Adobe's On-Device Moment
A professional photo editing workstation at night — RAW processing with AI masking and subject selection panels. Adobe's June 2026 updates bring on-device AI to Lightroom and Photoshop.
Week of 21 June 2026
This week marks the first outing for the Digital Darkroom theme — and it arrives with an unusually dense cluster of software news. Adobe has shipped its June 2026 updates for both Lightroom and Photoshop, a pair of releases that between them move a significant amount of AI processing off the cloud and onto the local machine. Meanwhile the industry has been absorbing the news that Capture One — the tethered shooting standard for many professional photographers — is reportedly up for sale, and Luminar Neo has quietly introduced a feature that makes switching from Lightroom meaningfully easier.
The Digital Darkroom
Adobe Lightroom Classic 15.4 / Lightroom 9.4
Released on 18 June 2026, these updates represent a substantial feature push across both the Classic and desktop editions, with the AI-assisted culling workflow graduating from early access to general availability as the headline addition.
Assisted Culling 1.0 is now fully available in both Lightroom Classic and Lightroom desktop. The feature analyses each photograph for technical quality, with Face View isolating individual subjects to assess eyes-open status and sharpness independently. Near-duplicate images are automatically grouped into stacks, with the system flagging its strongest candidate within each group. The filters and precision dials are fully customisable, which should allow it to slot into a range of different workflows rather than imposing a single method. Alongside culling, Classic gains a new duplicate detection tool operating on pixel-data fingerprints rather than filenames — a more reliable approach that catches re-exports and slight variations. Detected duplicates are stacked for review, with a clear choice between removing the catalogue reference or deleting the file from disk.
Two changes have direct implications for speed on Apple hardware. AI Denoise now runs on the Apple Neural Engine, with Adobe claiming a 2.4–3.6× acceleration. This is fully local — no internet connection required. Alongside it, Topaz Labs' Noise-Aware Sharpen model has been integrated directly into the Lightroom desktop application (not Classic), recoving fine textural detail in subjects such as foliage, fur and fine fabric. It draws on AI credits, so it sits within Adobe's generative credit system rather than running freely.
Other changes in the update include Select Subject v5 — an improved masking model for complex edges including hair, bicycle spokes and overlapping objects — and a long-requested keyword syncing feature between Classic and the desktop/mobile/web editions. The latter is off by default and must be enabled in Preferences, and it does not apply retroactively to existing keywords. Canon PTP tethering has also been overhauled: Adobe has moved to the open ISO PTP standard and no longer depends on the Canon SDK, which brings the R6, R6 Mark II and R6 Mark III into the tethering fold.
The Photo to Video feature — which uses Adobe Firefly and Google Veo to animate a still photograph into a short clip for social media use — is present in the Lightroom desktop edition, though early assessments of output quality have been measured. Thomas Fitzgerald describes the results as "still pretty bad," which is consistent with where AI video generation sits more broadly. This one may improve considerably over the next few update cycles. RAW support for the Sony a7R VI is included across Lightroom, Lightroom Classic and Camera Raw.
Adobe Photoshop 27.8
The Photoshop update, also released on 18 June, has two features that stand out. The first is the move of the Remove tool's generative AI model to on-device processing: the tool previously required a cloud upload for each operation, which introduced both latency and a degree of privacy exposure. The model now runs locally, works without internet access, and processes considerably faster. For studio and location photographers who use Remove for cleanup work, this removes a meaningful friction point.
The second notable addition is multi-model Generative Fill: users can now select from Firefly Image 5, Flux.2 Pro, or Gemini (Google's Nano Banana model) directly in the fill dropdown. This is a significant shift from Adobe operating as a closed generative system — offering first-party alternatives from competing providers within a single interface. Generative Upscale gains two options from Topaz Labs: Gigapixel and the newer Bloom model, both integrated as premium Generative Credits tools. The Reflection Removal tool has been updated to isolate reflections into a separate layer for non-destructive opacity editing, and the Color and Vibrance adjustment layer now includes Temperature and Tint controls.
Adobe Camera Raw 18.4 ships alongside these updates, adding bidirectional gradient masks, a Vectorscope, and improvements to the Select Subject algorithm.
A monitor displaying an AI image generation grid — multiple varied images from different generative models. Photoshop 27.8 introduces multi-model Generative Fill, offering Firefly, Flux.2 Pro and Gemini in a single dropdown.
Capture One: Reported Sale
The most significant business story of the week in photography software is the reported auction of Capture One. Axcel, the Nordic private equity firm that acquired Phase One and its Capture One software arm in 2019, is reportedly running a sale process. The story was first reported by PetaPixel in May 2026 and flagged earlier by Kapwatch.
Capture One has long been the industry benchmark for tethered shooting and is preferred by many commercial and studio photographers for its colour science and rendering. The sale news arrives alongside a 6% price increase taking effect from 7 July 2026, which brings the Pro subscription to approximately $18/month on an annual plan — placing it above Adobe's Photography Plan at $10.99/month. Whether the sale proceeds, and to whom, will have implications for how the software is developed and priced. The AI-assisted workflow gap between Capture One and Lightroom has been narrowing, which increases the competitive pressure on whichever owner takes it on.
