Skylum announced HDR Merge for Luminar Neo

Skylum announced a new HDR tool (Click here to see the full features and order it).

Press Text:

Skylum announces release of first-ever Luminar Neo extension
Welcome HDR Merge, a fresh Luminar Neo extension for stunning HDR photography.

Powerful HDR Merge technology is coming to the award-winning Luminar Neo software as a paid extension. Designed for all fans of HDR photography, HDR Merge compiles multiple exposure-bracketed images into a single HDR image. It can merge up to 10 photos and deliver a spectacular level of color enhancement, making the final result look as close as possible to what the eye sees. HDR Merge is scheduled to be released on July 28, and the preorder has already started.

Skylum’s advanced technologies

HDR Merge will be available as an extension to Luminar Neo, an award-winning app by Skylum with an extensive portfolio of tools that maximizes the artist’s editing powers. Post-processing photos becomes easy in Luminar Neo, which empowers artists to create jaw-dropping landscapes, retouch photos for social media, make creative art with composite images, and deliver stunning portraits with a dreamy bokeh effect — among other things.
Luminar Neo’s powerful new engine gives the platform an unlimited number of creative possibilities, allowing it to incorporate more editing tools for artists and making it easy to add such technologies as the HDR Merge extension without a loss of performance. With HDR Merge, Luminar Neo is transforming into a one-stop solution for landscape and architecture photographers.

The power of HDR Merge

Especially for photographers who specialize in landscape or architecture photos, the right HDR settings can help to create detailed and dynamic photos. The higher the dynamic range, the more details in the highlights and shadows can be shown in a single photo.
If a camera doesn’t have a high dynamic range, one technique to compensate for this is to take multiple exposure bracketed images. That’s where HDR Merge can help, merging up to 10 images into one single HDR photo.
Luminar Neo’s HDR Merge doesn’t produce halos or artifacts. Plus, with the help of intelligent technologies, Luminar artists can create HDR images even from a single photo, with no brackets needed. Artificial intelligence allows for the highest quality of bracket merging and a spectacular level of color enhancement.
What’s unique about Luminar Neo’s HDR Merge is that it can be combined with Luminar Neo’s other tools to create spectacular photos. After merging brackets, artists have a full arsenal of AI-based tools at their disposal. They can enhance with one slider, fix colors and toning, add glow, play with super contrast, add realistic sun rays or vivid foliage — there is a whole world to explore. Luminar Neo gives photo artists the power to achieve the best HDR photos and go beyond in their editing, all in one app.

Create impressive photos

HDR photography is especially important for architecture, landscape, and real estate photography, but it can be applied to any type of photography for a creative effect.

  • Landscape
    Landscape photos usually have a few layers with different colors and contrast, and it’s tricky to achieve a smooth photograph that brings out the best in each layer. With HDR Merge, photographers can create a deep and rich photo of a mountain range, for example, where the mountains in the background, the forest in the center, and the stream in the foreground all look vivid, bright, and well-exposed.
  • Architecture
    It might seem easy to take photos of architecture, as the subjects are static. However, the photographer must take into account a building’s design, location, shadows, light, and weather, as they all play an important role in creating the perfect photo. Taking multiple bracketed images with a range of exposures helps with capturing a full range of light that is closer to what the human eye sees. Then it is the job of HDR Merge to combine these bracketed images into one high-contrast dynamic photo that showcases the best details of the building.
  • Real estate
    A real estate photo should compel buyers to fall in love with a place. Whether a photo is of the exterior or interior, the building should appear well-lit, attractive, and highly detailed. However, the photographer doesn’t always have control over the conditions, as work is usually expected to be done quickly without taking into consideration the weather and time of day. HDR Merge helps real estate photographers achieve high-contrast photos quickly and easily, keeping clients satisfied.

Apart from that, applying HDR merge can help bring out details in underexposed nighttime photos or otherwise fine-tune images with exposure issues.

Preorder for a better price

The HDR Merge extension preorder starts on July 15. The release is scheduled for July 28, 2022, but Luminar owners can preorder HDR Merge now for a better price.
Aurora HDR owners will get the opportunity to buy Luminar Neo with a loyalty discount and receive the HDR Merge extension for free. Additionally, Skylum customers with Luminar Neo subscriptions will get the Aurora HDR Merge extension for free.

Availability


The Luminar Neo HDR Merge extension will be released on July 28. You can find out pricing here, and Skylum offers a 30-day money-back guarantee from the time of shipping. HDR Merge works only as an extension within Luminar Neo.

Just announced: New Samyang 85mm f1.4 AF MK II

Samyang announced the new updated 85mm f/1.4 FE II. The product page is available here: samyanglens.com/en/product/product-view.php?seq=588

Samyang writes:

Meet the AF 85mm F1.4 FE II lens, the second edition of the AF 85mm F1.4 FE that has been loved by many people since Samyang released its first autofocus lens. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Samyang Optics, Samyang Optics is introducing second-generation AF lenses with upgraded performance. Starting with the first renewal product, the AF 50mm F1.4 FE II, the AF 35mm F1.4 FE II, and this time the AF 85mm F1.4 FE II second-generation lens is newly announced.

1. Smaller size and lighter weight
2. Excellent resolution and creamy bokeh from F1.4 fast lens
3. Quieter, faster and more accurate AF performance with linear STM motor
4. Professional control & upgraded reliability

Curiosity: Sigma’s new Full Frame Foveon sensor will be production ready by end of the year!

Sony patent (JP-A-2017-174936)

For many years Sony keeps patenting three layer RGB sensors (Sigma names them Foveon). But we ain’t any closer ot get this tech on Sony Alpha Cameras. But today Sigma CEO said that they Full Frame Foveon sensor will be production ready by end 2022.

This will be interesting to see because on paper this new design would allow to get full RGB info for every single pixel. Moreover the single pixel size would be much larger compared to current RGB sensor with the same resolution. This tech may be the only way for Sony to dramatically increase the Megapixel number without the noise loss you get on having small pixels.

Here is the Sigma CEO talking about the new sensor:

via DClife

Sony Tidbits…


Sony 135mm GM – You NEED This Lens For Your Wedding Films (Review)

Today deals at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, Amazon IT.
Sony E 15mm f/1.4 ‘G’ lens review with samples (Christopher Frost).
DpreviewTV: Photography Basic Training: Circular Polarizers with Drill Sergeant Chris
The Importance of Context in Wildlife Portraits (42West).
Feiyu Announces the Simplified SCORP-C Handheld Gimbal (Explora).
Samyang / Sigma / Sony / Tamron zoom lens comparison at Mobile01.

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Samyang teases a new lens launch

On July 28th Samyang will launch a new version of one of their current FE lenses:

To celebrate our 50th anniversary, we are releasing a range of second generation upgrades to some of your favourite AF lenses.The first one launches this Thursday – stay tuned! 🤩🙌