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Frank Benvenuto

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Hi all,

I am in the market for a Graphics Tablet to help me in the editting of photos. Can you guys give me some feedback on what you are using and what works best... This would be for a PC..

Thanks in advance for your help.--Frank B
 
Frank

Wacom Intuos is definately the best. I use a 9x12 which is a nice size but needs a lot of room on your desk. They have them in several sizes. They also sell the graphire line which is the cheaper 'home' version and doesnt have all the features of the intuos but isnt bad either.

You can have different tools such as Pen's, Airbrushes, 3D mouse and also inking pen's. You can use multiple pens and assign specific Photoshop tools to each tool so you dont have to change the tools in photoshop but just change the tool in your hand. Also the pen's have an eraser on the back which also automatically changes tools. Of course all pressure sensitive and tilt sensitive to change for example the spray pattern of the airbrush depending on the tilt.

Best investment ever made and a long term investment so i wouldnt go cheap. By the best you can afford and a size that fits on your desk.

HTH

--Michael SalzlechnerStarZen Digital Imaging http://www.starzen.com/imagingE-10 / D30 Photo Albums http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1605723
 
Mike

Thanks for the info.. Let me ask you.. With these Graphics tablets, how big is big enough? I am editing photos in the 800 to 1000 pixel range. Is this something that is always better the bigger it is? Or is there overkill with really large tablets.
Mike Salzlechner said:
Frank

Wacom Intuos is definately the best. I use a 9x12 which is a nice
size but needs a lot of room on your desk. They have them in
several sizes. They also sell the graphire line which is the
cheaper 'home' version and doesnt have all the features of the
intuos but isnt bad either.

You can have different tools such as Pen's, Airbrushes, 3D mouse
and also inking pen's. You can use multiple pens and assign
specific Photoshop tools to each tool so you dont have to change
the tools in photoshop but just change the tool in your hand. Also
the pen's have an eraser on the back which also automatically
changes tools. Of course all pressure sensitive and tilt sensitive
to change for example the spray pattern of the airbrush depending
on the tilt.

Best investment ever made and a long term investment so i wouldnt
go cheap. By the best you can afford and a size that fits on your
desk.

HTH

--
Michael Salzlechner
StarZen Digital Imaging
http://www.starzen.com/imaging

E-10 / D30 Photo Albums
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1605723
Click to expand...
--Frank B
 
Frank, I'm using a 6x8 Intuos for graphics work. It is usually mapped down to roughly 4x6 unless I need greater precision or am tracing something in. Too large a tablet will greatly increase your hand and arm movements and unless you really need the precision you will very likely map the tablet down to reduce fatigue.

Ron Reznick
Frank Benvenuto said:
Thanks for the info.. Let me ask you.. With these Graphics tablets,
how big is big enough? I am editing photos in the 800 to 1000 pixel
range. Is this something that is always better the bigger it is? Or
is there overkill with really large tablets.
Mike Salzlechner said:
Frank

Wacom Intuos is definately the best. I use a 9x12 which is a nice
size but needs a lot of room on your desk. They have them in
several sizes. They also sell the graphire line which is the
cheaper 'home' version and doesnt have all the features of the
intuos but isnt bad either.

You can have different tools such as Pen's, Airbrushes, 3D mouse
and also inking pen's. You can use multiple pens and assign
specific Photoshop tools to each tool so you dont have to change
the tools in photoshop but just change the tool in your hand. Also
the pen's have an eraser on the back which also automatically
changes tools. Of course all pressure sensitive and tilt sensitive
to change for example the spray pattern of the airbrush depending
on the tilt.

Best investment ever made and a long term investment so i wouldnt
go cheap. By the best you can afford and a size that fits on your
desk.

HTH

--
Michael Salzlechner
StarZen Digital Imaging
http://www.starzen.com/imaging

E-10 / D30 Photo Albums
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1605723
Click to expand...
--
Frank B
Click to expand...
--Ron Reznick http://digital-images.nethttp://trapagon.com
 
Frank,

I own both an Intuos 4x5 and Graphire. It is rare that I feel the need for anything bigger. I first bought the Graphire, and liked it a lot. I needed a tablet at home, so when I took the Graphire home I replaced it at the studio with the Intuos 4x5. Frankly Frank, there isn't all that much difference from a touch and feel standpoint. When I edit images at home, I'm not at all bothered by the Graphire. The only difference I notice is that my Intuos didn't come with a mouse, so I have to move my track ball out of the way (which resides on the Intuos pad until I'm editing images).

