TourBox Elite Plus Review: The Editing Tool That Finally Fixed My Lightroom Workflow (For Real)

Full-Screen Editing, Insane Speed Boosts & a More Enjoyable Editing Experience — Especially for Wedding and Portrait Photographers

If you’ve been editing photos for a while — especially weddings — you know that anything promising “faster editing” usually ends up being… disappointing. Lightroom is powerful, but it’s also crowded, slow to navigate, and awkward on a laptop. And when TourBox first emailed me asking if I wanted to test their newest console, the TourBox Elite Plus, I honestly didn’t expect much.

But now that I’ve used it?

I don’t want to go back.

Watch my full Tourbox Elite Pro Review Video here:

The Tourbox Elite Pro – This strange looking device unlocks full-screen lightroom editing

In this in-depth TourBox Elite Plus review, I’ll walk you through exactly how this weird little device completely changed the way I edit in Lightroom — and why I think it’s especially useful for wedding photographers, portrait photographers, and creators working in Photoshop, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Illustrator, and Final Cut.

And yes — I’ll share my personal workflow, my setup, and how I use it to edit faster without touching my mouse.

If you want my exact TourBox settings or want to grab the device, here’s the link:

👉 Get the TourBox Elite Plus here
Affiliate link: https://www.tourboxtech.com/photo-editing/tourbox-for-lightroom-classic/?tbkid=1187819204192112640
Use code: SE5OFF for an extra $5 off (works with any model + stacks with Black Friday)

Download my Tourbox Lightroom settings here (free + zero signup) – https://bit.ly/tourboxsettings

---

Why Photographers Struggle With Lightroom (And How TourBox Actually Fixes It)

Lightroom is incredible, but it has two huge problems photographers complain about constantly:

1. You lose half your screen to panels.

On a laptop — especially in a coffee shop, on a plane, or traveling for weddings — your image gets squeezed down by sidebars, sliders, modules, and menus. Color grading a tiny image sucks. You miss details. You strain your eyes. Everything feels harder.

2. Keyboard shortcuts have limits.

Even if you memorize the shortcuts:

• many tools don’t even have shortcuts (there is no shortcut to adjust clarity or add dehaze etc)
• every key on your keyboard feels the same, so you have to look down at your fingers to see them
• switching sliders still requires mouse dragging even IF you learn all the keyboard shortcuts

This slows you down a lot more than you think.

TourBox fixes both issues in a way that’s honestly smarter than it looks.

---

TourBox Elite Plus Lets You Edit Lightroom in Full Screen (A Massive Difference)

Most people don’t realize this, but hiding all the Lightroom panels instantly doubles your editing space.

↓ What Lightroom normally looks like

↓ What it looks like full screen

The problem in normal Lightroom is is: once everything is hidden… how do you actually access your sliders?

This is where the TourBox is genuinely genius.

TourBox’s Dynamic Slider Window = Full Screen + Full Control

When you activate TourBox, a small floating panel appears showing only the sliders you’re using. And that panel changes depending on what you’re editing.

Editing Basic panel?
You see exposure, temperature, tint, contrast, etc.

Switch to HSL?
The panel instantly updates to hue, saturation, luminance.

All you do is:

• hover over the slider
• turn a wheel on the TourBox
• done

Your screen stays clean and huge — your controls stay fast and accessible.

And for laptop editors?
This alone feels like cheating.

---

Why TourBox Is Faster Than Keyboard Shortcuts (Shaped Buttons = No Looking Down)

The TourBox Elite Plus is intentionally shaped more like an Xbox or PlayStation controller than a keyboard. At first that seems weird. Then it clicks.

Each button has:

• a different shape
• a different height
• a different texture
• spacing like a game controller

Your hand memorizes the layout instantly.

Editing feels like muscle memory — not hunting for keys.

Example: My Main Editing Wheels

I assign three main wheels to:

• Temperature
• Exposure
• Tint

When I hold a modifier button, those same wheels change to:

• Contrast
• Highlights
• Blacks

One hand. Zero looking down.

