# Introducing Loupedeck+, the Next Evolution of Custom Photo Editing Console, Loupedeck



## Canon Rumors Guy (Jun 21, 2018)

> Next Generation Includes Skylum Aurora HDR Compatibility, Upgraded Build and More Customization Options, All Based on the Photography Community’s Feedback
> *HELSINKI, Finland – June 20, 2018* – Loupedeck, the custom photo editing console built with an intuitive design that makes editing faster and more creative, has announced the next evolution, Loupedeck+. While the Loupedeck was the only device on the market custom-built to improve the Adobe Lightroom experience, the Loupedeck+ is now also compatible with popular photo editing software Skylum Aurora HDR (in addition to Adobe Lightroom Classic CC), and is designed with more functionalities, control and increased customization options. Following a year of overwhelming success and customer...



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## Cochese (Jun 21, 2018)

As cool as this seems, can anybody who's used this tell me whether or not it makes any difference to photo flow? I'm possibly being unimaginative, but I cannot see in anyway how this would be easier and/ or make workflow faster.


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## jkreibich (Jun 21, 2018)

Anyone interested in the Loupedeck should have a look at MIDI2LR.
https://rsjaffe.github.io/MIDI2LR/

MIDI2LR allows you to control most of LightRoom's tools using any MIDI control board. A popular one is the BEHRINGER X-TOUCH MINI, which costs a whole USD$50. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013JLZCLS/ Even better, the whole system is fully customizable, so you can assign whatever LR controls you want to the physical controls of your particular MIDI system.

I spent a lot of time looking at the original Loupedeck, but it is rather expensive. After hearing about MIDI2LR in some comments, I tried it and have never looked back. Having physical controls is a HUGE speed boost, but there is no need to expensive custom hardware. Don't worry about MIDI hardware... most of these systems are USB based, and simple easy to setup and use.


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## cayenne (Jun 21, 2018)

jkreibich said:


> Anyone interested in the Loupedeck should have a look at MIDI2LR.
> https://rsjaffe.github.io/MIDI2LR/
> 
> MIDI2LR allows you to control most of LightRoom's tools using any MIDI control board. A popular one is the BEHRINGER X-TOUCH MINI, which costs a whole USD$50. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013JLZCLS/ Even better, the whole system is fully customizable, so you can assign whatever LR controls you want to the physical controls of your particular MIDI system.
> ...



I'm getting away from the Adobe *rental* model of tools....
Right now, I'm using On1 RAW in lieu of LR....and Affinity Photo in place of PS.

I would really like a physical controller for use with those apps.

I've looked a bit into the MIDI thing....that Beringer unit, just from looks..appeared to be lightweight, plastic and cheap....just from appearances. If not, please let me know...for a control unit I'd want one solid that would sit on the desk and not move about ,etc.

But I'm not up on midi that well...can it be set to control ANY part of an application, or do the apps themselves have to have an API open to allow the functions to be controlled externally...and if so, how do you find out which controls are available, and how to connect each physical controller to each on screen control?

I'd originally looked into this type thing, but found out it only works really with Adobe products, but I did like the modularity aspect of it:

https://palettegear.com

Looks really cool, but again, likely won't meet my software needs....

Anyway, if you have more info on how to make these units work with more software I'd really be interested.

I'd really like to get one unit that I could map to say, ON1, Affinity...AND Davinci Resolve and FCPX....is there such a generic hardware beast that can be readily mapped to a number of different applications?

cayenne


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## LDS (Jun 21, 2018)

One issue I found with MIDI controls is their range and granularity may not match Lightroom control ones. Something may be remediate at the software level, but I'd like a console which can take full advantage of LR (or other applications) settings.


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## Batman6794 (Jun 21, 2018)

cayenne said:


> jkreibich said:
> 
> 
> > Anyone interested in the Loupedeck should have a look at MIDI2LR.
> ...



I am also not a midi expert, and I agree that the berginger x-touch mini seems a little limited.

I am currently using and loving the arturia beatstep pro with capture one.

I'm not aware of a direct midi to capture one like midi2lightroom, but you can use a midi controller with ANY software that allows keyboard shortcuts by using an intermediate program that translates midi to a keyboard shortcut. 

