Briefly: Wacom Bamboo review
In brief: We've published a review of the Wacom Bamboo series, there are 10 new ways to trick out your MacBook, a new tutorial explains how to make icons for Mac OS X, the Firefox 3 beta has debuted, ...
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My little Wacom tablet is one of the best value-for-money computer peripherals that I ever bought. I cannot imagine working in Photoshop without it.
I've always heard great things about them. Just might have to splurge and get myself one after the new year.
I'm also in line to get one...still dealing with the sore wrist/carpal tunnel deal. Got a wrist support, but I'm finding it very cumbersome to wear (despite it helping). Those Photoshop paths are the killer, for me.
Is Wacom the way to go? Why is "Tablet A" $100 and "Tablet B" $200? Anything in particular I should look for when shopping for one? Virgin tablet user here...
Wacom tablets are way cool.
I have a Intuos 3 4x6 at work and a Graphire 2 4x6 at home.
The one at home I've had for about 5-6 years and I use it every day, the Intuos 3 is newish, about a year old now.
I like the smaller size so that I don't have to move my arm around too much while I draw with the pen. It's kinda like when you're writing a letter, you don't really move your hand and arm around a 21 inch surface area.
They work great in Illy (my fave) and in Photoshop. Making masks and doing retouching is just soooo easy and intuitive. I relate to using a mouse for these things "it's like drawing with a brick".
Also the fact that the mouse and pen are wireless makes them even easier to use.
We used to have some here about 15 years ago on our SGI boxes that had a wired pen, talk about clunky, and on top of that, they had these huge tablets. It made working on things so laborious.
I think the major difference in the price is for some of the features on the tablet and the pen. Myself, I don't use the buttons on the tablet, except for the scroll pad, and I've had to disable the button on the pen cause I keep squeezing it and it screws me up to look and I've got some menu on the screen or something else wacky going on.
Not sure which one I would pick today if I were to get one. The Intuos 3 is really nice, slightly overpriced at 299US, the Bamboo looks cool, not sure what you get for the 79 dollars tho. My original Graphire 2 cost me about 120US when I got it.
well if youre still interested, i just got the small "Bamboo" 4x5 with pen only for under $60 NEW @ amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Bamboo-Small-Pen-Tablet-Only/dp/B000V9T2JA/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1202170364&sr=8-1
Its Wacom, so im hoping the quality is there, but it does only have 512 levels of sensitivity vs. the intuos' 1024
i wanted to go something more "pro", but its better than dropping $300 just to find out I dont like it.
I'm pretty sure you'll like it once you get use to using a pen.
You probably won't notice the difference in sensitivity. I don't between the two I use (Graphire 2 and Intuos 3).
You can set the level in the pref pane once it's installed and it will feel just like you're writing with a ball point pen.
I haven't even had to replace the nibs in all the years I've used mine at home. The color retouchers here replace the nibs all the time. I think they don't have the sensitivity set right and they bear down on the pen tip too much.
congrats and I think you'll enjoy it!
Cheers,
David
$60.49 on Amazon now. I'm really, really tempted to get this and will probably take the plunge this week. I'm often hesitant to buy yet more gadget crap, but everyone's feedback here sounds encouraging.
do it!
do it!
do it!
do it!
do it!
do it!
do it!
no pressure!
You're making me miss my tablet, haven't had one since system8? Big-old humky Wacom but I loved it just the same. I should do it too at that price, but I just don't seem to need it nearly as much as I used to, these days.
But Gnub, I can vouch same as David, it's better ergonomics for your wrist than pushing a brick!
well, to my surprise its already arrived, even with amazon standard shipping (usually takes 3 weeks)
ive been fooling with it for a couple of hours now, must say its well worth the price. navigation is a bit tricky but that will come natural in time i guess. ive been tracing/shading images in photoshop, it handles really well, and i was weary of the small tablet size, but it dosent seem like thats even going to be an issue. trying to keep a light hand is going to take some practice, and it seems that once you apply weight to a stroke, you cant 'let up' on the pen to reverse the pressure, but im sure i just havent figured it out yet. so far, so good!
I found the smaller tablets are a lot easier to work with and don't take up a lot of desk space. I don't like moving my arm around the desk that much and the smaller tablet works great for that.
As far as the pen pressure thing, you can set the pressure in the system prefs/other/wacom tablet (which shows up when you install the driver). Once set there, you can also set it in Photoshop for some brushes as to use pressure or not.
In CS3, it's in your brush pallet under "other dynamics".
<------ (jealous)
Silly question maybe but do you tablet users only use the pen? I mean does it replace the mouse entirely or do you have them both hooked up and use the pen for just photoshop and the mouse for other things? I'd like to see how far I can toss this damn mighty mouse that requires constant cleaning of it's itty-bitty scroll ball.