This is the part I didn’t expect to actually love — but once you get used to it, you cannot go back.

---

Real Editing Examples — Using TourBox Instead of a Mouse

Here are some real-world things I do constantly as a wedding photographer, and how I use TourBox to do all of them without touching the mouse.

1. Applying my preset

I assign my Kodji preset to a TourBox button.

• Tap button → preset applied

2. Fixing basic exposure & white balance

I hover → turn wheel → done.

3. Perspective correction (huge for weddings)

Using three wheels:

• correct vertical tilt
• fix horizontal shift
• adjust pan left/right/up/down

This usually takes ages with a mouse. With TourBox, it takes seconds.

4. Radial filters

I have a button that auto-creates a radial filter in the center of the image.

• wheel to adjust brightness
• wheel to adjust contrast
• wheel to adjust feather

5. Object removal

Hit button → click object → gone.

6. Before/after + reset + undo

All instant. No mouse. No searching.

This tiny device basically becomes a custom Lightroom keyboard built around your workflow — not the other way around.

---

Who Is TourBox Best For?

✔ Wedding photographers

You’re editing thousands of photos per job. TourBox cuts that time dramatically.

✔ Portrait photographers

White balance, skin tones, and small adjustments are insanely quick.

✔ Hybrid shooters

Switch from Lightroom → Premiere → Photoshop all with custom profiles.

✔ Video editors

DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, and Final Cut integrations are shockingly good.

✔ Designers & illustrators

Photoshop, Illustrator, and Clip Studio feel more intuitive with a tactile wheel.

If your livelihood depends on editing — this matters.

---

TourBox Elite Plus vs Loupedeck vs Streamdeck vs Keyboard Shortcuts

I did my best to compare the tourbox elite plus vs loupedeck vs stream deck vs lightroom superkeys etc… Now to be fair, I haven’t used the Loupedeck so it’s possible I’ve missed a couple features so make sure to double check for yourself. That said, here’s a quick comparison to help photographers decide which editing tool is best for them:

---

Comparison Table: TourBox Elite Plus vs Popular Alternatives

Feature / Benefit	TourBox Elite Plus	Loupedeck Live / CT	Elgato Stream Deck	Oldschool Keyboard Shortcuts
Full-screen editing	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	❌
Tactile editing wheels	3 wheels + 11 buttons	2 wheels	4 wheels	❌
One-handed operation	Yes	Not really	No	No
Works without looking down	Yes	No	No	No
Dynamic Lightroom sliders / Full screen editing	Yes	Limited	No	No
Laptop editing benefit	Huge	Medium	Low	None
Custom profiles per app	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Object removal + filters	Yes	Yes	No	No
Price	$$	$$$$	$$	Free
Best for	Photo + video editing	Pro studios	Shortcuts + macros	Speed but limited

TL;DR

Streamdeck = Amazing LED display and great for streaming, good for video editing, only okayish for lightroom (I have one and find I don’t love the ergonomics)
Loupedeck = Beautiful but expensive. I have several friends who love theirs, but for me I didn’t want to spend that much… That said, it’s a great piece of gear for the right person.
Traditional Computer Keyboard = limited shortcuts. It’s great you don’t have to carry an extra device with you, but shortcuts don’t do everything and you can’t edit in full screen.
TourBox = Kinda gives you EVERYTHING I could want. Full screen editing, amazingly customizable, faster workflow, AND works on a ton of different software in addition to lightroom… All at a really affordable price compared to other options.

---

My Full TourBox Lightroom Workflow (Copy It If You Want)

You can replace any of these with your own preferences, but here’s the setup that saves me the most time:

Wheel 1: Temperature / Contrast

Wheel 2: Exposure / Highlights

Wheel 3: Tint / Blacks

Big Knob: Whites / Shadows

Modifier 1 (Side button):

Switch wheels to perspective controls:

• Vertical
• Horizontal
• Tilt

Modifier 2 (Arrow button):

Switch wheels to transform tools:

• Scale
• Tilt
• X Pan
• Y Pan

Mask Buttons:

• Subject Select
• Radial Filter
• Adjustment Brush
• Object Removal

This makes my entire editing workflow possible without touching the mouse until local adjustments.