I use Bome's midi translator which was really easy to configure. You basically set it to capture midi and push a control on your midi controller. Then you assign a keystroke combination you want the software to output. You're done! (Lots of details can be found here: https://phodograf.com/controller-1/)

As to the question of do the physical controls make a difference, they ABSOLUTELY do. Not only is it more fun, I am editing MUCH faster.

No more adjust white balance, then shift tint a little bit, then back to white balance because the tint adjustment effected it. Or highlights, then contrast, then highlights again. You can adjust multiple attributes at the same time, and it is fantastic!


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## drmikeinpdx (Jun 21, 2018)

I see that Amazon does not yet list the new "+" version. The older version is offered at $179, however there were many complaints about the physical quality of the product in the reviews.

I've been waiting for some quality improvements before I try Loupedeck, so I think I will give this new version a try when it eventually shows up on Amazon.

As much as I use Lightroom, this could be a big time saver for me.


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## Maiaibing (Jun 21, 2018)

Can a control unit like this also handle setting the adjustment brush and filters in lightroom?


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## zim (Jun 21, 2018)

How does it handle local adjustments? The demo vids on their web site are very basic


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## RGF (Jun 21, 2018)

I find the LR slides hard to control, a small movement often causes larger changes than I would like. 

A mechanical system could be value depending upon how it is implemented and of course, the cost.


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## jdavidse (Jun 22, 2018)

Cochese said:


> As cool as this seems, can anybody who's used this tell me whether or not it makes any difference to photo flow? I'm possibly being unimaginative, but I cannot see in anyway how this would be easier and/ or make workflow faster.



I have owned the original for about 8 months now, and I find it invaluable for Lightroom. I ordered the new one the minute I saw the announcement.

Here’s where it makes a difference. Think about your eye movements when you use Lightroom. You stare at a photo, and decide it needs an adjustment. Say, you’re going to move exposure up, blacks down, highlights down, tweak WB and so on. Now for each of those actions your eye needs to follow your cursor over to the panel, precisely hit a tiny little slider, and then your eye flicks back to the photo as you adjust, then back again (to check the number value even). Maybe you then slightly move the slider too far before un-clicking the mouse button. You now have to move your eye back to the slider to catch the slider again. Rinse and repeat. Let’s say you do 10 adjustments per photo, with probably at least 20 eye movements total per photo.

Now imagine you just have a dial already in your fingertips for each of these values. You stare at the photo as your hands move about the dials, which you have memorized the location of after a few photos. Your eyes never leave the photo. Adjustments are done in about 10 seconds.

If I really concentrate, I can cut down my editing time by more than half. This is for huge volumes of photos mind you- say 800 or more photos for a wedding. This is where this thing really shines. If you only do 1-2 photos at a time it is unnecessary. But more importantly to me, it has made Lightroom fun to use again. I pretty much hate editing and I see it as a chore. The Loupedeck has brought back a measure of joy that I can’t really put a price on.

The buttons and build quality on the original sucked. I gave up trying to cull with it because one of the worst buttons was the right arrow key on my board. The buttons are wobbly and tightly fit, and would not actuate all the time, unless you hit it dead center (and got lucky). This would happen all across the whole board. As a result I would pretty much exclusively use the board for color corrections, and switch to regular keyboard for other things. Therefore I was never using all of the time saving features.

The new board is using Keihl PG1350 Brown mechanical switches (per a post on their social media) which you can see a video of here. https://youtu.be/1P_ucdyi1ms I’ll find out when I get my copy, but I can already see after watching a few YouTube reviews of keyboards that use these switches, these keys will be a world of difference. Clicky, tactile and reliable sounds really dang good when paired with all the Lightroom shortcuts that Loupedeck brings to the table. Especially for a few of the buttons like arrow keys that will get used thousands of times. These switches are rated to 50 million actuations. 

Also, they claim the build quality overall is improved. That will be welcome. I will know in 2 weeks when I get mine. And then likely I will have an old one for sale, cheap.


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## jdavidse (Jun 22, 2018)

Maiaibing said:


> Can a control unit like this also handle setting the adjustment brush and filters in lightroom?



Here are two screenshots from their website. The L1, L2 and L3 buttons can be set to brush, gradient, radial or heal/clone brushes. Then the big control dial can be used to adjust brush size.


