'We want photographers to have a proper partner to their camera': Zoner Studio on skipping AI editing gimmicks and the messy reality of shooting

Zoner Studio is a photo editing and organizing software that combines Lightroom and Photoshop-style tools, offering compelling advantages over both. My team recently reviewed the software, which recently rolled out its big summer updates and earned an even higher score for 2026. Zoner's Thomas Urban discussed the new features, why the developers prefer meaningful features over flashy gimmicks, and how the software handles the messy realities of shooting.

If you're locked into the Lightroom/Photoshop ecosystem, Zoner Studio offers a single interface for all your editing, faster culling, RAW capabilities, and the option to work with local files if desired. The software is priced lower than its competitors, making it an attractive option for photographers looking for a more comprehensive editing experience.

In the company's summer update, they intentionally avoided "flashy new features you’ll use once a year." This decision comes from the belief that many in the industry are chasing AI gimmicks rather than addressing core editing speed issues. While AI upgrades may seem exciting, more practical features like a revamped search engine can save time and improve a photographer's mental state when dealing with thousands of images.

Keeping a photographer's entire pipeline inside a single workspace has practical advantages. By avoiding the need to lock in RAW edits before moving to layers, Zoner Studio allows photographers to maintain their creative flow without worrying about whether a particular photo is good enough to move on to the next stage. This simplicity is essential because, at its core, photography should be a fun and enjoyable process that complements the editing experience rather than being a chore.

While Zoner Studio's Smart Healing tools are non-destructive and faster than competitors, they still require manual inputs for cleaning sensor dust or portrait blemishes. These tools excel at non-destructive editing and complex retouching but may not automatically detect dust or blemishes. The software features individualized layers and strokes, with customizable parameters based on pen pressure, ultimately eliminating the need to switch between different programs for various editing tasks.