Graphic tablet suggestion

[eelnoraa]

I am thinking of getting a tablet for photo editing. I don't know anything about it, how much do they usually go for? can someone recommend a model?

eel

[TPG]

Wacom Intuos2

[ben_r_]

Wacom Intuos3.

[simwells]

I'd say stick with a Wacom, and ideally get an Intuos but if you don't wanna spend that much get a Bamboo Fun.

[Jon]

Make sure it's Wacom; you'll probably find a 6"x8" working area the best compromise between cost and control. Although I'd love to have the Cintiq.

[BeccaJ]

I just got a Wacom... gonna take some getting used to, but i think im gonna love it!

[nwa2]

I have a wacom for other purposes - anotating pdf's, I do not find it very helpful for photo editing.

[bishop13]

Wacom Intuos3.


+1. I've had my Intuos3 4x6 since XMas and I love it. Granted it depends on what you do when you're editing pictures, IMHO. If all you're doing is curves/levels, etc with no actual detail work, then you probably won't use it very much.

[cosworth]

Mine sits in a box. I just can't get the hang of it.

[eelnoraa]

I just look up Wacom Intuo3. It seems very pricey, definitely more than I expected.

I plan to use it for photo editing, like spot removing, .... things like that. I have been doing that with mouse, and my hand gets tired very soon. I was just thinking that a tablet will help me to speed up things and not put too much stress on my hand.

eel

[simwells]

I just look up Wacom Intuo3. It seems very pricey, definitely more than I expected.

I plan to use it for photo editing, like spot removing, .... things like that. I have been doing that with mouse, and my hand gets tired very soon. I was just thinking that a tablet will help me to speed up things and not put too much stress on my hand.

eel

Bamboo Fun model it is then.

[bishop13]

Honestly, with cloning/healing, then the Intuos3 would be a little much ($$$-wise). Probably the cheaper Bamboo Fun would be better, if you're really bent on getting a tablet.

[slimninj4]

Bamboo fun will be fine. If you find you need more later one then you can sell it. They had good resale value as long as you take care of it. I just sold one of mine on here a few weeks ago.

[doidinho]

I have the Bamboo Fun and love it ($99). You may be thinking that bigger is better, but that's not always the case with tablets. Unlike a mouse where you can move it, pick it up, set it in a new location, and continue moving the pointer from the same location on your screen where it was before you picked it up, each point on the table represents a point on the screen.

In order to move from one corner of the screen to the other you need to move your hand across the entire table. The bigger the table, the more hand movement that will be required. If you need more precision with the smaller table you can just zoom in more on the photo.

I'm not saying that one size is better than the other; however, I like my small tablet and feel that a larger tablet would crowd my workstation too much.

[CyberDyneSystems]

There used to be a line called Graphire, I'm guessing it's now "bamboo" ?
Anyway, I find the small graphire/bamboo to be my preference for photo editing.

[cosworth]

Wacom bought Graphire.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Wacom bought Graphire.

Not really, Graphire was always a Wacom product.
Graphire used to be the name of there "budget line" as opposed to the intous which had been previously marketed only towards high end and pros.

It simply looks like they renamed there budget line "bamboo".

[cosworth]

Yeah, I thought it was a seperate tablet series for some time but I look now and it was just clever branding:

http://www.wacom.com/history.html

[Bumgardnern]

Intou3 and love it. One of my friends had this tablet in his studio. I got to play with it for a few and fell in love. I actually got mine at Mac Authority for less than they sell them at BH or Adorama.

[PacAce]

Yeah, I thought it was a seperate tablet series for some time but I look now and it was just clever branding:

http://www.wacom.com/history.html

It was a separate tablet series. Where did you see that it was an actual brand? Or maybe we're just not using the term "brand" the same way.

[cosworth]

Branding and brand are different things. :)

GRAPHIRE! ..... by wacom. (in small letters or on the back)

[PacAce]

Branding and brand are different things. :)

GRAPHIRE! ..... by wacom. (in small letters or on the back)

I just take that to me that Wacom is the manufacturer and Graphire is the name of the tablet model. As in Mustang by Ford. Is Mustang the brand or is Ford the brand?