---

How Full-Screen Editing Actually Improves Image Quality

This isn’t just about comfort.

You literally edit better when your photo fills the screen.

Small images hide:

• color shifts
• banding
• gradients
• noise
• distractions

Editing full screen forces you to:

• see color more accurately
• spot distractions immediately
• make cleaner adjustments
• grade skin tones with better precision

This is especially important for:

• wedding receptions
• dark getting-ready rooms
• mixed lighting
• harsh outdoor ceremony lighting
• snow, fog, or beach scenes

TourBox makes full-screen editing actually usable.

---

Speed Improvements: How Much Faster Is TourBox Really?

For wedding photographers, speed = money.

On a typical wedding:

• 6–10 hours shooting
• 2 hours culling
• 8 hours editing
• 1–3 hours exporting & delivery

According to Tourbox… for manual editing, it can realistically save:

30–50 minutes per wedding.

Some photographers report saving even more.

Over a year:

• 25 weddings → 20 hours saved
• 40 weddings → 30+ hours saved

If you edit portraits, commercial work, or video too, the savings multiply.

Would I say that’s true in my own experience?

Honestly… Yeah I think that sounds pretty reasonable. To be honest if I’m saving 5-10 seconds per photo not having to go into the menu and manually select different settings… A 1000 photo wedding would save me almost TWO HOURS… So with 25 weddings in a season, I’d save 50 hours per year. If my time is worth say $50/hr, that would save me $2500 in labour. Pretty good ROI on a device that costs right around $200-$300

---

TourBox Elite Plus: Pros & Cons

Pros

• Truly tactile editing — no learning curve after 1–2 days
• Full-screen editing feels luxurious
• Much faster at basic adjustments
• Works with Lightroom, Photoshop, Premiere, DaVinci, FCPX, Illustrator
• Easily customize everything
• Surprisingly affordable vs competitors
• Compact and travel friendly
• Creates a more enjoyable editing workflow
• No more slider hunting or micro-movements with the mouse

Cons

• It’ll take you a few hours to customize your settings and get things dialed in
• Takes editing a few sessions before it’s completely muscle memory
• You may never want to edit without it again 😅
• Works best when paired with a good preset

---

Who Should Skip TourBox?

You might not need this if:

• You only edit a few photos a month
• You never use Lightroom or Photoshop
• You outsource 100% of your editing

Otherwise?
This thing is shockingly useful.

---

TourBox vs Loupedeck: Which Should You Buy?

If you want:

• tactile knobs
• one-handed control
• compact size
• affordable price
• full-screen editing
  → Get the TourBox Elite Plus

If you want:

• giant touchscreen
• endless buttons
• huge desk footprint
• premium feel
  → Loupedeck CT / Loupedeck Live

Most photographers choose TourBox because:

• it’s smaller
• it’s cheaper
• and the wheels feel better for photo editing

For video-only editors, Loupedeck might win.
For photographers? TourBox is the better buy.

---

Final Verdict: Is the TourBox Elite Plus Worth It? (Yes.)

When TourBox first emailed me, I didn’t think this strange-looking gadget would actually change anything. I get a lot of products sent to me, and most are fine… but not game-changing.

TourBox, though?

It surprised me.
It made editing:

• faster
• smoother
• more intuitive
• more enjoyable

And the full-screen workflow?
That alone is worth it if you edit on a laptop.

If you shoot weddings, portraits, commercial work, video — or all of the above — the TourBox Elite Plus will absolutely make your workflow better.

👉 Grab the TourBox Elite Plus here

Affiliate link: https://www.tourboxtech.com/photo-editing/tourbox-for-lightroom-classic/?tbkid=1187819204192112640
Use code: SE5OFF to save an extra $5
(Stacks with Black Friday)

👉 Want to see it in action?

Watch my full YouTube review: