast.
And even more importantly: When you drag sliders to tweak filters, the image updates almost instantly now. The old version felt like syrup because it finished drawing old slider moves before fully before reacting to your newest mouse move. The new one blazes through the slider changes in almost realtime. They have optimized the filter code of many of the popular and heaviest filters so that they run in less time, _and_ they've rewritten the engine which runs the filters, so that they update more efficiently now.
The GUI is cleaner. They've removed clutter from the right side and put them in menus at the top. The Tools menu at the top has stuff like noise reduction now. And all GUI knobs are now smaller and more professional looking and fits more on screen at once.
They've also redesigned tons of the default presets (the preset collection at the bottom of the screen). They still have the same names as in the old Luminar, but they now contain extra filters and look better.
I love it. It's 100% worth buying this upgrade in every way if you like Luminar. And I don't want ON1 Photo Raw, which some people mentioned. That one has even more impressive GUI speed due to its GPU acceleration, but costs $120 plus $80 every year for upgrades, and is very buggy. Luminar costs $79 plus $39 every year for upgrades and is incredibly stable, and its filters are so bigly great. Structure, Accent AI, etc. Luminar is awesome stuff.
(This photo is just to prove that it's definitely not an official screenshot. ;-))
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@SteveJobzniak
What about the DAM capabilities? How does it work? Is there a managed mode where Luminar takes care of file management? How do you sift through images initially? Can you group images?
What about the DAM capabilities? How does it work? Is there a managed mode where Luminar takes care of file management? How do you sift through images initially? Can you group images?
@OreoCookie @Donka There's no beta of the DAM as far as I know, unless they've got something very internal. I think the DAM so far is probably just GUI mockups and not an actual product yet, since they've needed to focus all of their coding time on Luminar 2018. But from their demo video and ideas and their competence, I am very excited about it and am pretty sure I'll be switching to their DAM when it comes out. Total Luminar integration. And very nice GUI from what we've been shown.
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Not to the general public. Since it will be an free upgrade to owners of Luminar 2018, it may not ever be a public beta. This may simply ship when Macphun/Skylum thinks it is ready.