Announcing Luminar from Macphun - Coming in November 2017
Choice. Flexibility. A workflow that supports your level of engagement. The tools you want, without the clutter of ones that you won't use.
That's the big idea with Luminar. Oh it has the RAW conversion, the post processing tools and the functionality you would expect from a standalone photo editor. In fact I won't even repeat what Macphun's site that you can visit via the links will tell you.
It is clear that many folks could function with just Luminar.
Here's where I think it fits, so yup this is my opinion.
I am a subscriber to the full Creative Cloud. I feel I nearly get the full value of my monthly subscription. For some folks, the $10 USD a month sounds like a great deal. but it never ends. Don't pay, your software stops working. So for growing families, retired folks pursuing photography as a hobby and those just not excited by paying forever, subscription methods just don't work. Those folks like the idea of buy once, and use until they decide to do something else. This is called a perpetual license and that's Luminar.
There will be those who complain that Luminar, coming from Macphun, will be a Mac only product. That's what we see at this point, I have no knowledge any which way if it will ever come to Windows. Since I don't use Windows, I don't care, but I know lots of people who do, and I am sad that they won't have this option. Creative software seems to come to the Mac first.
Thus, Luminar will not appeal to everyone, but I think it will appeal to a lot of people. Preorders start on November 2nd 2017 with a release scheduled for November 17th 2017. If you already own any Macphun product, Luminar will cost you $49 USD. If you've never bought a Macphun product, Luminar will cost you $59 USD. I have tested or at least tried most every piece of photographic editing software out there. Some never got much farther than installed before being removed, others I bought the licenses for and eventually stopped using or I still use them today. None of the options that were even vaguely viable cost as little as $59. As we get closer to the date, I hope to see preview releases and links to videos that I can share with you. In the interim follow the link in this post and get on the announcement list if you wish.