I'm using the latest dev version (2024/5/6) and the shadow setting is -1. The closer LODs look very strange, like they're translucent, while the farther LODs are ok.

Whereas in the dev version before the update (2024/4/28) it had a max shadow distance of 8 chunks and looked more normal.

ah yeah im aware of this, its not a bug that it is -1, it was a setting i forgot to switch the changes off of.
go to shader settings -> direct light -> max shadow bounds = optimized
i also dont reccomend enabling the DH shadowmap option right now, as ive got some blending stuff to fix with it

ive fixed this up, go redownload