Revit and Lumion 10 Review - Is it Worth the Upgrade?

Well, it's about that time again.  Lumion released it's latest version a couple of months ago (Lumion 10) and I have been testing, using, and taking notes about it to share with you all.

First, if you have not seen all of my previous Lumion reviews, you definitely should check them out:

Lumion 5 Review
Lumion 6 & 7 Review
Lumion 8 Review
Lumion 9 Review

Why bother reading older reviews?  Because you'll notice over the years the reviews have evolved into comparing the latest version of Lumion with it's previous.  By reading all of my reviews you will see that I believe you should be using Lumion, regardless of version.

If you are not using Lumion right now, you should be.  And if you don't have a license of Lumion right now, get Lumion 10.

If you have Lumion 7 or earlier, get Lumion 10.

This review is for those of you who have Lumion 8 or 9 and are deciding if you should upgrade.  The rendering and animation output qualities between 8, 9, and 10 are very similar.  It's the features that differentiate the versions.

So, check out my review of all of what I think are the most important new features of Lumion 10 and decide for yourself...

FYI, the test project I am using in both Lumion 9 and 10 is called Stilted Studios.  I published a really cool video about how I designed this particular project...

Now, onto the review....

Lumion 9 Review - Real Skies, Real Grass, Real Problems...?

A couple of things to note before you read my review of Lumion 9 to provide a little context and history.

First, I have been an avid Lumion user and fan for over five years now. It has been, and continues to be, my main software for renderings and videos.

Second, I have reviewed previous version of Lumion and you should read those before reading this review. They provide my commentary on features that still exist in Lumion and give you a sense of how the software has grown:

Lumion Reviews Over the Years:

Lumion 5.0 - From Revit to Lumion: The Ultimate Review

Lumion 7.0 - From Revit to Lumion: The Ultimate Review (Revisited)

Lumion 8.0 - From Revit to Lumion: The Ultimate Review #3

Finally, be sure to read/view this entire review (especially the conclusion). When I review a software on the blog I have two rules: It must be a software that I have used to a significant capacity (ie. completed actual projects on it and had a chance to really “dig in”), and it must be an honest review (no holding back, even if the company offers me a “review copy”, etc…).

So, here we go...

From Revit to Lumion - The Ultimate Review #3 (Lumion 8 Pro)

"HOLY SH**!"

Those were my first two words when pressing render for the first time in Lumion 8 Pro.  

I have been taking my time getting to know the new release before posting a review.  Today is the day.  In this post I will highlight my favorite new features and why I love them.  I will also talk about my wish-list items (in hope that maybe the next go around will address them). 

But, before you read through the review below you should take a minute to check out my previous reviews of Lumion 6 and 7.  This is a continuation of the series and some of the thoughts and feedback I give on my workflow, process, and opinions of the older versions are still valid.... Also, in the previous posts I give some background on why I started using Lumion and what it was like.

Click here to view my Lumion 5 Review...

Click here to view my Lumion 7 Review...

Now, continue reading to hear about my favorite new enhancements and features in Lumion 8...