Loupedeck launched as a tactile photo-editing console, but the company’s latest venture mixes tactile controls with a touchscreen interface designed for more than just photographers. On Tuesday, October 29, the company unveiled the Loupedeck Creative Tool, a customizable creative control console with dials, buttons, and a touchscreen to streamline access to creative software tools across several industries, including photography, videography, music, and design.
While the original Loupedeck was designed exclusively for Lightroom, the Loupedeck Creative Tool, at launch, works with Adobe Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and Illustrator, along with Final Cut Pro X and Ableton Live music production software. The company says the new tool is designed to offer more scalability and customization options.
To build a creative console that could be customized across multiple programs, the Loupedeck team needed to redesign the interface from a mix of pre-labeled and custom controls to options that change function based on the program and the stage of the creative process. For that, Loupedeck integrated a touchscreen at the top of the console, as well as building in a screen that labels the function of the main control dial.
The Loupedeck Creative Tool is designed around workspaces, or the different stages in the creative process. The touchscreen allows creatives to move between different workspaces — for example, a photographer can have one workspace for culling in Lightroom and another workspace for color edits. Along with selecting which workspace the console is in, the touchscreen also houses different control options for the main control dial, and labels the six dials surrounding the screen.
In addition to the screen and dials, the Loupedeck Creative Tool houses a row of circular buttons and two sets of square buttons, housing things such as presets, keyboard shortcuts, and other custom options.
While designed to be customized, the Loupedeck software comes with popular workspace options already programmed into the system, offering a quick start to using the tool. The console is designed with an aluminum cover and dials, with a USB cable that can be removed for easier storage and travel.
“The rise in popularity of professional editing within the digital workspace has sparked a new generation of creative professionals who require absolute precision, versatility, portability and endless customization possibilities in the tools they use, which was considered in the design and development of the Loupedeck Creative Tool,” Mikko Kesti, Founder and CEO of Loupedeck, said in a press release. “This new console continues to deliver an ergonomic and intuitive experience that creatives seek, while introducing more scalability and customization options needed to enhance.”
While the original Loupedeck was designed for Lightroom, the Loupedeck+ began adding additional programs compatible with the array of dials and buttons. The Creative Tool is the first one to integrate Illustrator, as well as music production in Ableton Live. The company plans to add more compatible software, starting with Autodesk Fusion 360 before the end of 2019.
The pre-orders for the Loupedeck Creative Tool begin today directly from Loupedeck or at B&H Photo Video for $549. Shipping is expected to begin November 11.
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