BTW, Jason, please explain branding vs brand since I'm in the dark about what the difference is. :|
Thanks.

[tmcman]

I moved up to the 6x8 hoping I could get finer control of the pen.
I make smoother lines on it than on the very smallest size.
It is the Graphire.
It is indispensable for PS work IMO.

[CyberDyneSystems]

When the original Graphires were discontinued and replaced with the Graphire 2, I found a site selling them off CHEAP.
...approx $30.00 US for the 4x5 and approx $50.00 US for the 6x8.

I bought a few.. :mrgreen:

I used to have an old series 1 Intuos ( it used a serial port! :lol: ) 12x9".
The first time I tried the 4x5" graphire for photo editing, I got rid of the large Intuos which had cost nearly 4X new. The size of the hand motions required when using the larger tablet was unneeded extra effort, and the precision is it offers at that size is never really needed for photo editing IMHO. On the very rare occasions that it is, simply zooming in and adjusting brush size compensates for it using a small 4x5" tablet.

I am a strong believer that for tablet for photo editing, less is more in this case.
The large tablets are more useful for drafting and digital paint applications.

IMHO the only sizes that should be considered for photo editing in PSCS is the smallest 4X5 and the 6X8. I use the 6X8 for a dual monitor set up. 4X5 is perfect for a single 21"Monitor IMHO.

[Headcase650]

I bought the small bamboo fun and think its perfect size, many times I have the working space on the tablet shrunk down to about 1/4th of the tablet. It comes with elements 5, painter essentials 3 and a nick filters applications, If you need the software then it pretty much makes the tablet free. I highly recommend this tablet.

[mishkin_360]

For some reason I could never really get used to using a tablet. I bought the 12 inch cintiq a month ago and I wish I would've bought one sooner. It's amazing. I work with graphics and such, so I take it to work and back home in my backpack.
http://www.wacom.com/cintiq/12WX.cfm

[Nice Glass]

I really enjoy using my Cintiq 12".

[greenxeyezz]

I would go with the cintiq 12 inch since it is very similar to the smaller tablets that you are using, but with having to work directly on screen rather than looking up.

Myself I am going for their new line of the cintiq 21 inch. only 2000 instead of 2500 which the cintiq has been at for the last 4 years, WOW doesnt lose any value, must be a nice investment, and if you do not like it, SELL!

[slappy sam]

The cintiq 12, while it seems like a sweet product, is most definetly overkill for this guy's needs. Its a $1000 tablet... the bamboo fun is $100.

[MDJAK]

I just take that to me that Wacom is the manufacturer and Graphire is the name of the tablet model. As in Mustang by Ford. Is Mustang the brand or is Ford the brand?

BTW, Jason, please explain branding vs brand since I'm in the dark about what the difference is. :|
Thanks.


Isn't branding what they do to horses, cattle and other livestock?

And man-o-man do I lust after the 21" Cintiq

[Mark1]

I have the Graphire4, love it but want a bigger one. And am dying for the Ciniq.

And "Brand" is the company... say, Coke

"Branding" is everything they do to get that name in your head...commercials, radio spots, letterhead, logo, event sponsoring, billboards, Basically another name for marketing,

[eelnoraa]

wow, how can this one year old thread be alive again???

Anyway, since I started it, I will update everyone who gave me some very useful advice.

I ended up trying a few brands of tablets. I ended up with Wacom Bamboo fun small size. Yes, Wacom is really better. The pointing and pressure sensitivity are more accurate and consistent. Driver for windows XP/Vista is also the most stable. It is definitely worth the additional $$.

As for size, I realized "bigger is NOT necessary" better. It will depend on what you want to do with the tablet. I found for normal LR or photoshop adjustment which is how I use it, the small size bamboo is good enough. Larger size require more hand movement to over the same area on screen. I think if you do a lot of painting, larger one will make things more accurate. Overall, I am very happy with bamboo.

After all of this, I suggest whoever looking for a budget tablet get at least the wacom bamboo.

[Jon]

wow, how can this one year old thread be alive again???
Mark was bored at the office today :{)#

[Mark1]

Not me... But I do get old threads that pop up in my "New Posts" search from the catagory bar. I can usually catch them and not reply. But sometimes they slip by. Like this one did on MDJACK.