My primary display offers a 4k resolution, which I almost never used because the pixel density makes reading scrubby sliders difficult to read. With that newfound freedom, the visibility of the Tool panel in Capture One became less pertinent. Capture One's interface was never in the way, but Palette connects users to the software in a different way. Surprisingly, that intuitive functionality instantly shifted my focus from numeric values to the photograph itself, which seems so essential in hindsight. ![]() It takes time to dial in how you want the system to function, arranging the modules, and determining what tools you need. Initially, I did not expect Palette to save time as learned muscle memory would need to be developed quantifying adjustments normally made with a cursor in Capture One. I use sliders the most by far, they're amazingly intuitive and practical. I got Palette's Pro kit and will probably buy two additional sliders for extra flexibility. Better yet, you can define the adjustment range for each slider's module, such as an adjustment range of 0-10 for contrast moving from left to right, or -2 to +2 for exposure, with zero right in the middle. The sliders have become my favorite module in the system, matching how Capture One's tools adjust with smooth controls. Photographing in manual mode most of the time, I immediately learned to prefer that feature moving through an edit, putting me in the ballpark automatically. As one advances through a selection of images, adjustments are not applied to subsequent images until the slider is moved where it will catch up to its position. A common qualm is that sliders don't automatically return to a neutral position for each image. I was unsure about the performance of Palette's sliders at first, even though that's the feature I waited two years to become available. Turning knobs to adjust image settings is akin to watching films of George Martin arranging audio tracks, or far more relevant, adjusting the contrast on my Beseler 23CIII-XL Enlarger. That changed at the 2018 PhotoPlus Expo, where Palette was presenting a live demo at their booth using Capture One 11 and unbelievably it included the use of sliders. The time had finally come to push the arcade button. ![]() I held out at first, eventually giving up hope of using a system like Palette in my workflow. Back in 2016, the problem as it related to Capture One was that Palette's sliders were not yet compatible. If you haven’t read it and are considering Palette, I suggest checking it out. It's thoroughly on point and a resource I referenced in making my own jump to Palette. Our very own Alex Cooke published a superb review of the Gear Professional Control Surface as used in Lightroom. My interest in Palette for post-production paired with Capture One started two years ago when I was first drawn to the appeal of tangible adjustments.
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