Any graphic tablet users here?

OU
Posted By
Olaf_Ulrich
Aug 29, 2007
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1042
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38
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I decided to buy a graphic tablet for use with Photoshop CS2 (and CS3) on a Windows PC. I did some market research and found out the graphic tablet world basically is divided into two parts: a) the Wacom Intuos3 series, and b) the rest.

My question: Why are the Intuos3 tablets four or five times as expensive as other tablets—including most other Wacom tablets—of the same size? What makes the Intuos3 tablets so special? Would the high price buy me an additional value that’s useful in real life?

And while we’re at it, here comes another question: Which tablet size is recommendable for the hobbyist user? I’ve been told even the smallest are big enough for general photo editing … is this true? What sizes are you using, and would you go for a bigger or smaller tablet next time?

— Olaf

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P
Phosphor
Aug 29, 2007
I can’t even think of a good reason why Wacom’s Intuos tablets are so much more expensive than their lower-line Graphire models. Yes, the Intuos has twice the number of levels of sensitivity as the Graphires (last time I checked, anyway), among some other features, but surely they have the manufacturing process tooled up so the the production for either one must be nearly equal in efficiency. I can’t imagine that the difference in price between the Graphire and an Intuos of the same size is justified by the prices for the parts.

And yes, even the smallest Graphire is super-useful for all but the most demanding users. I got mine (4" Γ— 5") from an Amazon gift certificate for under US$80, if I remember correctly.
DM
Don_McCahill
Aug 29, 2007
I can’t even think of a good reason why Wacom’s Intuos tablets are so much more expensive than their lower-line Graphire models

Maybe it is like the old floppy disks. The ones that flopped. The companies made 1 disk and tested it. If both sides passed, it was a double sided disk and if one failed, it was single sided. Eventually 95% of disks were passing both sides, so most of the single sided ones were really good on both sides. A razor blade and some clever cutting and you could make your cheap single sided disk into a double. But you were taking a risk you might have one of those 5%.
SK
Scott_Koblich
Aug 29, 2007
I have the graphire 4 x 5 as well and it works fine even at the small size. Apparently the intuos tablets have more control options to work with. I haven’t used the intuos though to say whether or not the cost is worth it.

-Scott
JJ
John_Joslin
Aug 29, 2007
Very happy with the Graphire for my needs.
P
Phosphor
Aug 29, 2007
And remember:

Just because it’s small, that doesn’t necessarily limit its accuracy. You can zoom in on your image to work more closely.
JW
John_Waller
Aug 29, 2007
Google "graphire vs intuos" (without the quotes)

There’s lots of discussion online on this topic.

One example:
http://stuff.silverorange.com/archives/2005/january/wacomint uos3


Regards

John Waller
P
Phosphor
Aug 29, 2007
OH!

Here’s a biggie in my book.

Wacom’s styli don’t require a battery (one of those little button watch batteries) to work.

Many of the tablets from other companies do. My old Cal Comp Tablet’s stylus did, and it was a PITA to remember that and keep them on hand.
JO
Jim_Oblak
Aug 29, 2007
I’ve got one of those small graphires too – I considered a larger tablet but I only needed it to be big enough to keep my glass of ice tea from sweating on my wood desk.

I’ve used larger tablets but I’m lazy and don’t like swinging my arm around so much.

Just remember to keep the stylus out of the reach of your dog.
J
johntolliday
Aug 29, 2007
G’day

I did a fair bit of research before buying the Intuos 6 X 8. It seems that the larger sizes are better for artists who like to use large strokes using plenty of movement. While the smaller sizes are ideal for photo restoration and selecting precise areas. I got the Intuos on ebay from Hong Kong and saved about 40% and yes! it is genuine, I have never had any trouble with it over the years but I hear their service is excellent anyway.

regards

John
RB
Robert_Barnett
Aug 30, 2007
Wacom is the way to go no ands ifs or buts. However, unless you are an artist that is going to be creating artwork from scratch in something like Painter the Intuos 3 tablets while nice and impressive are over kill. For image touch up, masking, etc. the very nice Graphire tablets are more than ample. I would get as large a one you can afford and have room for. Keep in mind it can replace you mouse as it comes with one which means the tablet itself becomes the mouse pad.

Why Wacom? Because they have it all, they have quality products, great support, the best in third party support, etc. The other no-name chinese knock-offs don’t have any of this. I have had my tablet (original Intuos) for 6 computer upgrades. It something you buy and use and use and use and use. It really does make many things much quicker, easier and more accurate.

Word of warning right now there are some problems with the tablets and Vista. Some people have had no problems others like myself have had nothing but problems. However, at least for me Wacom support has been incredible even providing me with an alpha driver that so far has cleared up my problems. Wacom is the way to go.

Robert
KV
Klaas Visser
Aug 30, 2007
I have a Graphire3 6×8, and it works a treat for all my photo editing, as well as general pointer duties (I don’t have a mouse connected to my PC, and use the stylus exlcusively).
GK
Graeme_Kaufman
Aug 30, 2007
Another vote for the Graphire – I prefer the larger 6" x 8" and it does everything I need for photo editing.

