Mechanical keys with a more precise and sturdy feel, improved quality and configuration software are some of the features of the new and improved Loupedeck+, now more than a Lightroom editing console.
When last April I asked Felix Hartwigsen, Co-Founder, Head of Marketing at Loupedeck if the company planned to introduce similar consoles for other photo editing solutions, as ON1 Photo RAW, Affinity Photo or Luminar, he replied to me this: “In the future the Loupedeck photo editing console will be compatible with other editing software’s. We are already in talks with different software companies and will communicate about it when we have concrete timeline.”
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Two months later the news confirm what Felix Hartwigsen said to me. Loupedeck gets a new version, the Loupedeck+, which breaks free from being just a custom photo editing console to improve the Adobe Lightroom experience, and is now compatible, also, with Skylum Aurora HDR software, as I mentioned in a recent post published here at ProVideo Coalition.
Following Loupedeck’s new partnership with Skylum, the Loupedeck+ will include future integrations with Skylum’s other professional photo editing products, including Skylum Luminar. It is also currently in beta integration with Capture One, with full integration on the way, as well as additional software integrations to follow later this year. These options, which confirm my idea when I contacted Loupdedeck, will provide photographers with a more diverse, intuitive experience, helping to expedite the editing process and maximize the photo editing experience.
The new Loupedeck+ represents a step forward. While the Loupedeck was the only device on the market custom-built to improve the Adobe Lightroom experience, it was not perfect, and feedback from users helped the team design the new version. Designed in Loupedeck’s headquarters in Finland, the Loupedeck+ offers mechanical keys with a more precise and sturdy feel, improved build quality, two dedicated customizable dials and seventeen buttons, a “Custom Mode” that allows full user control of all dials and configuration software built from scratch for an even better, faster and more stable photo editing experience.
“We know how dedicated both the professional and amateur photography communities are in their work, and we’re committed to making their lives easier and more productive,” said Mikko Kesti, Founder and CEO of Loupedeck. “There’s no better way to create the next evolution of our flagship product than by going straight to the source and taking their feedback to heart. By adding even more control, efficiency and customization options to the editing process, we’re able to help photographers be more successful by increasing their output and artistry, and look forward to continue supporting them in their work.”
Alex Tsepko, CEO of Sklyum, said when announcing the new version of Aurora HDR, this: “Skylum and Loupedeck share the same vision. We want to help photographers create great photos, differently. When I discovered that the new version of Loupedeck keyboard is coming out, I knew Skylum software should be the first to support it. This is the kind of innovation modern photographers really need.”
The partnership with Skylum is the tip of the iceberg, as the recent news suggest. The Loupedeck+ is aimed at different photo editors, a list that will grow in the coming months. I asked Felix Hartwigsen last April, if it was hard to adapt the console to use with other programs, and he replied that it was “basically just software work”. This suggests that we may even see Loupedeck+ used video editing tools.
The Loupedeck+ is available for purchase in the Loupedeck web-shop, Amazon and specialist photography stores in Europe and US for 229€/ $229. Loupedeck is also offering a cashback opportunity of 40€/ $50 for current Loupedeck owners.