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## 9VIII (Jun 22, 2018)

jdavidse said:


> Cochese said:
> 
> 
> > As cool as this seems, can anybody who's used this tell me whether or not it makes any difference to photo flow? I'm possibly being unimaginative, but I cannot see in anyway how this would be easier and/ or make workflow faster.
> ...



I would say that you really only need one wheel to accomplish “most” of the practical effect. If you can find a “wheel” peripheral that lets you select a given value, then precisely control it. The Microsoft Studio wheel thingy comes to mind, and also Logitech came out with a media keyboard with a wheel recently.

Of course both of those are either the same or far more expensive.

I look forward to hearing more hands-on reports of the updated Loupdeck (I don’t need it but I’m a sucker for things with lots of buttons).


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 22, 2018)

I've looked at the Midi solutions, and the issues with them, so I finally bit the bullet and ordered the Loupedeck+. I have issues using my fingers to control fine movements of my mouse, so I intend to see how well it works. It is definitely a low cost solution to a editing deck, for video, you can spend a lot more. 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1394885-REG/slate_digital_sym_ravcore_dd_raven_mti_core_station.html


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## RGF (Jun 22, 2018)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I've looked at the Midi solutions, and the issues with them, so I finally bit the bullet and ordered the Loupedeck+. I have issues using my fingers to control fine movements of my mouse, so I intend to see how well it works. It is definitely a low cost solution to a editing deck, for video, you can spend a lot more.
> 
> https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1394885-REG/slate_digital_sym_ravcore_dd_raven_mti_core_station.html




please post a review of the loupedeck+ based on actual use by a real user. I can suspicious of many of the on line reviews which appear to be paid


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## jonathanlang (Jun 22, 2018)

I'd agree with jdavidse's comments.

I used the Behringer X-Touch Mini for a while to get a feel for the hardware-controller lifestyle and it definitely was an improvement, but still left a lot to be desired. It was never on the same level build-quality wise as controllers from the likes of BlackMagic for Resolve.

I got the Loupedeck shortly after it was released and have since edited thousands of photos (weddings) on it. The keys (as jdavidse mentioned) are the biggest problem with the unit. They constantly stick and you have to hit them hard in the middle to make them work reliably. This makes culling tiresome (and I move back to my keyboard for that now). The actual photo manipulation controls are generally good, but some of the dials are starting to become less accurate now. The large crop and rotate button I always felt was unnecessarily big and didn't feel great. There aren't enough customisable buttons to control more niche parts of Lightroom (or control additional tools that are released in newer versions).

With all that in mind, the new keys, better build quality and more customisation options of the Loupedeck+ should be very welcome additions.

The final problem I've had with all Lightroom controllers is Lightroom. It's still too bloody slow. The addition of other photo editors gives me even fewer obstacles now to try alternative solutions.


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## -1 (Jun 22, 2018)

The premium professional volume workflow tool right now is Capture One Pro... Just saying...


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 22, 2018)

RGF said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > I've looked at the Midi solutions, and the issues with them, so I finally bit the bullet and ordered the Loupedeck+. I have issues using my fingers to control fine movements of my mouse, so I intend to see how well it works. It is definitely a low cost solution to a editing deck, for video, you can spend a lot more.
> ...


I'll post one after I get the new unit. I am looking for help for my finger issue, so my focus is on being able to edit the 5000+ recent images that have been taking forever because of my hand issues and decreasing ability to control a mouse. It costs in the same price range as some high end ergonomic mice, so I decided to give it a try.
There will always be paid or influenced reviews, however, some reviewers have a good reputation for saying what they think. As always, reviewers may be looking at what they see as important, and not mention a feature that you see as a issue.
Suprisingly, here is one of the better reviews I've seen, probably because it reflects my opinion of the device. But, if it helps with my finger / hand issue, then it would score high with me.
https://www.pcmag.com/review/359940/loupedeck


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## -1 (Jun 22, 2018)

jkreibich said:


> Anyone interested in the Loupedeck should have a look at MIDI2LR.
> https://rsjaffe.github.io/MIDI2LR/
> 
> MIDI2LR allows you to control most of LightRoom's tools using any MIDI control board. A popular one is the BEHRINGER X-TOUCH MINI, which costs a whole USD$50. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013JLZCLS/ Even better, the whole system is fully customizable, so you can assign whatever LR controls you want to the physical controls of your particular MIDI system.
> ...



