Keyboards & tablets

[frostbytes]

What do you guys/gals like for:

1) LR keyboards that speed up your workflow. I see several on the market now in a wide range of prices.

2) Wacom tablet size. I've used small ones and heard that larger ones can be kludgy.

Thanks.

[L]

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Single 2'" monitor, widescreen, or dual monitors?

 

[frostbytes]

Hi Victoria,

Single 2'" monitor, widescreen, or dual monitors?

At the moment, 2'" monitor flanked by two 22" monitors (one on either side), all with widescreen aspect ratios. For all practical purposes, I'd either be using only the 2'" or the 2'" + a 22".

[L]

 

[Victoria Bampton]

In that case, my vote would go with the Wacom Intuos A5 Wide. I use it with 23" + 2'" wide and it's perfect. I've also used A5, A6, and A6 wide, but this is the ideal compromise. Any bigger takes up too much disc space and requires moving too far, smaller is great on my laptop or a single screen, but not detailed enough for the dual widescreens IMHO.

 

[frostbytes]

Hi Victoria,

In that case, my vote would go with the Wacom Intuos A5 Wide. I use it with 23" + 2'" wide and it's perfect. I've also used A5, A6, and A6 wide, but this is the ideal compromise. Any bigger takes up too much disc space and requires moving too far, smaller is great on my laptop or a single screen, but not detailed enough for the dual widescreens IMHO.

Thank you for that suggestion. It looks like the Intuos sizes that are available to you in Europe (http://www.wacom-europe.com/index2.asp?pid=1'7&lang=en) are different than the ones available here in Canada (http://www.wacom.com/intuos/).

The Intuos A5 Wide is 418 mm x 262 mm, which is approximately 16" x 1'". Unless I've overlooking something, the closest size I see available here is 12" x 19".

Do you have preferences for LR keyboards? XKeys (http://www.xkeys.com/xkeys.php) sounds like a good choice, but I'd love to hear real-world feedback.

Thanks again.

[L]

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Your 6"x 11" working area must be the equivalent of my A5 Wide. I'd run out of desk space too quickly with that otherwise! Overall desk space it takes up is about 1'" x 16".

Looks like they've discontinued the smaller wide one, which explains why I had such difficulty tracking one down recently.

LR Keyboards - they don't really fit my workflow, but that's just personal taste. I tried programming my x-keys, but it's just not me. I use a Contour Shuttle as I mainly need it for the Develop module and the wheel works a treat there.

What are you aiming to do with it? How do you see it improving your workflow? What tools are you thinking you'll assign to it.

 

[frostbytes]

Your 6"x 11" working area must be the equivalent of my A5 Wide. I'd run out of desk space too quickly with that otherwise!

That makes sense.

I use a Contour Shuttle as I mainly need it for the Develop module and the wheel works a treat there.

How do you use it in the Develop module? By the way, I don't see LR listed among the supported applications at http://www.contourdesign.com/shuttlepro/sp-apps.htm.

What are you aiming to do with it? How do you see it improving your workflow? What tools are you thinking you'll assign to it.

I'm looking for ways to speed up my workflow. From tagging images in the library module to adjusting contrast, clarity, vignette and other settings in the Develop module. For all accounts, it seems that a customized keyboard is a great way to zip through a large number of photos.

[L]

 

[Victoria Bampton]

It's not on the list, but I made up my own settings - picture attached.

I float over the slider with my Wacom pen, turn the dial with the other hand. Quicker than pressing buttons, for me at least.

 

[frostbytes]

It's not on the list, but I made up my own settings - picture attached.
I float over the slider with my Wacom pen, turn the dial with the other hand. Quicker than pressing buttons, for me at least.

That's very interesting. Is yours a ShuttlePRO V.2?

[L]

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Yep

 

[frostbytes]

Thanks.

[L]

 

[frostbytes]

<bump>

Anyone else have comments about tablets or keyboards?

[L]

 

[leuallen]

I use a Wacom Intuos 3 mostly with the mouse in Lightroom. I only use the pen for the brush. I feel that a hotkeys/script using AutoHotkeys will greatly speed up the workflow. (Unfortunately only for Windows). I am working on a set of hotkeys and scripts that will do most everything that the commercial products do. I am using a standard keyboard which works fairly well but I would get more efficiency if I used X-Keys (doable). But even with the standard keyboard it is a large improvement. This is still a work in progress and will take some time to finish. When I am finished I will make available the program free of charge.

To give an idea of what can be done, so far I have functions that: (a few of many)

From Library go to crop in Develop (nothing new) but when done with cropping return to Library automatically or stay in Develop if desired. Same for other tools. I hate switching modules so I have tried to automate it as much as possible.

Click the middle mouse button (wheel) anywhere in Library or other module and go to Develop. When done in Develop, middle mouse click on the left or right border or one of the the right panel adjustment headers and go back to the original module. The top module bar does now not have to be visible. It also eliminates the awkward Ctrl-Alt-Num key press which takes two hands.

Make fine adjustments to any of the sliders in the right Develop panel using the mouse wheel. The adjustments can be made even when the panel does not show. A small dialog is poped up lower right display window as long as the function is active. The dialog indicates which adjusment is active and that wheel adjustments are on. Function is activated by middle mouse click on an adjustment name or slider or by pressing the Apps-dot or comma keys and cycling through the Basic adjustments with dot or comma. The Dot/Comma is like Lightrooms shortcut keys except when applied in conjunction with the apps key it activates the wheel adjustments and shows the dialog. This makes the Basic adjustments available without the right panel showing and is useful because the dialog lets you know which adjustment is active. Sliders on my computer are very slow and jerky, hard to make precise adjustments. This helps.

