Your thoughts on tablets...

Asmuel

I've been drawing with my mouse for so long now I think its about time I get a tablet of some sort. I'm interested to hear any thoughts you guys have on the subject. They're pricey, but is it worth forking out the $$ in your opinion? Is 6X8 too small? how easier has it made concepting/texturing for you? Do you have any recommendations? etc. etc.

Wacom seems to be pretty much the type to go for. I'd love a cintiq, but at almost 6K here its a little out of my price range

... or a lottle

bounchfx

dude. I was just thinking earlier how much harder it is to do anything with a mouse now.

DEFINITELY worth it. Wacom all the way from what i've seen used. Not sure about the sizes, I've heard bigger is better but I've only used my dinky 4x5 or whatever XD.

Totally worth the money. check out the wacom intuous 3 line, very solid.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883100016
http://www.wacom.com/intuos/

gauss

Wacom Intuos 3 some of the best money I ever spent on technology... or on most anything, really. Intuos 3 has the buttons and scrollers on the side which are crucial to good workflow; get the size you're most comfortable with. I personally prefer the 8x12 (got it bundled with Painter IX), but a lot of people like the 6x8.

NeoShroomish

I have one... Don't use it much though. That said, I'm not very good at drawing and from what people are saying, it probably will help you a lot if you do that kind of stuff.

rollin

jee i´m with gauss... this thing is awesome

hawken

also depends on your monitor setup. If you are using two screens or a widescreen, get the intuos3 A5 wide. If not, you should get any intuos or graphire. Despite the intuos3 being the best, as a beginner to the series, anything from the wacom line would suit you. The A3 models are a good starting point, my advice is not to go any higher in size at this point until you figure out what it is you do with the tablet the most. I used to have an A4 model but it was a royal pain to take around with my laptop. Not to mention a lot of leg work.

A tip; to stop fatigue, use your wacom infront of your keyboard, not to the side.

coldwolf

I got a Graphire3 because it was all I could afford, and it's nice to have... but it's taken me so long to get used to. It's difficult to adjust to looking at your screen while putting your pen down somewhere else. So where I thought I put my pen down, wasn't where I wanted at all because I couldn't see how far my pen was from the tablet. My sketches just looked like a chicken jumped and scratched all over my digital canvas.

That, and the surface is all hard plastic so my pen slips and slides everywhere. I've sort of adjusted (forced me to calm the fuck down and draw a steady stroke) but it's impossible for me to get a perfectly long steady line due to the slippery-ness.

Long story short, Cintiq is the win, but since you can't afford it (wait, there are people who can afford it?), go with the Intuos line--they have felt tips that feel more like pencil and paper, so you'll at least adjust quickly with that aspect. i.e. do NOT get a Graphire...

Asmuel

Thanks for the feedback dudes, very helpful

Anyone had any experiances with the 15 inch version of the cintiq? It has half the pressure levels of the other tablets and half the data rate etc. and they seem to be marketed at the health industry etc. so I kinda get the impression it might not be good for artists. I found a DTF-520 on the net (DTF-521 is the newer version) for about a third the price of a cintiq is why I ask. But theres a chance it might end up being an oversized palm pilot.

Other than that a 6X8 intuos looks like it could be the ticket.

Gmanx

I would agree with all those saying it's a must have. Like Hawken I have the intuos A5 wide, to match my wide monitor. I use my tablet for pretty much all computer tasks, and my mouse is only really used for gaming. You're a lot less likely to get RSI problems with a good tablet.

TheWinterLord

I got a graphire and it took me 2 days and some adjustment of pencil/brush settings to draw just as I did with paper and pen. A wacom is a must have for texturing and digital art :P
ah i need to try the other tablets...

Vitor

Got an Intuos3 A5 a couple years ago, and god, i wish i bought it earlier. Even for modeling on max i use it.

thnom

My experience is kind of weird. I bought a graphire brand new and I hated it; couldn't get used to it. I sold it then saw a 'PenPartner' on eBay. It's an old style tablet, the pre-decessor to the graphire. Its the old version and I still have and love it. Its not USB (serial) but I don't know why, I just prefer it. I think its the not fancy design. The Graphire had all this uneccessary colour and stuff whilst the penpartner is an older sturdier model.

PS. I still do see this old style 'PenPartner' on ebay all the time. If you want a nice tablet to see how it goes and short of funds I'd go with that. It uses the latest drivers, etc.

EmAr

I used to have an A6 graphire3, it was too small for anything. So I got an A5 UCLogic tablet for a cheap price. The UCLogic turned out to be a bad tablet. It used to freeze in Photoshop and sometimes lose the pressure sensitivity and act like a mouse. I tried new and old drivers but no difference at all... So I got this A5 Graphire4 which I'm currently using. I don't use a mouse at all anymore. It took some time getting used to but it's really comfortable now.

Ramucho

I have a refurbished intuos2 A4 oversize (12*12 inches) from the wacom online shop, excellent tablet only problem is when u travel (it's HYOOOOOGE!). Bought it for 249 bucks quite a good bargain.

Spark

I personally use a cintiq, can't remember the model but it is the large 21" monitor/drawing tablet. It takes a bit to get used to, but its awesome since I use my tablet pen to model/zbrush or mud/and paint with. Also, my cintiq didn't cost $6,000 like your saying there priced at, I did some homework and found a new one for around $2,500.. still pricey but worth it in my book.