Since I don't use LR: Have you tried this with Photoshop? Palette Gear seems to do that but it's expensive...

https://petapixel.com/2018/03/07/loupedeck-vs-palette-gear-comparing-lightroom-photo-editing-consoles/


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## kaptainkatsu (Jun 23, 2018)

Just ordered one. I always hated using the mouse to move the sliders. Hopefully this will make it a lot easier


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 23, 2018)

kaptainkatsu said:


> Just ordered one. I always hated using the mouse to move the sliders. Hopefully this will make it a lot easier


We'll compare notes! I'm prepared to send it back if I can't use it. Tip - you can increase the length of the sliders by enlarging the side panel. That gives finer control at the expense of a smaller photo size, unless you are using dual monitors.


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## chrisdeckard (Jun 23, 2018)

I think it's a cool device and all, but it would severely slow me down having to move my hands from knob to knob. I use a programmable keyboard, currently a Logitech G13, and a Shuttle Pro V2. The G13 is programmed to move the mouse cursor above each of my sliders in Lightroom and the shuttle increments them quickly. Lots of other buttons programmed to do things quickly. For the bulk of my editing I don't have to touch my main keyboard or trackpad.


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## Hillsilly (Jun 23, 2018)

While appreciating that it is a fairly simple device, I'm still surprised it has a reasonable price. Looking forward to seeing more reviews.


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## -1 (Jun 24, 2018)

chrisdeckard said:


> I think it's a cool device and all, but it would severely slow me down having to move my hands from knob to knob. I use a programmable keyboard, currently a Logitech G13, and a Shuttle Pro V2. The G13 is programmed to move the mouse cursor above each of my sliders in Lightroom and the shuttle increments them quickly. Lots of other buttons programmed to do things quickly. For the bulk of my editing I don't have to touch my main keyboard or trackpad.



I found that in many editors like Photoshop and Capture One clicking the value window above the sliders often allows you to move them with the mouse scrolling wheel and that hitting the tab key moves you to the next one. I have thus programed the middle mouse key hidden under the scrolling wheel to emulate the tab key.

I use USB Overdrive, $20 for that:

http://www.usboverdrive.com/USBOverdrive/Devices.html


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## Talys (Jun 24, 2018)

What I really want is a way to reorganize the Lightroom panels on the right. I'd like to detach them all, and have them as floating panels that I can rearrange, roll up, snap or close, including on other screens -- the way that you can on Photoshop.

I really dislike the way they are locked to the right, and, that an accidental click collapses the panel, especially since that is right by the scroll bar.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 25, 2018)

Talys said:


> I really dislike the way they are locked to the right, and, that an accidental click collapses the panel, especially since that is right by the scroll bar.


That is definitely a issue for me. They could require a button press or a double click of the mouse.


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## PhotoGenerous (Jul 6, 2018)

I don't know if anyone is going to read this. I mostly just browse the news and skim the forums only every once in a while, and it's been a few weeks since the article posted but...

I use the Icon Platform-M (which has been replaced by https://www.amazon.com/Icon-Pro-Audio-ICOC-PLATFORMMM-Platform/dp/B071XHN18K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530831849&sr=8-1&keywords=icon+platform+m&dpID=41aQfL%252BBZEL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch). That should address anyone's issues with build quaility that people had against the Behringer midi controllers. I paid for the LrControl software, but midi2lr will work just as well with it.

The thing is solid, and has mechanical faders that automatically adjust as you move from image to image (The reason why I never got the Palette Gear stuff was because of the lack of this feature). There are more buttons, faders, and dials than there are functions in Lightroom to program. Overall it's more customizable and functional than even the Loupedeck+ for the same ballpark price.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 6, 2018)

PhotoGenerous said:


> I don't know if anyone is going to read this. I mostly just browse the news and skim the forums only every once in a while, and it's been a few weeks since the article posted but...
> 
> I use the Icon Platform-M (which has been replaced by https://www.amazon.com/Icon-Pro-Audio-ICOC-Overall it's more customizable and functional than even the Loupedeck+ for the same ballpark price.


Thanks for the reminder about this deck, I had looked at it whan the original Loupedeck came out, and had forgotton it. does sound nice, I like the automatic faders, but $350 plus software is about twice the price of the Loupedeck+. 