DxO June 2026 Optics Modules
DxO has released its June 2026 batch of optics modules, bringing the total to over 114,000 lens-camera combinations. Among the 965 new modules, new camera support includes the Panasonic LUMIX L10, Sony DSC-HX95 and HX99, and the Sony FX2. New lens profiles include the Laowa AF 200mm F2 FE for Sony E, the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG II Art for L-mount, the Sigma 15mm F1.4 DC C for Canon RF-S, and the Sigma 200mm F2 DG S for L-mount. Modules are available across DxO PhotoLab 9.9, PureRAW 6.3, FilmPack 7.24 and ViewPoint 5.14. Coming shortly: profiles for the Canon EOS R6V, Sony a7R VI, Canon RF 20-50mm F4L, and Panasonic Lumix S 40mm F2.
ON1 Photo RAW 2026.4 — Restore AI
ON1 has released Photo RAW 2026.4 with a new Restore AI module for MAX subscribers. The tool is designed for the recovery of old, faded and physically damaged prints: it handles soft focus, noise and colour fade from scanned prints, and includes a B&W colourisation capability. The update also brings a redesigned Home module and various performance improvements. For owners of the 2026 edition, the update is free.
Luminar Neo 1.27.1 — Lightroom Migration
Skylum has shipped Luminar Neo 1.27.1 with a Lightroom Migration feature: a direct import path for Lightroom Classic libraries at version 15 or later, bringing across photographs, folder structure, albums, star ratings and basic edits. The import is accessed via File → Catalog → Import Lightroom Catalog. The caveat is that colour rendering will differ — Luminar and Lightroom use different processing engines — and cameras not supported by Luminar Neo will appear in the library but may not open. The update also adds support for the Ricoh GR IV and GR IV Monochrome. For photographers who have considered leaving the Adobe ecosystem, a functioning library migration removes one of the more tangible barriers.
A laptop displaying a photo library grid with star ratings — the culling and organisation workflow. Lightroom Classic 15.4's Assisted Culling 1.0 is now in general availability, with face analysis and near-duplicate stacking.
DaVinci Resolve 21 — Photo Page
Blackmagic Design has launched a new Photo page in DaVinci Resolve 21, released in June 2026. The addition is aimed directly at still photographers: it offers node-based RAW editing, image organisation, and a Lightroom catalogue import. The free version of Resolve includes the Photo page; the AI-assisted Magic Mask feature requires the paid Studio licence at a one-off cost of $295. Resolve's entry into still photography editing is notable given its track record in colour grading, but the Photo page is very new and not yet mature enough for primary use. Worth watching as it develops.
Midjourney V8.1 — Now the Default
Midjourney has promoted V8.1 to the default model, having previously run V7 as default. The new model generates standard-definition images in approximately four seconds and high-definition images in twelve, with HD mode described as three times faster and cheaper than the equivalent V7 generation. A Draft Mode produces 24 images at half the fast-hour cost; any draft image can then be upgraded to full quality via a Vary command. A --preview flag allows early access to next-version feature tests.
Separately, Midjourney announced a significant corporate pivot on 18 June, entering the medical imaging field with a full-body ultrasound scanner project. This has no direct connection to the image generation platform and is not expected to affect the creative tools, but it signals where some of the company's longer-term ambitions lie.
Adobe Firefly Expansion
Adobe's Creative Agent has entered public beta across Photoshop, Premiere, Illustrator, InDesign and Frame.io. Described as an AI workflow assistant capable of executing multi-step tasks from natural language prompts, it represents a broader Adobe shift towards agent-based automation. The Firefly web application has also gained two features in private beta: Elements, which allows AI-generated characters and objects to be saved and reused across projects, and Projects, which provides a shared workspace for collaborative generative workflows. Neither is yet in general availability.
Also This Week
Gear, Glass & Light
Leica Rumors is reporting a Leica SL3-P announcement expected around 25 June, priced at approximately €5,850. Two lenses are expected alongside it: the APO Macro Elmarit SL 100mm f/2.8 at around €2,500 and the Summilux SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH at approximately €5,000. Meyer Optik Görlitz has announced a revival of the 42mm f/1.2, built from 10 elements with 15 red aperture blades and assembled by hand in Hamburg. The lens is planned for E, RF and L mounts plus Leica M with rangefinder coupling; the company is currently in a market validation phase. Viltrox has announced the AF 28mm f/4.5 "Chip" pancake for L-mount, an autofocus pancake with a built-in slide-lever lens cover and VCM AF at approximately $239. The Panasonic LUMIX L10 is now shipping.
The Photographic Arts
PHotoESPAÑA Santander opens on 25 June. Rencontres d'Arles finalises its programme this week ahead of the 6 July opening, with 46 exhibitions confirmed across the city including the previously announced William Klein centenary tribute.
Film & Analogue
Light Lens Lab has provided an update on its own-brand black-and-white film, confirming that production and assembly testing is ongoing in 2026. The initial roadmap covers 135, 120, 127, 126, 4×5 and 8×10 formats. The company's stated goal is to have the first commercially available stock ready in 2026, though no specific release date has been given. A more detailed write-up is available at PetaPixel.
Looking Ahead
The next Lightroom and Photoshop update cycle will likely bring further refinements to the on-device AI tools shipped this week, and the Topaz integration in Lightroom desktop is worth watching as more models become available. The Capture One sale process may produce news in the coming weeks: any announcement of a buyer — or a failure to find one — will likely trigger considerable discussion in the commercial photography community. Rencontres d'Arles opens on 6 July, with the Fonds Bustamante inaugurating three days later on 9 July. The Kraszna-Krausz Photography Book Award 2026 winner is due to be announced later this month.
