Notes & guides
Practical guides, product updates and the occasional look behind the curtain.
A new room in Studio 5: an open-air rooftop
Studio 5 in Lumen Tool now has a third room: an open-air rooftop full of daylight. Plus a few lighting fixes, and a look at the big job still ahead.
UpdatesA Small Update on Lumen Tool
A behind-the-scenes update on the next Lumen Tool studios, the $9 monthly subscription, a new 3D head for the lighting simulator and the challenges of custom 3D model uploads.
RoadmapWhat’s Next for Lumen Tool: Big Plans, New Studios and a Word About Pricing
A new version of Lumen Tool is on its way, with a redesigned site, Studio 8 and Studio 9, and an honest word about where the price is heading.
UpdatesThe Archive gets a major update, including mobile support!
The Lumen Tool Archive has a refreshed design, proper mobile support and space for photos of your real lighting setup and final result.
GuidesLumen Tool vs Virtual Lighting Studio: is the subscription worth it?
A practical look at Lumen Tool and Zvork's free Virtual Lighting Studio, from portrait lighting and flash controls to the wider set of Lumen Tool studios.
UpdatesFlash lighting comes to Studio 5: manual flash, TTL and HSS
Studio 5 in Lumen Tool now includes flash lighting, new modifiers, Manual and TTL modes, and High-Speed Sync. Here’s what’s new in the Set Builder beta.
RoadmapA Small Roadmap Update: What’s Next for Lumen Tool?
A look at the next steps for Lumen Tool: polishing the existing studios, a proper mobile Archive and an early preview of Studio 8 Product Reflection.
UpdatesStudio 5 is live: a 3D Set Builder for planning lighting in your browser
Studio 5, the Lumen Tool Set Builder, is now live in beta. Build a 3D photo studio with models, lights, modifiers and camera views, right in your browser.
UpdatesIntroducing Hand Reference Studio
Pose a 3D hand and forearm in your browser with Hand Reference Studio. Explore individual finger controls, preset poses, lighting and angles for drawing.
RoadmapThank you. And what's coming next.
A personal thank-you to Lumen Tool's first members, plus a look at the Hand & Arm Reference Studio, 3D Set Builder and future studio ideas.
UpdatesIntroducing Color Lab: play with colored light on a 3D model
Studio 6 is live. Color Lab lets Lumen Tool members mix colored lights around a full 3D model, plus an update on the Studio 5 3D Set Builder.
UpdatesA clearer Lumen Tool
Lumen Tool now has separate spaces for photographers, videographers and artists, while Studio 5 moves toward a browser-based 3D room.
GuidesLumen Tool vs set.a.light 3D: which one is right for you?
A practical comparison of Lumen Tool and set.a.light 3D for photographers, videographers and creators planning portrait lighting setups.
UpdatesIntroducing the Archive: save your lighting setups in Lumen Tool
The Archive lets Lumen Tool members save, organise, preview, back up and restore lighting setups and Reference Lab work across computers.
UpdatesA few days behind the paywall
A short update on moving Lumen Tool behind a Stripe-powered paywall, the mixed feelings around charging for it, and the first paying users signing up.
UpdatesWhy Lumen Tool is paid
Why Lumen Tool is a paid product and what the subscription supports.
UpdatesIntroducing Reference Lab
Reference Lab analyzes portrait lighting in your browser and gives you a practical starting setup to refine in the Lumen Tool Lighting Simulator.
UpdatesThe next step: Lumen Tool
Lumen Tool is growing into a bigger software package with several focused studios and modules.
UpdatesCompare saved lighting setups
A new Compare Saved Setups view lets you line up to four setups side by side in Advanced Mode.
RoadmapA quick update on Lumen Tool
The tool moved to its own domain and got a proper identity - plus a look at the roadmap ideas on my mind.