Spark

Rob Galanakis

Remember that these things don't really become outdated or need upgrading. Buy an Intuos3 now and you can be using it for a freakin decade. Tablets have probably the best devaluation of any computer hardware, because they are so good for so long; a used Intuos1 will probably still cost you over $100.

Get the biggest and best tablet you can afford and then some (one of the few times I'd suggest going well beyond your budget). It will be well worth it, IMO.

ElysiumGX

Worth every penny. I actually bought mine with a tax return several years ago. It's an Intuos3 6x8. Perfect size. Large enough for precise details, and conveniently fits in a backpack. I wouldn't want anything larger at this point. I can't imagine painting with a mouse ever again.

oXYnary

The decreased RSI of not having to use a mouse is another huge benefit. Plus, with the Intuos 3 you do have the side buttons to help with common tasks.

Just got to watch your hand angle so you don't suddenly zoom in or out.

Mark Dygert

What Hawkin said...

hawken

I havent used a mouse for about 4 years

swampbug

I use a Joystick. It doubles as a flight Sim controller too. Convenient !

Asmuel

Thanks for all the replys guys its very helpful.

@ spark: Yea 6K is what they cost in my country and in NZD, so its more like 4500 USD. Wacom don't ship directly to NZ so people seem to find it a good opportunity to rip you off, they all charge about the same here, plus shipping must cost a few hundred bucks for them. If anyone knows a online shop that sells wacom products and ships internationally then I would be interested to know, the USD is relatively low right now so its a good time to buy.

b1ll

Wacom site, as tons of link to approved cintiq seller. Thats where u will get best deal, especialy on shipping.

In all honesty, it realy depend what kind of artist u are. I use mine everyfucking days, for fucking hours. For me a Cintiq was essentiel...

But if its just for painting here and there or for the kicks of it, ur better of with intuos or graphire..

But it seem we always have this fucking thread Lol. CINTIQ!

Asmuel

Thanks for the input b1ll, I was wondering what you used because your texturing owns.

I found the extremely well hidden buywacom store for new zealand. Wacom sell cintiqs directly for 5,535 NZD here, I cant understand why it costs an extra 2k NZD to buy them in my country even directly absolute bullshit. I looked it up and for that price I could fly to California, stay in a flash hotel for 5 nights, buy a cintiq and fly back. I sent an email out to an american online store for a shipping quote on a cintiq just to get an idea of how much it would cost.

I think I'll see if I can try a few different models locally also. But unless I win the lottery, I think an intuos is the front runner right now.

hawken

ebay?

wacoms are dirt cheap here in japan. namely because they make them here

Jeremy Wright

I have a question. My wife got ahold of an old wacom graphire2 that 'didn't work'. Well, it turns out only the pen didn't work (after trying with hers), so if I can find a pen I have a working tablet. Do you guys know if the graphire4 pens are compatible with older models like the graphire2? I ask because I can't find anything but the graphire4 pens on the web.

thanks.

sonic

8ftspider: I used my Graphire3 (I think) pen on an old Graphire1 I got for free and it worked. I wouldn't doubt that it is the same exact thing.

Asmuel

Hey, seeing as this topic got bumped I have another question.

I still havent bought a cintiq yet, and I'm wondering if anyone has had to send their cintiq back for repairs or got a cintiq with problems? The reason I ask is I can get one sent from America for $2800 instead of paying $4500 if I buy it locally, but the problem is once it leaves America the warranty is void.

sonic

Well, if something fucks up I'm sure you can use the extra $1700 to pay for repairs

Spark

Asmuel, I have had mine for just under a year, and the one at work is going on a year as well, So far both work like a dream, and haven't had any problems, except a dead pixel on my work cintiq:( Though, it is thankfully in the bottom right hand corner of the screen so I don't notice it much. Good luck on your purchase.

Spark

Asmuel

@ Sonic - yea thats true

@ Spark - Thanks for your comments man

The 12wx is available now in North America I believe, and you can pre-order them for 1799 in Australia and the will ship in December. Thats a lot less than the 3890 the 21ux costs in Aussie, so I might consider getting a lil one instead. I don't know what they will cost in NZ, I send an email to Wacom NZ but I doubt those assholes will reply, they didnt reply to my last email. If it costs significantly less, I might go with that.

Asmuel

Has anyone heard of or had any experience with these before?

http://www.xp-pen.com/products/xpc.htm

A 17 inch monitor with 1024 pressure levels sounds like the perfect specs for me, and its the cheapest LCD option. There are some worries with it, like it might have usability issues you cant really know about till you use it. And there aren't any reviews for it on the net which is, annoying. I'll ask about shipping, warranty's, and a return policy.

Anyway, I'll continue my search for the best tablet I can find for myself, and write review here on what I choose in the hope it helps someone else on their search. 12WX wont be shipping here till January I found out, which is longer than I want to wait, but we will see.

Ruz

I have stuck with the basic graphire series and they work fine for me.cheap as hell too

pliang

Wacom Graphire (ET series)...had it since 2002 and hasn't broken down once.

It's still working like store bought and gets the job done.