A very long time in the past, I first heard about customized {hardware} modifying gadgets: bins with customizable buttons and sliders that can be utilized to edit pictures. I by no means bothered wanting into them as a result of I at all times thought a mouse and keyboard are sufficient for photograph modifying. However lately, I attempted one, the TourBox Elite Plus. Is it only a cool-looking field or does it truly enhance the photograph modifying expertise? In as we speak’s overview, I’ll reply that query and take you thru the options of the TourBox Elite Plus.
The System and Software program
The TourBox Elite Plus is a reasonably small plastic field with a bunch of buttons. It feels nicely put collectively, and it’s weighted in order that it’s a strong hunk of a tool that doesn’t slip round on a desk. In complete, there are 11 buttons and three scroll-wheels that will also be clicked as buttons. All the buttons and wheels really feel strong and straightforward to press.
The Elite Plus will be related to your pc in two methods: USB-C cable and Bluetooth. I respect the twin connectivity. Though I like cable connections, the Bluetooth is definitely moderately helpful for laptop computer modifying if you’ve bought a restricted variety of ports. It’s powered by two AA batteries, which can also be good as they’re straightforward to exchange.
To truly use it, you’ve bought to put in the TourBox Console software program, which is out there for MacOS and Home windows. There’s a separate, pill model for iPadOS. The software program is essential as a result of it permits you outline keymappings for every button and mixture of buttons. It’s additionally bought a Heads-Up Show (HUD) characteristic that can show on-screen what every button does so you possibly can memorize your configuration extra simply. You may as well allow some experimental options as they’re developed and allow/disable haptic contact.
A neat characteristic of the TourBox Console is which you could create completely different profiles for every software program program you employ. As an example, you possibly can have one for Lightroom, one for Seize One, one for Davinci Resolve, and one for no matter different program you employ. If a program can use keyboard shortcuts, it’s appropriate with the TourBox Console.
Lastly, you should buy a useful carrying hard-case for journey and storage. It features a separate compartment for the included USB-C cable.
The Enhancing Expertise
I’m a giant fan of keyboard shortcuts. I often create customized configurations for all of the applications I exploit, and for the longest time, I believed that {hardware} modifying gadgets like this have been simply pointless gadgets that didn’t supply something over the nice ol’ keyboard and mouse. In any case, look what number of keys a keyboard has, proper? Absolutely, the TourBox couldn’t beat that. Nicely, I used to be flawed.
After utilizing the TourBox for a number of weeks, I’ve to conclude that for photograph modifying, it’s way more enjoyable and pure than utilizing {that a} keyboard and mouse. However why is that?
Purpose #1: Combining Keys
A keyboard is cool, however one factor you possibly can’t do in most software program is to set keyboard shortcuts that mix two completely different keys right into a single command (apart from the Shift/Management/Alt modifiers). Each software should have its personal key. This may make it exhausting to recollect your lesser-used keyboard shortcuts, and chances are you’ll even run out of room in your keyboard for those who’re working with a posh software program that has many instruments; you’d should resort to bizarre ones like CTRL+ALT+O for one thing new.
The TourBox console however means that you can compose any two keys collectively, so I used to be capable of program it to entry each software I exploit. Its bodily structure makes it extra snug to make use of in comparison with a keyboard as nicely, and the visible look of the buttons makes it simpler to recollect which button corresponds to which software.
In brief, after I used a conventional keyboard, I might solely create a smaller variety of keyboard shortcuts and by no means discovered it too enjoyable to entry many various instruments that manner. However it appears pure with the TourBox to have a shortcut for each software within the software program.
Purpose #2: Sliders and Wheels
With the mouse and keyboard, you’ve bought one slider: the mouse wheel. Furthermore, the mouse wheel scrolls, and that’s how it’s ’til the top of time. Nevertheless, the TourBox has three wheels, and what they do will be configured. For instance, you possibly can have one for normal scrolling and one other for Shift+Scroll. Utilizing this structure, I can simply modify the softness and measurement of an area adjustment brush. Plus, the pace of the scrolling will be adjusted additionally within the TourBox Console, which is kind of useful.