Which one would I tell you to buy? I dunno. I would have you try the 6x8 for size, but as Ron says, you may map it down and essentially get a 4x5, so why spend the extra money for the larger unit? That being the case, I'd try to find a Graphire at a local CompUSA and try it for a day or two. You could always return it and then upgrade to the Intuos. I think they both work great and feel the Graphire is a much better value.

Best regards,
Stanton

P.S. I've used the tablets on both Mac and PC. Works fine on both platforms.
Frank Benvenuto said:
Ron,

Thanks for the input.. I can save lots of dough if I buy the 6X8
instead of a 12X12...

If you use the 6X8 it is certainly good enought for me...

Thanks again

--
Frank B
Click to expand...
 
Stanton said:
Frank,

I own both an Intuos 4x5 and Graphire. It is rare that I feel the
need for anything bigger. I first bought the Graphire, and liked it
a lot. I needed a tablet at home, so when I took the Graphire home
I replaced it at the studio with the Intuos 4x5. Frankly Frank,
there isn't all that much difference from a touch and feel
standpoint. When I edit images at home, I'm not at all bothered by
the Graphire. The only difference I notice is that my Intuos didn't
come with a mouse, so I have to move my track ball out of the way
(which resides on the Intuos pad until I'm editing images).

Which one would I tell you to buy? I dunno. I would have you try
the 6x8 for size, but as Ron says, you may map it down and
essentially get a 4x5, so why spend the extra money for the larger
unit? That being the case, I'd try to find a Graphire at a local
CompUSA and try it for a day or two. You could always return it and
then upgrade to the Intuos. I think they both work great and feel
the Graphire is a much better value.
Click to expand...
i've never tried anything besides my graphire so i can't compare, but i agree that it's a great value. it also seems to me that anything bigger would just be more unwieldy and inconvenient
 
I use two monitors on my Photoshop setup. With a 4 x 5 tablet I can only set it up to cover the main monitor, I then have to change to my mouse to access the palettes and toolbars. What would you say is the smallest tablet that could be configured to cover both monitors so that I dont have to change pointing device?
aaron said:
Stanton said:
Frank,

I own both an Intuos 4x5 and Graphire. It is rare that I feel the
need for anything bigger. I first bought the Graphire, and liked it
a lot. I needed a tablet at home, so when I took the Graphire home
I replaced it at the studio with the Intuos 4x5. Frankly Frank,
there isn't all that much difference from a touch and feel
standpoint. When I edit images at home, I'm not at all bothered by
the Graphire. The only difference I notice is that my Intuos didn't
come with a mouse, so I have to move my track ball out of the way
(which resides on the Intuos pad until I'm editing images).

Which one would I tell you to buy? I dunno. I would have you try
the 6x8 for size, but as Ron says, you may map it down and
essentially get a 4x5, so why spend the extra money for the larger
unit? That being the case, I'd try to find a Graphire at a local
CompUSA and try it for a day or two. You could always return it and
then upgrade to the Intuos. I think they both work great and feel
the Graphire is a much better value.
Click to expand...
i've never tried anything besides my graphire so i can't compare,
but i agree that it's a great value. it also seems to me that
anything bigger would just be more unwieldy and inconvenient--eric burrows
Click to expand...
 
eric burrows said:
I use two monitors on my Photoshop setup. With a 4 x 5 tablet I can
only set it up to cover the main monitor, I then have to change to
my mouse to access the palettes and toolbars. What would you say is
the smallest tablet that could be configured to cover both monitors
so that I dont have to change pointing device?
aaron wrote:
Click to expand...
hmm, well i have a 17 inch monitor and i just did a little test. putting the cursor at the edge of the screen and positioning the mouse (pen works the same) at the edge of the tablet i moved it until the cursor was at the other end of the screen, i marked the spot where the mouse was then i put the cusor back on the right edge of the screen and picked up and put back the mouse to the spot it had reached when the cursor got to the end of the screen and started over. so moving the mouse the rest of the way on the tablet the cursor got about 2/3rd's of the way across the screen again.

