If you work with Adobe Lightroom and similar image editing tools, chances are, you’ve come across Loupedeck and one of their control boards. With sliders, knobs, and specialized buttons, they can make working with graphic editing software a whole lot easier. The Loupedeck CT (short for Creative Tool) shrinks the outfit’s control board into a more compact size, all while integrating touch controls for even more versatile function.
Boasting native integration with Adobe Lightroom Classic, Loupedeck bills it as the “ultimate solution for editing your photos,” coming with a set of predefined workspaces that take into account every step of the editing process. Suffice to say, this is tailored to make editing images with the tool as plug-and-play as possible, all while offering a whole host of options that allow you to organize and customize the setup exactly to your liking.
The Loupedeck CT takes a departure from the keyboard-sized form factor of its predecessors by coming in at just 5.9 x 6.3 x 1.8 inches. That means, it takes up the same amount of space as a trackpad or a number pad, rather than a full-size keyboard, making it easier to integrate into any workspace. That same size makes it reasonably portable, too, as it’s easier to find room for in backpacks and laptop bags, allowing you to get the tactile benefit of dials and other physical controls even on the road. Lastly, the smaller size allows you to access all controls using just one hand – so you can keep one hand on the board while using a mouse with the other.
A touchscreen on top gives you access to multiple virtual buttons, whose labels and functions change, depending on the mode, workspace, or custom setting you’re currently using. That means, it will offer a different function set when you’re splicing images together compared to when you’re retouching photos, ensuring you have whatever tools you need within easy reach, depending on the task at hand. While they ditched the sliders from previous iterations of the control board, it retains the dials (three on each side of the screen), allowing you to still edit various items in precise increments, so you get unrestricted control when you need it. The dials, by the way, can also serve as buttons, with labels for each dial displayed on the screen, so they can also change function as needed.
The Loupedeck CT also has a large dial at the lower section, with an integrated touchscreen that shows what setting it’s currently being used to control. The design means you can keep your one hand on the dial, while simultaneously turning it and choosing new items on the touchscreen, making it an incredibly versatile control that is, pretty much, the star of the show. Lastly, that large dial is surrounded by numerous buttons for frequently used functions, most of which can also be customized.
Aside from working with Adobe Lightroom C, the device is also compatible with various Adobe products (Illustrator, Photoshop, Audition, Premiere Pro), Capture One Pro, Final Cut Pro X, StreamLabs, and even Ableton Live, so you can even use it to make music at night after a long day of editing photos. Construction is premium aluminum, with machine-quality ball bearings for the dials, so this thing should hold up to the most demanding workstations.
The Loupedeck CT is available now.
- NATIVE INTEGRATIONS: Adobe Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, Capture One Pro 21 for MacOS, Premiere Pro...
