I haven’t had as much time for the tool lately, but I squeezed in a focused update today that should make Advanced Mode a lot more useful.
A new way to compare setups
The big addition is a new Compare Saved Setups view. In Advanced Mode you’ve always been able to save lighting setups while experimenting, but until now those setups lived in separate slots you had to click through one at a time. With this update, you can open a comparison view and line up to four setups next to each other.
That means you can quickly weigh different lighting ideas side by side. A softer key against a harder one. Subtle fill versus more contrast. A new light angle, a different backdrop, or what happens when you add a rim or hair light. Instead of flipping between setups and trying to remember what changed, you can just see it.
Clearer wording
I also cleaned up the language while I was in there. The old “Saved States” label was technically correct but not exactly clear. It’s now Saved Setups, which is what you’re actually saving.
The export buttons are clearer too. Export Setup Comparison is for exporting saved setups side by side, and Download Current 3D View is for grabbing what’s on screen right now.
Built more like a contact sheet
The comparison view itself is designed more like a contact sheet than a settings panel. Previews take centre stage, with just the essential setup info underneath. The point isn’t to add more clutter. It’s to help you judge light, mood, direction, and overall feel at a glance before deciding what to export or recreate.
A few things under the hood
The comparison previews now render at higher quality instead of stretching small thumbnails, and the compare window has more room to breathe, especially when you’re looking at four setups at once.
Try it out
Hopefully this makes Lumen Tool more useful for planning shoots, teaching lighting, or just experimenting with portrait setups. If you try the new comparison feature, I’d love to hear whether it clicks, what still feels off, and what could be better.
Franck