The functions are pretty similar to those with the loupedeck+.
My reason for getting the Loupedeck+ was to see if I could relieve some of the pain in my hands due to pinched nerves. While the deck definitely seems to help, it does only a small part of the total job, which has me wondering if its worth having a big console that is in the way when I have to revert to using mouse and keyboard for many things. I am trying to find time to go thru my entire workflow while chipping away at some 3500 images that need culled and then edited. Then I will try printing some using the console.
While the Loupedeck does not have automatic faders, the placement of the dials is a big factor in reducing strain on my old hands, and the feel of the dials is great. The cropping control is not sensitive enough for me, if I'm doing a severe crop, it takes many turns of the dial, and they are CCW which seems unnatural to me.
In the end, the deciding factor would be how much it replaces use of my mouse over the entire import to publish and print process. So far, it looks like it only replaces a small portion of the work. Some of the key functions like cropping are difficult and slow. The sensitivity of the knows can't be changed.


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## pwp (Jul 6, 2018)

The Loupdeck seems like an answer to a question that few people have asked. A bit clumsy and certainly oversized, tied to Lr and expensive.

A solution that I’ve found to be just awesome is this gaming keypad from Razer:
https://www.razer.com/gaming-keyboards-keypads/razer-tartarus-v2

All the buttons are fully customizable with your personal keyboard shortcuts or macros. It’s program aware so you can design your custom shortcuts/macros for any program on your computer. This sits comfortably under my left hand and I’ll typically have a Wacom Intuos Pro pen in my right hand. Once you get your head around it, it’s a workflow supercharger. If you’re a keyboard shortcuts fiend, then this is definitely for you. And it’s cheap! Razer products tend to be extremely robust and long lasting.

An additional benefit is Razer’s cloud, Synapse3. All your carefully considered shortcuts can be saved, and even downloaded to another computer you may want to work on. It just works. If the promotional Razer material looks a bit dazzling and blingy, you can turn off all the nasty teenage lights in preferences.

I’d be lost without this simple, cheap and totally customizable tool. I’d advise against the other Razer controller/keypads, this is the only one with a scroll wheel which is also customizable. In PS it controls brush size for me.

-pw


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## Maiaibing (Jul 6, 2018)

pwp said:


> The Loupdeck seems like an answer to a question that few people have asked. A bit clumsy and certainly oversized, tied to Lr and expensive.
> 
> A solution that I’ve found to be just awesome is this gaming keypad from Razer:
> https://www.razer.com/gaming-keyboards-keypads/razer-tartarus-v2


Can you share a little more on the functions you can control using the buttons / especially if it allows you not to fiddle with the scroll bars with the mouse and if it has any functions related to cropping and levelling.


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## cayenne (Jul 8, 2018)

PhotoGenerous said:


> I don't know if anyone is going to read this. I mostly just browse the news and skim the forums only every once in a while, and it's been a few weeks since the article posted but...
> 
> I use the Icon Platform-M (which has been replaced by https://www.amazon.com/Icon-Pro-Audio-ICOC-PLATFORMMM-Platform/dp/B071XHN18K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530831849&sr=8-1&keywords=icon+platform+m&dpID=41aQfL%252BBZEL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch). That should address anyone's issues with build quaility that people had against the Behringer midi controllers. I paid for the LrControl software, but midi2lr will work just as well with it.
> 
> The thing is solid, and has mechanical faders that automatically adjust as you move from image to image (The reason why I never got the Palette Gear stuff was because of the lack of this feature). There are more buttons, faders, and dials than there are functions in Lightroom to program. Overall it's more customizable and functional than even the Loupedeck+ for the same ballpark price.



This looks interesting to me as do the other options, BUT...trying to find a way to use/map them to use with programs OTHER than LR or PS.....

I'm breaking away, right now enjoying On1 RAW as a LR replacement, but I'd still like to have the option for a controller board with knobs to be more precise on the sliders on the program.

I'm hoping to find a method to map, that is program agnostic, that allows the user to map to basically "any" program.

I'd also like to use it for Davinci Resolve.....

Is there any way to get a board that is more program agnostic?

C


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 8, 2018)

cayenne said:


> I'm breaking away, right now enjoying On1 RAW as a LR replacement, but I'd still like to have the option for a controller board with knobs to be more precise on the sliders on the program.
> 
> I'm hoping to find a method to map, that is program agnostic, that allows the user to map to basically "any" program.
> 
> ...