so the total travel of one swipe across the tablet is about 21 or 22 inches. the screen is about 13 inches wide. so it just depends on the size of your monitor. i don't understand the need to switch from the pen to the mouse though? isn't it as simple as picking up the mouse or pen and repositioning it, and then continuing to move it? i've never used two monitors so i'm just assuming
 
I reviewed the Intuos 2 6x8 for What Digital Camera magazine last month's issue. This is a great tablet and worked well. Although I do find the smaller size of the Pen Partner (5x4) just as good and no less accurate. I will go one step further and say that the 1024 pressure levels didn't mean a thing, I can do everything in Photoshop and Painter 7 using the Pen Partner (also Wacom) which only has 256 levels of pressure. I had the chance to purchase the Intuos 2 at a good price after the review, I turned down the offer and will stck to the Pen Partner. I also had the complete range of pens for the review and again I found the standard pen supplied with the tablet as good as any - however this pen did stop working after 3 weeks, just a bit of bad luck there.

Vincent
eric burrows said:
eric burrows said:
Stanton said:
Frank,

I own both an Intuos 4x5 and Graphire. It is rare that I feel the
need for anything bigger. I first bought the Graphire, and liked it
a lot. I needed a tablet at home, so when I took the Graphire home
I replaced it at the studio with the Intuos 4x5. Frankly Frank,
there isn't all that much difference from a touch and feel
standpoint. When I edit images at home, I'm not at all bothered by
the Graphire. The only difference I notice is that my Intuos didn't
come with a mouse, so I have to move my track ball out of the way
(which resides on the Intuos pad until I'm editing images).

Which one would I tell you to buy? I dunno. I would have you try
the 6x8 for size, but as Ron says, you may map it down and
essentially get a 4x5, so why spend the extra money for the larger
unit? That being the case, I'd try to find a Graphire at a local
CompUSA and try it for a day or two. You could always return it and
then upgrade to the Intuos. I think they both work great and feel
the Graphire is a much better value.
Click to expand...
i've never tried anything besides my graphire so i can't compare,
but i agree that it's a great value. it also seems to me that
anything bigger would just be more unwieldy and inconvenient
Click to expand...
--
eric burrows
Click to expand...
--Vincent Oliver
 
getting 2 monitors to work with a tablet depending on graphics card can be a pain in my view

the only tablet driver that works correctly with windows 2k on 2 monitors I have found is the wacom

we have a number of intuos2 tablets that give you a wheel mouse as well, the intuos has buttons only, as well as a digitizer 2 which is still going strong after many years

for autocad we use 2 17" monitors, mini keyboard, 12x9 tablet with autocad template

for photoshop 2 17" monitors, std keyboard, 8x6 tablet

I think someone here has made up a neat photoshop overlay or button assignment and scaled the tablet working area to the first screen. Photoshop 6 menu structure is better for this now
aaron said:
eric burrows said:
I use two monitors on my Photoshop setup. With a 4 x 5 tablet I can
only set it up to cover the main monitor, I then have to change to
my mouse to access the palettes and toolbars. What would you say is
the smallest tablet that could be configured to cover both monitors
so that I dont have to change pointing device?
aaron wrote:
Click to expand...
hmm, well i have a 17 inch monitor and i just did a little test.
putting the cursor at the edge of the screen and positioning the
mouse (pen works the same) at the edge of the tablet i moved it
until the cursor was at the other end of the screen, i marked the
spot where the mouse was then i put the cusor back on the right
edge of the screen and picked up and put back the mouse to the spot
it had reached when the cursor got to the end of the screen and
started over. so moving the mouse the rest of the way on the tablet
the cursor got about 2/3rd's of the way across the screen again.

so the total travel of one swipe across the tablet is about 21 or
22 inches. the screen is about 13 inches wide. so it just depends
on the size of your monitor. i don't understand the need to switch
from the pen to the mouse though? isn't it as simple as picking up
the mouse or pen and repositioning it, and then continuing to move
it? i've never used two monitors so i'm just assuming
Click to expand...
 
Do these tablets work in any situation where a mouse would or can you only use them in software written to work with them. In particular, will they work with Picture Window 3?

Regards

Dave Millier
Mike Salzlechner said:
Frank

Wacom Intuos is definately the best. I use a 9x12 which is a nice
size but needs a lot of room on your desk. They have them in
several sizes. They also sell the graphire line which is the
cheaper 'home' version and doesnt have all the features of the
intuos but isnt bad either.

