We started this series of posts with a question… can gadgets speed up your Lightroom workflow? The answer is undoubtedly yes, but it depends on the gadget you choose. Having tested a wide range, these are my conclusions:
If you’re looking to speed through a large number of photos, it’s a tie between the Contour Shuttle Pro and Motibodo, in my opinion. There are pros and cons for each, but either can give your speed-editing workflow a notable boost.
The Shuttle fits into your existing workflow, whereas you must change your workflow to fit around Motibodo. Unlike Motibodo, the Shuttle doesn’t block standard Lightroom shortcuts, however there are fewer buttons at your fingertips and it can’t apply Develop presets. And of course, the Shuttle uses a dial whereas Motibodo uses buttons, which may be a matter of personal taste.
PFixer also gets an honorable mention, offering Motibodo-like keyboard controls for Mac users, but with additional customization.
If you’re more interested in keeping your eyes on the photo you’re editing, instead of having to look across at the sliders, midi controllers are worth considering. They’re not notably faster, in my experience, but you may be happier with the results of your editing, because they do allow you to focus on the photo itself. LRControl, PFixer, and Midi2LR are all worthy of consideration if you’re editing a smaller number of photos more carefully.
Hi Victoria
Wanted to ask, what you think about the loupdeck (plus and CT)?
I haven’t had opportunity to use them, beyond a brief play at a trade show. Initial impressions were very good though.
I just started using a Pfixer with a Behringer BCF2000. I’ve found it quite a good combo for quickly getting through a large number of quick edits. Most of my work is either glamor or events. My initial import settings get me close, then some quick tweaking in LR. The midi does speed that up, once the settings become 2nd nature and you aren’t trying to remember what is where. 🙂 Just like learning any new equipment or software.
Great to hear some personal experience Jim.
It was actually your newsletter that pushed me over the edge to try it! 🙂
Update: Shuttle support said the follow: “Adobe recently updated their programs which has affected the Shuttle’s settings file for the current driver. Our developers are working on updating the driver to accommodate for those changes. For now we newer versions of the file settings that you can import into your driver.” The newer file settings have resolved my issues.
Great news, thanks for the update John.
Victoria,
How do Wacom tablets fit in here? Do the supplement the Shuttle Pro or a midi controller, or replace it?
Oh, good question Phil!
Certainly a tablet is an excellent supplement to the Shuttle Pro, as it’s more fluid to float over the sliders with a pen then with a mouse or trackpad.
If you’re using a midi controller, you wouldn’t be using a mouse so much, so a tablet would be less useful there.
Without any of these gadgets, a tablet is useful on its own, particularly for brush work (although I use it for everything).
Have just bought ShuttlePro v2 (really for Photoshop CC 2015 rather than Lightroom). I am currently unable to get it to work. Even factory default commands do not do what they should. I will explore further but wondered if anyone else has had this problem?
When you say they don’t do what they should, what DO they do? I’ve seen issues in the past with some of the factory-shipped settings, and simply chose to delete them and make my own. It’s possible it’s confused about which app you have open.
Wow! Quick response Victoria. Many thanks.
Eg the default setting for button one in Photoshop CC 2015 is to open a file. When button one is depressed however it locks a layer instead.
I tried changing the button to do something different but it did not complete the new action.
I have the option to view only the applications installed on my Mac. So when Photoshop CC 2015 is highlighted I assume that this the application that it affects.
I should probably read the user manual more closely. I will try again.
I was just curious whether anyone else had experienced similar issues.
Hmmm, that’s the experience I’ve had when it’s been confused about which app is open. If you click on the system tray (Windows) / menubar (Mac) icon, it should say which app’s settings it thinks it’s using.