long story short: YES! ParksTool devices work with midi2LR for Lightroom
Q. Hi there, I'm thinking about purchasing a controller with 8 encoders to use with Lightroom. I'm wondering if it's better to get the detents or smooth version, do you have any direct experience or feedbacks from your clients that can help me decide?
https://www.parkstool.com/products/parks-custom-encoders-8-4-midi-plug-21348
In the screenshot you can see the values I would control with the encoders
A. Hello! Thanks for the message. is it a lightroom classic desktop? or Lightroom desktop?
Q. Lightroom Classic Desktop
Don't you think I can set them up with midi2lr like this guy (using another controller called midi fighter) www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dXGX8y2fY0
A. YES! the answer to the first question: detents and smooth, both are good but smooth versions are always sold first. people like smooth version. But, when I edit video, I use detents version because I don't want to move the dial by any mistake.
I checked that exposure , contrast, highlights and shadows changes but it is quite slow in my laptop
Q. Ok thank you about the clarification about detents. What do you mean it works? Midi Fighter works with Lightroom though midi2lr, does that mean that your encoders also work with Lightroom?
Did you just test this configuration but reckon that it's not responsive enough?
Also I noticed midi2lr has not been updated since June 2022, which is not promising...
A. my encoder works with lightroom with midi2lr plugin. let me show you my screen capture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvFMuBS-A98&ab_channel=PARK%27STOOL
Q. Thank you, I've watched the video and I see that it definitely works, anyway it's not so clear if communication is fast enough or not... Do you reckon it's too slow?
A. communication itself is quite fast. And I thought it was slow but it wasn't. It was because the number what I want to adjust should be hit (or meet) first to adjust.
for example, exposure was 10, but the dial position is not 100, it doesn't react until dial position goes to 10. and then it reacts on the dial. I thought it was laggy because there's no response until I turn the dial on that spot.
Q, Thank you, that does not sound good as I was hoping that with endless encoders as soon as I turn the knob the corresponding value in Lightroom would go up or down.
Maybe I didn't understand what the difference between an endless encoder and a potentiometer is: what you are describing sounds to me like the behaviour I expect from a potentiometer...
A. I think that sounds really good.
I am using an endless turn encoder. it seems very brilliant. because it can make both encoders and potentiometers can be used with this application.
if it didn't wait for the point, the configuration value jumps where it was (CC message of Midi - especially for the potentiometers)
but, let me check if that application accepts left and right (vpot) signal - relative signal with encoder so the current position won't be matter with that. :)
my encoder can send relative signal (left and right signal)
Q. I think I don't understand perfectly everything you are saying but I guess my question is: say I select a pic in Lightoom where exposure is set to +0,8. What happens when I turn clockwise the encoder knob that's assigned to exposure? I expect the exposure value to change right away to +0,9 and then to +1,0 etc, is that right? Thank you for you patience...
A. oh, I've found the best solution! with this configuration, configuration changes where it was, so, it seems great! It doesn't have to meet the position where it was set.
for example,
you select a pic in Lightroom with exposure to +0,8.
when you turn clockwise the encoder knob that's assigned to the exposure
you expect the exposure value to change right away to +0,9 and then to +1,0
I tested with another picture which was -2.18 exposure, and I turned the dial, and it went right to -2.17 and so on.
Q. Oh wow, sounds great! 0,01 increments for exposure sounds very little but I guess that's an issue almost only with that setting and I'm used to change it with plus and minus keys on my keyboard anyway (0,1 increments)
Are you using OSX or Windows? I use an Apple laptop
A. actually, 0,01 was an example
Q. ok
A. 0->0.04 ->0.12 ->0.20->0.28->0.35->0.43 ->0.51->0.59
it changes like this.
Q. oh I see, 0.08 increments, weird, but ok.
It's difficult to say without trying hands on but I still think I'd be more comfortable with detents...
and I don't know about integrated buttons, I guess they could be useful only if I want to like reset a value to 0, assuming that could be possible
A. it sounds a bit weird but if I tried with detents version, the most detailed resolution makes this change
0 > 0.12 > 0.28 > 0.35 > 0.43 > 0.51 > 0.59 and so on.
yeah, the integrated button can reset the values.
I set the first dial like this and it is used as exposure adjustment + reset