You can have different tools such as Pen's, Airbrushes, 3D mouse
and also inking pen's. You can use multiple pens and assign
specific Photoshop tools to each tool so you dont have to change
the tools in photoshop but just change the tool in your hand. Also
the pen's have an eraser on the back which also automatically
changes tools. Of course all pressure sensitive and tilt sensitive
to change for example the spray pattern of the airbrush depending
on the tilt.

Best investment ever made and a long term investment so i wouldnt
go cheap. By the best you can afford and a size that fits on your
desk.

HTH

--
Michael Salzlechner
StarZen Digital Imaging
http://www.starzen.com/imaging

E-10 / D30 Photo Albums
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1605723
Click to expand...
 
Frank

sorry for the late reply

the 6x8 or so is probably enough but i love the 9x12. Allows you to trace 8x10's and gives a bit more freedom. I dont like being constrained in size. The 12x12 is way too big. You have to add about 3 inches in height and width to the tablet so the 9x12 has a footprint of a little more than 12x15 which eats up desk space quickly combined with a keyboard and a 21" screen.

--Michael SalzlechnerStarZen Digital Imaging http://www.starzen.com/imagingE-10 / D30 Photo Albums http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1605723
 
Frank,

I called Wacom before I purchased my tablet last Oct. I would encourage you to do the same as the lady that assisted me was one of the best customer service folks I have encountered.

I have the 9x12. This and the two sizes above it are considered "arm" tablets -- they allow full arm stroking if you need/want-to-develop those techniques (but also work fine for elbow/wrist work, depending on settings).

The sizes immediately below are considered "elbow" tablets -- the most gross level movement will not require movement beyond the elbow (but also allow for wrist techniques).

The smaller sizes are considered "wrist" tablets, and are perfect if you do a lot of fine small movement. I believe most digital photograph editing can be done with these tablets. I think Karen Eismann's book recommends this smaller size for photo restoration.

I have not picked up a mouse (including the one that came with the tablet) since becoming familiar with the pen. The mouse works on relative positioning (moves relative to speed and direction of movement) and the pen works on absolute positioning. This essentially maps your screen to the tablet. I adapted very quickly to this and find it more natural to use than the mouse. Note that these are the defaults and I believe the pen can be switched to relative positioning using the Control Panel. The 9x12 size I use is also a similar aspect ratio to most CRT monitors.

You should be quite pleased with this addition, and it is indispensable for photo editing. Just be sure to get Wacom.

Chris
 
Frank Benvenuto said:
Mike

A mouse can right and left click. How do you do this with the tablet?
Click to expand...
the tip of the pen is a left click if you tap the tablet with it, then there is a rocker switch on the side of the pen where your forefinger would rest, that can be programed for various functions including right click.

it also comes with a cordless scroll wheel mouse that you can of course left and right click as normal. personally i find it much more comfortable and natural to use the mouse for ordinary functions and scrolling through web pages. then i use the pen for drawiing/painting, retouching and making selections
 
Chris

Thanks for the excellent post.. I'll consider the different sizes a bit differently now..
Chris Touhey said:
Frank,

I called Wacom before I purchased my tablet last Oct. I would
encourage you to do the same as the lady that assisted me was one
of the best customer service folks I have encountered.

I have the 9x12. This and the two sizes above it are considered
"arm" tablets -- they allow full arm stroking if you
need/want-to-develop those techniques (but also work fine for
elbow/wrist work, depending on settings).

The sizes immediately below are considered "elbow" tablets -- the
most gross level movement will not require movement beyond the
elbow (but also allow for wrist techniques).

The smaller sizes are considered "wrist" tablets, and are perfect
if you do a lot of fine small movement. I believe most digital
photograph editing can be done with these tablets. I think Karen
Eismann's book recommends this smaller size for photo restoration.

I have not picked up a mouse (including the one that came with the
tablet) since becoming familiar with the pen. The mouse works on
relative positioning (moves relative to speed and direction of
movement) and the pen works on absolute positioning. This
essentially maps your screen to the tablet. I adapted very quickly
to this and find it more natural to use than the mouse. Note that
these are the defaults and I believe the pen can be switched to
relative positioning using the Control Panel. The 9x12 size I use
is also a similar aspect ratio to most CRT monitors.

You should be quite pleased with this addition, and it is
indispensable for photo editing. Just be sure to get Wacom.

Chris
Click to expand...
--Frank B
 
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