Thats a tough one, the software has to send the specific commands to the software to say move a control or slider, be tweaked to get the correct rate so its not too fast or two slow, this usually means working with the software maker to get hooks into their software, and revising the console software every time the photo edit software changes something that affects the control deck. Thats time consuming and expensive. Even if you wrote the software yourself, you might still need cooperation from the edit software, and need to keep reviewing updates.
I'd expect that lots of decks support Divinci Resolve, its just that mere mortals can't afford them. 

A low cost $1K "Micro" Version 

https://www.adorama.com/bmdvrebpnlic.html



The reduced cost $3K "Mini Deck"

https://www.adorama.com/bmdvbpnlmini.html


The "Full Monty" $30K Version
https://www.adorama.com/bmdvresolv.html


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## cayenne (Jul 9, 2018)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> cayenne said:
> 
> 
> > I'm breaking away, right now enjoying On1 RAW as a LR replacement, but I'd still like to have the option for a controller board with knobs to be more precise on the sliders on the program.
> ...



I was afraid of that....

I don't know much about MIDI, but was under the impression that was something fairly generic, and could be mapped to about anything, but like you said the trick i knowing what each thing/event is so you can map it.....

Hmm....well, I'm researching, but if anyone has input of leads/links, please post them!!


cayenne


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## scottkinfw (Jul 9, 2018)

cayenne said:


> PhotoGenerous said:
> 
> 
> > I don't know if anyone is going to read this. I mostly just browse the news and skim the forums only every once in a while, and it's been a few weeks since the article posted but...
> ...



Hi cayenne- I'm using On1 too. I believe that it renders Raw much better than LR. Do you see this too, or am I imagining things?

Scott


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## scottkinfw (Jul 9, 2018)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I've looked at the Midi solutions, and the issues with them, so I finally bit the bullet and ordered the Loupedeck+. I have issues using my fingers to control fine movements of my mouse, so I intend to see how well it works. It is definitely a low cost solution to a editing deck, for video, you can spend a lot more.
> 
> https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1394885-REG/slate_digital_sym_ravcore_dd_raven_mti_core_station.html



How is it working for you?

Scott


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 10, 2018)

scottkinfw said:


> How is it working for you?
> 
> Scott


I haven't used it for a week, I have some outdoor building projects that have a high priority right now.
The Deck works fine, but it only works for the editing portion of a workflow, not so much for importing, it is of some use in culling images but misses some steps in my workflow so I have to alternate between loupedeck and keyboard / mouse to do imports.
I've identified one possible missing command that I use during editing, I may have to ask Loupedeck.


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## nbklaw (Jul 29, 2018)

After I found out about MIDI2LR, I ordered the $50 Behringer Midi device. It works quite well, but there are just not enough dials or push buttons, even with an "A & B Layer" meaning there is an 8 dial A layer and 8 dial B layer. The Loupedeck is not inexpensive, but I think if you do a lot of LR work, it will be worth it in time savings. If there was a Behringer type device with maybe 3 rows of 9 dials with maybe three rows of push buttons, that would do the trick.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 29, 2018)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> kaptainkatsu said:
> 
> 
> > Just ordered one. I always hated using the mouse to move the sliders. Hopefully this will make it a lot easier
> ...


I returned my Loupedeck+, it worked OK, but my primary desire was for a way to avoid using my mouse, due to Carpal tunnel. I found that the Loupedeck could only be used for a small portion of the tasks involved in editing photos, and was missing some lightroom commands entirely that I often use. The crop feature was particularly useless and I had to resort to using mouse and keyboard, which was impeded by the loupedeck. I found it to be a bother most of the time.


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## Hector1970 (Dec 30, 2018)

I can agree with Mt Spokane that cropping doesn't really work well with it.
For everything else in Lightroom I've found it very good and very usable. I would have had sharpness as a default switch (it is by default set to one of the controls but not named as such). I've been quite impressed by it.
Since launch they've extended it to use it with Photoshop / Elements and other software. This might be good marketing , extending its use but honestly I think its really for Lightroom only. Everything else is too complicated.
You can't throw away the mouse but Loupedeck makes alot of tasks quicker (like exporting) and cuts down on keyboard shortcuts.
I really like it. I'd give it a 9/10 - it exceeded my expectations.


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