Good question Joe, I used to keep both hooked up and swap around all over the place as fancy struck me. If I got a new tablet today, I'd prolly do the same.
I use both, depending on what I'm doing at the time.
Like, I'll use the pen in Illustrator and Photoshop, but I will also use it if I happen to be surfing the net while I'm in Illy or PS. I may switch to the mouse for some things. I keep my pen holder tucked at the top of the tablet so it's never far away.
At home my wife uses the mouse exclusively.
Thanks. :givebeer:
just following up after 2-3 weeks of use..
verdict? for $60 - well worth it. the bamboo is a solid little unit. once you figure out its little quirks, its fun as hell to sketch in PS, and penwork in illy is a lot better. Im not an illustrator by any means, but this helps... I dont think im skilled enough to go intuos though, ill save that cash for something else. I dont see myself parting with the mouse though. I can move a lot faster with the mouse then the pen, but holy shit, making masks in photoshop is really easy now.
Quote from: david on February 05, 2008, 12:45:12 PMdo it!
do it!
do it!
do it!
do it!
do it!
do it!
I did it. Set it up yesterday and said "ooh!" and "ahhh!". Will be playing with it more today, will take some getting used to. I dig the screen zoom pad on the tablet! I don't dig the excessive packaging it came in - a box sleeve, a box, a foldout box just to hold a disc. Into the recycler they go.
congrats Gnub!!!
I think you'll like it once you get over the over packaging (is that a word?)...
send it to the recycle bin and say a prayer for a tree.
which tablet did you finally decide on?
Quote from: delooch on February 20, 2008, 04:33:02 PMjust following up after 2-3 weeks of use..
verdict? for $60 - well worth it. the bamboo is a solid little unit. once you figure out its little quirks, its fun as hell to sketch in PS, and penwork in illy is a lot better. Im not an illustrator by any means, but this helps... I dont think im skilled enough to go intuos though, ill save that cash for something else. I dont see myself parting with the mouse though. I can move a lot faster with the mouse then the pen, but holy shit, making masks in photoshop is really easy now.
Same here. Have now been using Bamboo for a month now - wow, what a difference. I've stopped wearing my wrist support because I just don't feel the fatigue and strain I did using my mouse. Doing Photoshop paths is so much easier now, much more precise. I use the tablet for everything, all programs, not just graphics.
I'm just waiting for the day when I pick up the pen and try to start writing on paper with it. It's going to happen sooner or later.
Wow, no pain? that's great gnub! :cool:
you do know now that you have a tablet, you should have a nifty little program working on your mac called Ink (look at your system prefs panes).
It let's you write with your pen (on the screen, of course).
pretty slick
Quote from: david on February 05, 2008, 07:30:07 AMI'm pretty sure you'll like it once you get use to using a pen.
You probably won't notice the difference in sensitivity. I don't between the two I use (Graphire 2 and Intuos 3).
You can set the level in the pref pane once it's installed and it will feel just like you're writing with a ball point pen.
I haven't even had to replace the nibs in all the years I've used mine at home. The color retouchers here replace the nibs all the time. I think they don't have the sensitivity set right and they bear down on the pen tip too much.
I've now had my pen & tablet for several months. It's totally replaced my mouse, I use it for everything.
The tip is wearing down rather rapidly and I don't press hard. Also the tablet is distinctly more worn on one side (strangely it's the area that represents my browser window :laugh:) How quickly are others going through the pen tips and what is involved in replacing them?
the pen tips just slide in and out.
You may need a tweezers or needle nose pliers (or long fingernails) to pull it out.
I have never had to replace either of my nibs (as they are called) on my two tablets I use, but the color retouchers here have to order them all the time. They will wear them down to a nub.
Does your tablet have a translucent overlay on it? If so, they are replaceable, as well.
Quote from: david on July 16, 2008, 12:35:26 PMDoes your tablet have a translucent overlay on it? If so, they are replaceable, as well.
No, it does not. I have the Wacom Bamboo.
my Graphire 2 has an overlay but the Intuos does not.
It's really handy, if you want to trace photos or some printed art without scanning it in.
But it does show wear pretty quickly, whereas the Intuos without the overlay does not.
Did your bamboo come with replacement nibs?
Quote from: david on July 16, 2008, 12:52:59 PMDid your bamboo come with replacement nibs?
No, I have model MTE-450. The nib better be replaceable or I'm going to be disgruntled and Wacom will hear about it. Their ridiculously excessive packaging for the tablet was bad enough.
At work I use a Wacom with my right hand and a Kensington trackball with my left hand, the trackball works better if you need the cursor to stay in one place, I have shaky hands so that type of thing doesn't work well with the pen. At home I have a smaller Wacom, I agree with the person who said the smaller tablets are easier to work with plus they are quite a bit cheaper. I love the cordless mouse that came with the smaller tablet.
-Rat