Darktable 5.6 shipped what might be its most impactful feature yet for photographers migrating from Lightroom: AI-powered object masking. No subscription, no cloud, just open-source AI running locally on your machine.
What is AI Object Masking?
The new masking system uses SAM 2.1 and SegNext to detect and isolate subjects automatically — click on something and Darktable figures out the rest.
How it compares to Lightroom
Lightroom’s AI masking has been a major reason photographers hesitate to switch. This closes that gap significantly.
Watch the full tutorial
Key takeaways
- AI masking is available in Darktable 5.6 and above
- Works locally — no data leaves your machine
- Supports people, objects, skies, and backgrounds
- Free, forever