Lumen
Maximum detail recovery, for print
Pulls the most real detail out of a source image. Slower and dearer than Flare, and worth it for large format or print where the file will be inspected closely.
Output is built from detail already present in your file. Nothing is generated, so the result stays true to what you uploaded.
What Lumen is for
Lumen is the model for files that will be looked at closely. It goes further than Flare in recovering genuine detail from a source image, at the cost of taking longer and costing more per job.
It still does not invent detail. Everything Lumen returns was recoverable from what you uploaded, which is what makes it usable for archival work and print deliverables. Where Flare is the default and Lumen the upgrade, the difference shows up at large sizes and on close inspection, not on a thumbnail.
When to pick Lumen
Print and large format
Posters, exhibition prints, anything where someone will stand close to the output.
Archival and restoration
Old scans and small source crops where every recoverable pixel counts.
Portraits
Skin, hair and fabric hold up under inspection better than with the faster models.
Other image models
Everyday photos, done in seconds
Adds nothing · up to 4x
Text, logos and product shots
Adds nothing · up to 4x
Invents new detail, most dramatic
Invents detail · up to 8x
Removes noise, keeps the size
Adds nothing · Same size
Deblurs and sharpens
Adds nothing · Same size
Restores faces only
Adds nothing · Same size
Denoise, restore faces, then upscale
Adds nothing · up to 8x
Frequently asked questions
When is Lumen worth the extra time over Flare?
When the file will be printed large or inspected closely. On a web-sized image the two are hard to tell apart, and Flare is faster and cheaper.
How far can Lumen upscale?
Up to 8x the linear dimensions, so a 1000 x 750 source can reach 8000 x 6000.
Does Lumen invent detail like a generative model?
No. It recovers what is present in the source. If you want generated detail for a more dramatic look, that is Mirage, and it is labelled as such everywhere it appears.
Which plans include Lumen?
All of them, including the free tier. Free output is watermarked and capped at 5 jobs a month.