Luminar 2018 Gets New Camera Profiles and Plugin Support; DAM Coming

Last Updated on 07/15/2018 by Mark Beckenbach

Skylum has just launched version 1.3.0 of their popular Luminar 2018 Image processor

Image processors are constantly being updated to take advantage of the latest cameras, to fine tune their processing engines, and to fix issues that we all run into from time to time. Today, Skylum unveiled an update to both the MacOS and Windows version of their Luminar 2018 software, both of which are now on version 1.3.0. This could be confusing for some; support for various features is different on MacOS and Windows.

First off, Skylum mentioned that they’re still working on their digital asset management, and that it’s still coming to market. When this hits it’s going to be huge.

New to the Windows version of the software, Skylum has added support for industry standard DCP camera profiles with DNG RAW Files. But along with that comes some other features like faster loading of RAW files, a new White Balance Tool, and Image Transformation Controls. MacOS got a much simpler, but welcome update, adding support for third-party plugins from Imagenomic (Noiseware 5, Portraiture 3, and Realgrain 2) as well as the DxO FilmPack 5.

You can check out the full list of updates below:

New for Windows in version 1.3.0

• Faster opening of RAW-files. Improvements in the RAW engine allow users to open files faster.
• White Balance Tool. A new White Balance functionality and eyedropper tool have been added to the Raw Develop, Develop, and Color Temperature filters.
• Image History.It’s now possible to use the “Save History” option when saving a file. Additionally, White Balance presets are now displayed in an image’s history with the preset name when using the RAW Develop, Develop filters, and Color Temperature filters.
• Layer Renaming.Custom names can now be applied to all new layers added to a document (except for the original image). Double-click on a layer’s name to edit it.
• Canvas Color.You can now set the Canvas background color to White.  Gray or black are also available.
• DNG Camera Profiles (DCP). DNG Camera Profiles allow great control over your RAW files. Luminar recognizes the industry standard DCP files that may already exist on your computer (or purchased from third parties).
• Image Transformation Controls.Quickly access new controls directly with buttons when using the Free Transform tool. Flip a layer on its horizontal or vertical axis or rotate 90˚ as needed for compensating for camera rotation. Changes made are also stored in the file’s History.

 

New for MacOS in version 1.3.0

• Plugin Support. The following third-party plugins can now be used via the Plugins menu: Imagenomic Noiseware 5, Imagenomic Portraiture 3, Imagenomic Realgrain 2, and DxO FilmPack 5.

 

If you own Luminar 2018 already you should be able to update your software immediately. If you are interested in giving the software a try, Skylum also announced that from July 19^th through July 22^nd the software will be offered for a special price at just $49 for first time purchases, while owners of previous Luminar versions will be able to upgrade during that same time frame for just $39. This special pricing will likely be your final chance to get your hands on the Luminar 2018 software for a discounted price before the company introduces their DAM (Digital Asset Management) update in the fall, and they have said that pricing on Luminar 2018 will go up once that update is released.

However, they also said that current owners of Luminar 2018 will get the update that includes DAM for free, so if this interests you at all, it would make a ton of sense to get your hands on the software between July 19^th and 22^nd so that you don’t end up paying more later. You can get Luminar 2018 now over on the Skylum website, but honestly, just wait for July 19^th and save yourself $20.