Still use a mouse for other work, but like Klaas I’m tempted to use the stylus for everything and ditch the mouse …..
L
LenHewitt
Aug 30, 2007
I’ve an A5 Graphire at the office and a 5×4 Graphire at home, and can work with both equally well, although I do consider the A5 the ideal size.

Larger tablets are useful for tracing, but for general work have too large a work area unless mapped down. They also take up a lot of desk space!

I don’t have a mouse connected to any of my machines and rarely use the Wacom mouse.
RK
Rob_Keijzer
Aug 30, 2007
I use an old Graphire 2 that shows signs of wear, but its perfect for my work.

Rob
JJ
John_Joslin
Aug 30, 2007
I’d be interested to hear from any Intuos users why they prefer it and was it worth the extra!
FN
Fred_Nirque
Aug 30, 2007
Intuos 9×12 here – that’s Intuos Mk1, bought in March 2000. Still going accurately and faultlessly three computers and 7Β½ years later.

That’s why you get a Wacom Intuos. And, like most good things, why you buy off the top shelf.

I’m about to replace the transparent overlay sheet for the first time, but it has had hundreds of miles of strokes drawn on it, so no complaints there.

I originally had a small Wacom 6×8 from ’94-99, but it was too small for my liking. I don’t do art as such, but plenty of photo restoration. So often long, steady airbrush, dodge/burn or erase strokes are needed, and the 9×12 mapped at 1:1 with the primary screen is ideal for that (I navigate the secondary screen with a mouse).
JO
Jim_Oblak
Aug 30, 2007
What wears out on a tablet? I’ve got a few tablets over the past 10 years, none of them are off the top shelf but they have all held up well.

I like the ability to tilt the stylus on the Intuos but it is not a critical feature for my work which is why I’ve stayed with Graphire.

Unless there is some magic to it that I am not aware of, there is no way to replace the tracing overlay on a Graphire – – but tracing is often done in software after you scan the art. I don’t think I’ve ever lifted the surface sheet to trace something.
FN
Fred_Nirque
Aug 30, 2007
If it’s like the Intuos the overlay is only held on with a strip of adhesive along the top edge. It’s easily removed.
OU
Olaf_Ulrich
Aug 30, 2007
Umm … tilt the stylus? What’s that good for? Must the stylus be held strictly perpendicular to the tablet’s surface on all tablets other than Intuos?

— Olaf
JO
Jim_Oblak
Aug 30, 2007
Just as one can get different effects with varying pressure, some paint software (coupled with capable tablets like Intuos) allows different effects when you change the angle of the stylus, just as you might with a pen or brush. The Graphire, which does not offer tilting capability, does not require you to hold the stylus strictly perpendicular. The Graphire simply does not care at what angle you hold the stylus.
OU
Olaf_Ulrich
Aug 30, 2007
Jim,

I see. That makes sense. Thank you for the explanation!

Does Photoshop belong to the kind of graphic software that can take advantage of a ’tilting stylus’? I’d guess it’s more useful for painting programs but not so much for Photoshop … or is it?

— Olaf
MB
Michael_Brower
Aug 30, 2007
Photoshop does recognize Pen Tilt for those graphic tablets that support it.
BD
Brett Dalton
Aug 31, 2007
for the "painters" out there check out ArtRage, it’s awsome with a tablet. I don’t know if it supports tilt but with a tablet of any type it is a great program, total size is under 10Mb but does a lot that PS wont when it comes to painting on a tablet or screen.

As for the intuos 3, it also has programable buttons on the edges and touchpad sliders which can also be programmed(pan/zoom or whatever), helps eliminate keyboards even more for most tasks. If you have a Cintiq 21X screen (latest model) the pen also work between the screen and table. previous versions this was not the case, you needed to buy a specialised tablet for that.

BRETT
P
Phosphor
Aug 31, 2007
ArtRage is one…

Alias SketchBook Pro is another.
DE
david_evanson
Aug 31, 2007
Fred Nirque wrote: Intuos 9×12 here – that’s Intuos Mk1, bought in March 2000. Still going accurately and faultlessly three computers and 7Β½ years later.

Same here, I had to check that my current PC has serial ports for the Intuos though πŸ™‚

If I ever need to replace it though I would get a smaller model than the 9×12 as I think they are more practical for photo-retouching.

I just wish Adobe would sort out the way they implement the Β‘tiltΒ’ on the airbrush after 3 Photoshop upgrades (7, CS CS2) it still works the wrong way round. It would be interesting to know if this is still a problem in CS3 but I plan on skipping this version anyway and waiting for CS4 Β– too many horror stories re CS3 πŸ™
BD
Brett Dalton
Sep 1, 2007
A serial to USB adaptor is cheep enough (under $35AU) if it came to that.

On sketchBook, whats the pricing like on that ArtRage is only $25, is there a lot of difference in the capabilities.

