Control surface (grading panel)

A control surface is a hardware grading panel — trackballs, rings and knobs, like the Blackmagic Micro/Mini Panel — that lets you push several controls at once with your hands instead of dragging sliders with a mouse. It makes grading faster and more tactile, and colourists who work all day lean on one to move quickly, dialling in things like noise reduction or balance without hunting the interface. What it does not do is improve the picture: every adjustment a panel makes is available with a mouse, and the pixels come out identical. It buys speed and comfort, never image quality — worth knowing before you spend.

First used in: 2.12 · The honest suite