Testing Luminar Neo Extensions

I wanted to share with you my experience exploring the new extensions available in Luminar Neo, photography software that many of you may already be familiar with. These add-ons offer specific functionalities to enhance your photographs and are each sold separately. 

Focus Stacking

One of the first extensions we'll explore is focus stacking. It's a technique used when you want the entire image to be sharp, even with objects at different depths. Luminar Neo makes focus stacking easy by allowing you to take multiple images with different focal points and then automatically stack them to create a sharp composite. This feature is especially useful for landscape and macro photographers who need precise focus in their shots. In my test, the software was able to stack a few images quickly and without any noticeable errors. 

HDR Merge

For those of you familiar with real estate photography or architectural photography, HDR merge is a powerful tool to balance exposure in challenging lighting situations. Luminar Neo's HDR merge feature can quickly merge bracketed shots taken at different exposures, resulting in a well-exposed final image. While it may not be suitable for high-end professional architectural work, it can save time when you need to deliver images HDR images quickly for something like real estate photography.

SuperSharp

We all have experienced situations where we captured a great shot but ended up with unwanted motion blur. Luminar Neo's Super Sharp extension promises to fix these issues. By leveraging its advanced algorithms, this feature can reduce motion blur and make your images appear sharper. While it may not work perfectly in all cases, it can still salvage some shots that would otherwise end up in the virtual trash bin.

Magic Light

Magic Light, another interesting extension, offers a convenient way to generate starburst effects in your photos. Rather than relying on specific lenses and f-stops to capture natural starbursts, this feature automates the process. You can adjust the intensity, size, and other parameters to customize the effect. Additionally, the masking option allows you to refine the effect by selectively applying it to specific light sources.

Background Removal

Luminar Neo's background removal extension simplifies the process of cutting out subjects from their backgrounds. With accurate AI-based selection, it provides a good starting point, which can then be fine-tuned using various tools such as the brush or eraser. You can also add new layers and easily manipulate the background, making it a valuable tool for creative compositions.

Noise Reduction 

Sometimes, we end up with underexposed images that require significant exposure adjustments, resulting in noticeable noise. This is where the noise reduction extension comes to the rescue. Luminar Neo's noise reduction capabilities effectively reduce noise while preserving the essential details of your photos. It's worth noting that excessive noise reduction can compromise image sharpness, so finding the right balance is key.

Conclusion

After exploring these extensions, I must say that Luminar Neo offers a robust set of tools for photographers looking to enhance their images. Of course, it's possible to get better results by spending time manually editing your photo in Photoshop, but Luminar Neo has made editing intuitive and almost instantaneous. At the very least, it's worth testing out Luminar Neo 100% for free to see if it's right for you.