BRETT
FN
Fred_Nirque
Sep 2, 2007
My Intuos is USB. They were offered as either serial or USB as I recall. The reason for the upgrade was that the switch from Mac to PC meant my old ADB tablet was useless (would have been even if I had stayed with Mac – they had dropped ADB altogether by then).
C
chrisjbirchall
Sep 2, 2007
Just remember to keep the stylus out of the reach of your dog.

Your wife too.

When I quizzed Jayne about my stylus having gone missing, she informed me she’d tidied up my desk and thrown all the dead ball-pens in the waste bin! πŸ™‚
RK
Rob_Keijzer
Sep 2, 2007
πŸ™‚

Back in the eighties someone cheerfully found plenty of sketching paper in one of the drawers in my darkroom.

Rob
JJ
John_Joslin
Sep 2, 2007
Good job it wasn’t Picasso!
B
Buko
Sep 2, 2007
I’m using the Intuos3 6 x 11 I find this works much better across 2 monitors. Its made for wide screen monitors.
OU
Olaf_Ulrich
Sep 3, 2007
Thanks for all the replies everyone!

I ordered a Wacom Intuos3 A5 Wide (6" Γ— 11") from Amazon and expect it to arrive tomorrow.

I guess purely for photo editing an A6 Wide (4" Γ— 6"—the smallest Intuos3 model) would be large enough but even though photo editing will be the main use I plan to try my hand at some drawing, sketching, and painting, too. So I figured a slightly bigger size won’t do any harm. A still larger one, however, would definitely not fit my cluttered desktop … πŸ˜‰

— Olaf
ES
Ed_Stanford
Sep 9, 2007
I just bought an Intuos3 4×5 off ebay for about $150. I was initially looking at the Graphire4 4×5 for $75 on bestbuy.com, but missed the sale price, by the time I decided to pull the trigger on buying, it was back up to $105, so I scoured ebay for a few days and found the intuos.

What sold me on the Intuos was the extra buttons on the side of the pad, I wanted to be able to not have to move back and forth to the keyboard and tablet while working in PS. Plus, this is my first tablet and decided to go with the best I could afford. I was also thinking that if I didn’t find myself using it regularly in the next few months, I could put it back up on ebay and be able to recoup most of my money back.

I’ve been really impressed so far with it for photo editing. Much more control and precision than a mouse. I don’t foresee myself using the tablet exclusively on my pc as the mouse is a bit clumsy on such a small tablet. If I decide to go with just a tablet and ditch my trackball, I’ll probably look into one of the larger tablets just to have the area for the mouse. The mouse mapping is relative, while the pen is absolute (top corner of tablet is mapped to top corner of screen). I still like my trackball for general computing right now, but that may change as I use the tablet more.
B
Buko
Sep 9, 2007
Olaf, you will really like the 6 x 11. I have an Apple 23" Cinema HD with a Pallet monitor. I originally got the 6 x 8 but discovered that the horizontal strokes were too compressed. I took it back and got the larger tablet. now drawing is more natural.
OU
Olaf_Ulrich
Sep 10, 2007
Ed Stanford wrote:

The mouse mapping is relative, while the pen is absolute (top corner of tablet is mapped to top corner of screen).

This is the pen’s default behaviour but you can always switch it into relative mode if you wish, so it will behave like a mouse. I tried it but I like the absolute mode better for the the pen.

..
Buko wrote:

Olaf, you will really like the 6 x 11.

Indeed I do. It has arrived, it works great, and for photo editing I found it’s almost too big. I’ve set the tablet’s active working area to a smaller size, approx. 4" Γ— 5". A smaller size is more convenient for switching tools and selecting menus (shorter travel); a larger size is better for delicate retouching (more accuracy) … I am still experimenting with the possiblities. Currently I have a single-monitor setup but will get a second monitor in the near future. Then I guess the full size of the 6" Γ— 11" will be welcome. BTW I like the fact you can set and store all kinds of parameters (e. g. working area size, pen hardness, and so on) for each graphic application separately, and then the tablet will switch between the sets of preferences automatically.

— Olaf
MR
Mark_Reynolds
Sep 10, 2007
I have used a Graphire A6 at work for the last 3 years very happily, they are extremely durable and do 95% of what anyone would want a tablet for. I recently Bought an intuos A5 for freelance work to take on site, and its also absolutely great.

Intuos are really useful mainly if you do high end drawing or retouching (skin work particularly). They are more responsive to subtle pressure, thats the main selling factor. Tilt sensitivity for me just doesn’t really work anyway, never has done, I think its the way Abode have implemented it. The keys also are a bit "over egging the pudding" in my opinion.

Olaf, you have bought a great piece of kit though, that will last you many years if you look after it.
JJ
John_Joslin
Sep 10, 2007
As a side note, I can cover both monitors, from edge to edge with my small Graphire without taking my wrist off the desk.
CK
Christine_Krof_Shock
Sep 11, 2007
The 6-D art pen and the airbrush tool only work with the intuos…these can be really cool tools if you are using Corel Painter with your tablet as certain new brushes in Painter 10 are designed to work with these tools.

Also, a Richeson easel from Dick Blick is adjustable and will hold an intous 6×8 tablet securely…for those who like the fine art feel of drawing or illustrating in a vertical position

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