Customizing the scrolling is nice. Simply having a number of wheels and speeds is already extra snug than utilizing the one mouse wheel. However it’s greater than that. What’s actually attention-grabbing is which you could assign the clockwise/anti-clockwise route to any key mixture as nicely, so it’s attainable to govern sliders immediately from the wheel. I’ve mapped a button-press plus the scroll wheels to publicity, black ranges, rotation, and white stability changes.
Purpose #3: Button Structure and HUD
A conventional keyboard has quite a lot of buttons, and that’s nice. However it’s a reasonably uniform association that makes remembering which button does what somewhat robust, and typically you’ll should look away out of your monitor to press the correct key.
However with the TourBox Elite Plus, the structure of the gadget makes it simpler to recollect what goes the place. For instance, the four-way pad is usually used to entry completely different instruments, and a second button plus any of the instructions will be mapped to extra instruments. Total, it makes shortcuts way more organized, and it’s straightforward to press the correct ones with out truly wanting on the gadget.
In brief, the bodily design and structure of the buttons is way more ergonomic, each bodily and mentally. And, as a result of the TourBox Elite Plus is only a tiny field that may be positioned anyplace in your desk, I felt prefer it was a lot nicer than utilizing a keyboard.
Lastly, the HUD (Heads Up Show) means that you can study all of your new button combos rapidly. After utilizing the HUD for about ten minutes, I might simply flip it off and begin modifying.
Purpose #4: Macro Functionality
As you’ve already seen, the TourBox Elite Plus works carefully with the TourBox Console software program. And one factor that I actually like concerning the TourBox console is its capability to assign a macro to any keypress. A macro is any sequence of actions, together with shifting the mouse and dragging the mouse from and to any location on the display screen.
For instance, you may outline a macro that zooms into the realm over the mouse pointer, waits for a pair seconds, and the zooms out once more to regular measurement to examine for sharpness. And all of that would then be activated by a single button press. Or, in case your software program has any characteristic that can’t be mapped to a keyboard shortcut because of the limitations of your software program, then you can too outline a macro to do it with the mouse.
Purpose #5: Software program Compatibility
The TourBox Elite Plus and TourBox console can work with any software that makes use of keyboard shortcuts. However it’s additionally price noting that there’s extra compatibility with software program similar to Lightroom Basic, Davinci Resolve, and Seize One Professional.
As an example, you possibly can map a button to any of Lightroom’s options with out doing any handbook keyboard shortcuts just by deciding on the software within the mapping window. The identical goes for Seize One and Photoshop. The mapping window additionally provides you entry to some system features similar to keyboard brightness, quantity, and others.
The TourBox Console comes preloaded with configurations for the next applications, so that you don’t have to outline your configuration manually:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Lightroom Basic
- Adobe Premiere
- Seize One
- Clip Studio Paint
- Remaining Lower Professional
- Davinci Resolve
- CapCut
- Toon Increase Concord
As somebody who makes use of Darktable, I wanted to create the profiles for the TourBox Elite Plus manually. Nevertheless, since Darktable permits nearly any motion to be mapped to a keyboard shortcut, together with accessing all instruments and shifting sliders at user-defined speeds, I discover that it really works fantastically with the TourBox after the preliminary setup.
Lastly, there are lots of user-created presets out there on the official TourBox Tech web site for software program like DxO Photolab, ON1 Photograph Uncooked, and so forth., so you possibly can doubtlessly keep away from the setup time for many different software program if you want.
Conclusion
I used to be initially skeptical about devoted {hardware} modifying controls. I at all times puzzled why folks used them when the keyboard has tons of buttons. However after utilizing the TourBox Elite Plus, I perceive that the ergonomic enhancements actually do make the photograph modifying expertise extra snug for my hand, and extra importantly, extra enjoyable. Since getting the TourBox Elite Plus, I’ve used it each time I edit a photograph.
The TourBox Elite Plus prices $300 however usually goes on sale for round $270-280. You could find it on the following hyperlinks:
To avoid wasting somewhat cash, it is best to take into account the TourBox Elite as a substitute. It is extremely much like the Elite Plus however lacks iPadOS help, and because of this, prices about $40 much less: