Wacom Tablets

jsedlak · December 29, 2007

I randomly found some money in my closet this year (on Christmas day no less) and so I took the dive and bought a Wacom Tablet. I settled on the 9x12 after discussing how I may regret buying a smaller size. It came yesterday and I was so excited but was not expecting how big it actually is. It is nearly 1.5'x1.5'!

After hooking it up and getting the correct drivers for Vista (Got the english european drivers) it is awesome! Detail editing photos and Microsoft OneNote are a dream to use now.

I recommend Wacom Tablets or Wacom based TabletPCs to anyone and everyone interested in the functionality.

Art Scott · December 29, 2007

From where did you purchase and for how much? I have a 4x6 version and want to go bigger myself.

Thanx

jsedlak · December 29, 2007

I actually purchased it from Amazon, but Newegg had it a similar price.

jsedlak · December 30, 2007

hehe.

Martyn · December 31, 2007

I have the same model and have not regretted buying it at all.

ShebaJo · December 31, 2007

bad...
you are a bad influence! i just moved the wacom tablet back up on my "gotta get" list. it had dropped a couple spots on my never ending list..
now it is back at the top

hgernhardtjr · December 31, 2007

I have used their tablets (various sizes) for many years now and currently also use their "air brush" pen as well as the standard pen. The 4x6 is ideal for smaller desktops and there is no real loss other than real estate with the 9x12, which requires larger hand/arm movements. Each has their place, but the 4x6 is probably a tad better for photo-editing IMHO.

BTW, the 12x19 is ideal for those needing to trace/digitize certain drawings; I find that large size klutzy for my photo editing and artwork, but accuracy is good when digitizing pre-existing drawings such as blueprints.

I use the 4x6 at home, and find it the ideal size for my smaller desk.

My only regret is that I wish my pockets were deep enough for their simply outstanding Cintiq ... I've tried one out and ........ DROOOOOOL!

bow

silica · December 31, 2007

I have a new 6x11 special edition on Ebay right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320202081682

BigAl · January 1, 2008

hgernhardtjr wrote:

Each has their place, but the 4x6 is probably a tad better for photo-editing IMHO.

I've found this as well - what I found is that I needed the same amount of space on the pad as I use for the mouse.

Art: I'm really interested here - do you feel you need more space? I remember a discussion on RetouchPro some years back and the consensus amongst photo restorers was the smaller pad was more efficient.

Martyn · January 1, 2008

For graphics work the larger pads are just right. However, I find mine too large for normal computer use and shrink the active area down.

photocat · January 1, 2008

I had a big one, or large, a bit in the range of letter paper, and I had set it up for a small part of the whole tablet. I used the same 5 inch all the time.
I gave it away (stupid, should have sold it) and got me a small one, the bamboo. And I am so much happier with the small one. It does not take up my whole desk space anymore, I can reach my keyboard with ease, instead of having it a meter away from me behind the tablet...
In fact, I would recommend the smallest one to anyone if they would ask me.
Less is more when it comes to tablets. I must say that I am really pleased with how the bamboo works. It has speed buttons, and a dial. Godly!

ShebaJo · January 1, 2008

Bamboo?
I have been looking at Wacom for a while, would love to have the big one, but reading comments here... mabye the largest isn't the best for photos? I would probably use a tablet 75% for photos, also us a little to convert pics to patterns for wood scroll art.

Would the Bamboo work well? Or would the regular Wacom be better?

THANKS

photocat · January 1, 2008

ShebaJo wrote:

I have been looking at Wacom for a while, would love to have the big one, but reading comments here... mabye the largest isn't the best for photos? I would probably use a tablet 75% for photos, also us a little to convert pics to patterns for wood scroll art.

Would the Bamboo work well? Or would the regular Wacom be better?

THANKS

I use a tablet mainly for photographs, and I find the smaller bamboo one a lot easier to work on then the big plate. I find that your movements are way more closer together on a small one, I find it tiring if I have to swirl over the whole surface of the tablet. So I had put my big one to small portion anyway.
Now I use the full (small) tablet, and I love it...
I would not have spent that much money on a big one had I known...
I'd say go for the small one...

colourbox · January 1, 2008

ShebaJo wrote:

... mabye the largest isn't the best for photos? I would probably use a tablet 75% for photos, also us a little to convert pics to patterns for wood scroll art.

I think you just described the two divergent reasons for getting one size or the other.

For photos, well, I have never owned a Wacom larger than 4x5, and I have a dual-monitor setup now! The reason it works is that the tablet resolution is so much finer than the screen, that you can operate a large screen area from a small tablet.

But this idea does not necessarily hold up outside of photo work. Someone who uses Painter or does other original non-photo fine-art brushed artwork on the computer, like paintings and drawings, would probably prefer a very large tablet. For fine-art work, a large tablet allows the sweeping arm motions that are done on a paper tablet or a paint canvas. These artists are not used to working on tiny 4x5 areas.

The second group needing larger tablets are the "tracers." Those who transfer sketchbook or other existing printed art to digital form via tracing with the tablet. They need a tablet area big enough to hold the paper they're tracing, and again the 4x5 will often not work for this.

If you are converting "pics to patterns for wood scroll art" through tracing, it may be best for you to get a Wacom of a size appropriate for your artwork. But when working with photos or doing general computer work, you may want to restrict the tablet working area to a smaller region of the tablet, as some have described earlier, so that you don't have to sweep your whole arm just to get to the opposite corner of the monitor.

For example, I found that the 4x5 worked fine on my dual monitors in all cases except Lightroom, in which for some reason the tablet felt wrong. I mostly solved it by using the Wacom control panel to add an application-specific setting for Lightroom only. When I am in Lightroom, the entire tablet is dedicated only to the one monitor Lightroom is on, and this gives me enough control. If I switch to another application, the tablet controls the area of both monitors, so I don't lose that. When I switch back to Lightroom, the tablet automatically switches area modes again.

Wacom Tablets

Comments