Tablets

LEViATHAN

Looking for a nice tablet, since texturing fine details with a (crappy) mouse tends to get very tedious after a while. Which ones do you recommend? Currently have my eyes on a Wacom Graphire 3, which I can get for about 55 USD. Yay or nay?

EarthQuake

graphire 3 is a fine tablet for a first one, and for $55 as well. Most people tend to like atleast a 6x8, but my first tablet was a 4x5 intous2 and it worked just fine for many years, tho i have to admit the larger space of the 6x8 makes it a lot more friendly to use.

LEViATHAN

Hmmm, also see a Medion A4 tablet for about the same price. Don't know if Medion is a shitty brand or not though.

EarthQuake

Dont buy anything but wacom, generic tablets always have bad problems. Usually they get a case of the jitterys, cursor jumping randomly, stop working randomly, etc etc. And also you have to replace the batteries for the pen, which wacom's dont require.

LEViATHAN

Alright, I'll go for the Wacom then. Thanks.

Neox

EarthQuake wrote: »

Dont buy anything but wacom

second that, it's a pity that there is no competition in this sector, but wacom holds the best patents and no one else can hold up to them, that's why the prices are pretty high

bugo

I have a Graphire 3 6x8 for 6 years now, and I didnt change it yet, cause i didnt need to, nice tablet to work with, but if you have more money, get intuos 3, its better, not so much, but it is.

SkullboX

Neox wrote: »

second that, it's a pity that there is no competition in this sector, but wacom holds the best patents and no one else can hold up to them, that's why the prices are pretty high

And coupled with brilliant marketing where they make pens for both out of the same cheap plastic and rubber, press the intuos pen into something extremely comfortable to use for hours on end, and use a hollowed out pencil as a mold for the other. Same goes for the shape of the actual tablet (although this appears to be alright with the graphire 3, I hate the high and steep sides of the graphire 4, but that does have a slightly better pen).

I use my tablet mainly for 3D animation without needing the additional pressure levels, but I wouldn't want to go back to the graphire again. I do wish they'd release a version without any buttons though. All mine have ever proven to be usefull for was spilling energydrink into, which killed them.

Still, the graphire is better than anything you can buy that's not from wacom.

edwardE

Check out the Bamboo from Wacom - I think it's replacing the Graphire line. One of the guys in my class had his Graphire break (no real fault of Wacom) and got a Bamboo, and I can attest that the build quality is FAR greater than the Graphire4 - I have a Graphire4 and an Intuos3, and the Bamboo is up to par with the Intuos as far as the general quality of the material goes - it even has the same paper-like texture on the pad instead of that washboard feeling on the Graphire's slick surface, as well as being thinner and having beveled, rounded edges so your wrist doesn't "drop off" of the edge when you're using the outer draw areas.

Needless to say, I was quite impressed.

As far as I know Graphire and Bamboo are technically identical regarding resolution and pressure levels - he's a digital painter and doesn't notice any difference (except that it feels way nicer).

LEViATHAN

Will check it out, thanks.

bugo

as i know, Graphire 3 versions were better than Graphire 4, and bamboo is almost the same as Graphire 3.

leilei

I can tell you this
when shopping for one, pretend the Genius brand does not exist

at all

this will help anyone serious about art. Trust me

Jonathan

Wacom Intuos 3 4x6

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823100003

Ryno

Intuos 3, 6" x 11". Love it. It's perfect for me. If you're working with dual widescreen monitors, I'd go for one of the wider tablets like this.

LEViATHAN

Went with the Graphire 3.