Updated 10/5/21: With the recent announcement of Luminar Neo, shipping this winter, Skylum users have questioned the direction the company and what will become of current software, like Luminar 4. But as of October 4, Skylum has announced that Luminar 4 has been retired but the company will continue to provide support to current users for a limited period of time. Visit the Skylum website for more information.

Skylum, the developers of Luminar AI, will soon launch another stand-alone photo editor and the new software will use 3D depth mapping to correct light. Skylum’s Luminar Neo, expected to launch this winter, is a Photoshop-Lightroom plug-in that mixes AI-based edits with layer-based editing, specifically targeting photographers’ pain points and simplifying complex editing routines.

Originally teased earlier this month, Luminar has since shared more features that the upcoming program will feature. Relight AI uses the program’s 3D depth mapping to independently correct the foreground or background. Uneven lighting is a common photography issue, particularly when access to lighting gear is limited. Luminar says that Relight AI allows photo editors to independently correct those issues, adjusting the exposure of the background but not the subject, for example.

[Read: ON1 Photo RAW 2022: Noise Reduction and Sky Swap AI]

The newly-teased Relight AI joins some of Luminar’s existing tools, like Sky Enhancer AI, Accent AI, and Portrait Bokeh AI with a new layer-based program. The program will also include Mask AI, which will automatically mask portraits, skies, water, mountains, vegetation, and architecture for localized adjustments. Luminar says the program will also automatically remove sensor dust spots, as well as eliminate power lines.

Skylum’s Luminar Neo applies the edits at the export, rather than as each change is made. That allows editors to go back and undo or adjust previous edits without loosing other work, the company says.

[Read: Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom 2021 New Features for Photographers]

Skylum launched Luminar AI less than a year ago. Neo appears to take that same AI-focused approach, but directed at a different user, with Layers suggesting that Luminar is reaching for photographers who would typically use a layer-based program like Photoshop.

Skylum now directs users searching for a Luminar 4 license towards Luminar AI instead, calling Luminar AI “a final sequel to Luminar 4.” However, Luminar AI is missing several features from the original Luminar series. Organizing images is limited to just folders, without star ratings and labels. While Skylum hasn’t shared full details, Neo doesn’t appear to tackle digital asset management either.

While another program risks creating a more confusing product line, Luminar says that Neo is built on a new modular engine that’s made for faster new feature releases in the future. The new program is expected to launch this winter with Layers and Relight AI, but background removal from portraits and AI-based masks are already being planned for a later update, not the initial launch. Luminar Neo joins Luminar AI and Aurora HDR.

Luminar Neo is expected to retail for $79 for a single device license. Pre-orders are open now and discounted to $65, or $94 when bundled with Luminar AI. Two device licenses start at $76 with pre-order pricing.