I found the dot-comma implementation in Lightroon to be buggy so I had to write my own version. Here is what I found: always starts with exposure if not in a Basic adjustment. From a Basic adjustment, goes to next/ previous with problems at the cycle wrap points (Sat, Temp, Tint and Exp). Sometimes skips targeting Temp and Tint (especially jpg and tif) but flashes that they are active but -/= keys do not change values. But if Temp or Tint is targeted by mouse clicking, the the -/= keys work so cycling should target. Sometimes cycles to Clarity instead of Saturation as it should. -/= keys are still active even when the right panel is hidden. Not good because if you hit these keys you have no idea what is going to be changed. Using LR 2.3. Maybe it is just my computer which is pretty slow and crappy. Has anyone else seen this behaviour?

There are many more functions developed with more planned. It is very difficult to describe how these functions work and show their benefits. I will probably make a movies and place it on U-tube. That will get the point across.

If anyone is interested in trying out a pre-release version I should have one available in a week or two. Email me and I'll send you a copy when ready. leuallen at mchsi dot com

Remember: Windows only and tested only on LR 2.3. although 2.2 should work as that is what I started with.

Larry

 

[frostbytes]

Looks like they've discontinued the smaller wide one, which explains why I had such difficulty tracking one down recently.

That might be because the Intuos4 was recently introduced. See http://www.photographyblog.com/news/wacom_intuos4/ and http://www.wacom.com/intuos/index.php.

[L]

 

[frostbytes]

Hi Larry,

There are many more functions developed with more planned. It is very difficult to describe how these functions work and show their benefits. I will probably make a movies and place it on U-tube. That will get the point across.

That's all very interesting. I look forward to seeing the YouTube videos.

Thanks for the reply.

[L]

 

[reidthaler]

Victoria,

Are you pretty sold on the ShuttlePRO? Do you use with the opposite hand as the mouse/pen?

I tried something from Logitech, but it wasn't an improvement.

Reid

 

[Victoria Bampton]

That's exactly what I'm doing Reid. I've tried a few different things over the course of time (x-keys, other little dial gadgets, etc), and this is my favourite to date. This'll be its second wedding season, and I can't see myself switching again unless something even better comes out. The dial is ideal for sliders, and the buttons for copy/paste etc, and it's low form factor means I'm resting on the desk without having my wrist cocked.

With the volume of images I process (for pro wedding photographers), I have to have something that doesn't rely solely on one hand. The first year I did this amount of processing, just using a mouse or graphics tablet in my right hand to move the sliders, I had really bad RSI by the end of it, so it's crucial to split the load.

I float over sliders with my pen in my right hand (no pressure required), and my left hand rests on the Shuttle Pro. Keyboard is nearby, so I move to that when doing Library module work, rather than using up keys on the ShuttlePro. Works for me!

 

[Denis Pagé]

As it was talked about the Intuos4, see John Nack's comments about it today...

 

[frostbytes]

Thanks Denis. That's a big thumbs up.

[L]

 

[pjamedia]

Victoria, where did you by your shuttle in the UK?

The UK contour site doesn't even mention the shuttle, only the mouse.

Cheers, Paul A

*UPDATE* I just googled it - should have done this before asking the question! Doh! Placed an order at videoediting-direct.com
£69.99 inc postage - not bad!

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Well done Paul. I seem to remember shipping mine in from the US via eBay, but it's a long time ago now!

 

[pjamedia]

I got the shuttle, and I must say, I do like it and think it will speed my work flow a lot (once I learn to instinctively use all the keys I've programmed without having to second guess - that will come!)

One question though - I'm confused at the seemingly lack of some basic functionality which I just thought would have been a given with this product. I'm referring to the programming of macros, and as far as I can make out - the inability to use anything other than keystrokes in the macros (or delay/text entry), when there are so many other options available in the control panel outside of macros, such as mouse clicks, changing settings etc, which if included in the macro would have made these so much more powerful a tool.

For instance, having the ability to have a different set of keys for each of the LR functions would be cool, as long as you could program a button with a macro to both switch settings and apply the keystrokes to switch function in LR in one push. Another function which would help me particularly, would allow me to scroll on my second screen in grid display, by allowing me to program a macro which would hold down the centre mouse button (scroll wheel in my case) whilst executing the page up/down keys. Unfortunately, I haven't found a way to specify mouse clicks in the macros.

I have written to the Contour support people about this to see what they say.

I have also filed a bug report with Adobe about my inability to scroll on the 2nd display in Grid mode (unless I press the centre mouse button) using pgup/pgdown keys.

Cheers, Paul

 

[frostbytes]

I got the shuttle, and I must say, I do like it and think it will speed my work flow a lot

Thanks for the endorsement, Paul. I think I'll be ordering one for myself soon.

[L]

 

[frostbytes]

I received my ShuttlePro2 today. I haven't used it yet, but it feels solid and I can see myself adapting to it quickly.

Paul, have you received any replies from Contour or Adobe support?

[L]

 

[frostbytes]

I spent some time today setting up my ShuttlePro2, using some of Victoria's ideas (thanks!) and some of mine, knowing that I'll be refining the layout as I use it.

[L]