As many of you know, I am an ambassador for Focus Nordic. Sometimes I get requests to test products that I normally don't have in my kit as an ambassador. This time I was asked to test TourBox's Elite version. I have no experience with this beyond some testing of similar products such as Loupedeck etc.
The box itself is small in size, works both via Bluetooth and cabling. I only tested via Bluetooth this time.
I struggled a bit at first to get it to connect to my Mac Studio, but I placed that on the shelf for user error. I'll admit that I'm not the most avid reader of manuals either.
As a result, I didn't immediately understand that you need to have a program open to easily link the program to the box in the TourBox's console. Adobe's Photoshop, Lightroom and Premiere programs were clearly inside the software. But as a Final Cut user, I had to rename one of the two that were loaded as Premiere. This took 2 seconds and not something you would consider a problem (see picture 2 below).
To add your own program, you can just change the name on one of the programs, and then you connect it with the desired program.
The box itself is, as I said, is a little smaller than similar products, but it does the most common functions you need to speed up your workflow. It took some time to set up the box as you want it for each program, but it is worth the time. It is so much faster to do editing etc. in PS, LR and FCP.
Another big advantage, at least for me, is the size of the box. I often work more out in the field than in the office. And when the box isn’t bigger than it is, it’s easy to throw it in my photo bag together with my laptop.
Is it better than the Loupedeck? That's a difficult question to answer, because it really depends on your needs. For me, the size and what the TourBox can do is perfect for me and my workflow. Not to mention the solid connection via Bluetooth. This will probably become a permanent product both on the office desk and in the photo bag on trips for me.
Watch an even more informative YouTube-video here:
You can also read more about the box at Focus Nordic's pages here.
Learn more about ambassador Kenneth Sporsheim here.