Benefits of a graphics tablet..

[damien.murphy]

A graphics tablet has been something I have been considering on and off for a while, mainly for dodging and burning, and perhaps a little digital writing, etc.

While looking through the options, I see the functionality of graphics tablets is a lot greater than I had anticipated these days, and might even replace my mouse.

Just wondering anyones experiences of those who use graphics tablets, and what the potential benefits can be. Am pretty much completely new to anything graphic tablet-related 🙂

 

[hteasley]

I would avoid anything that isn't a Wacom. I haven't used their Bamboo series much, but their Intuos and Cintiqs are the bomb. I use a 21" Cintiq at work, and it has spoiled me, a lot, for using anything else. I have an Intuos at home, which is still awesome, although not the luxury that a Cintiq is.

 

[Sparrow]

Among the designers in my studio it was split about 50:50 between the loves and hates ... I don't get on with them, but my daughter loves hers, not much help eh? other than you probably need to try it yourself

 

[lynnb]

Get a Wacom. I use an Intuos 5x7 inch. Tablets give you far greater control in pp - the stylus is pressure sensitive, as are the tools in CS and LR (not sure about other software). Also, CS and LR increase the amount of controls available when they recognise you have a tablet connected.
Retouching/spotting dusty scans is also much faster as you can move and control the stylus much faster than a mouse.
The real advantage is in the delicacy of control you have with both the greater precision and pressure sensitivity of a tablet and stylus. I found it dramatically improved my post processing ability and technique.
Highly recommended.

 

[mdarnton]

I have my mouse trained to be very sensitive, so that I barely have to move my fingertips to do everything I want, and though I have a tablet, I find the large distances I need to move to be excessive, and the mouse is easier if you use the right button a lot, which I do. I got a tablet for someone who was doing editing for me, and he doesn't use it, and one for my wife, and she doesn't use it.

So I would say that their appeal is far from universal.

 

[damien.murphy]

I notice there is quite a bit of variation within the Wacom range, and not knowing enough to distinguish between them really, wonder what the real world differences are, as to be honest had not expected a graphics tablet to be so pricey.

In any case, cheers for the feedback and keep it coming. Dodging and burning with a mouse is no fun, and may give one a try at some point.. 🙂

 

[Gazzah]

I have one of the new Wacom bamboo tablets - and it s great, much better than the versions.
It doesnt replace my mouse - never could but for editing its a real boon. As you can see there are people tha can not get on with them so its best to try for yourself if possible...
The bamboo is cheap enough that you can try it out and see if the whole tablet thing is for you..

 

[craygc]

I think it really depends on the application. In no way is it a general mouse replacement. 4/5" x 6/7" is the sweet spot dimension range for most use; any bigger and your arm will ache from use, irrespective on screen size. I use one extensively for freehand brush work in Photoshop on images; I couldn't work without one, basically painting in curve or level adjustments via the history brush - something similar to dodging and burning. Outside of brush work and drawing, tablets start to become less practical as compared to a mouse or track pad.

...and as others have said, Wacom

 

[hteasley]

One of the things to understand with the tablet is that the input mapping can be changed. It defaults to a geographic mapping to your screen, so the upper left of the tablet is the upper left of your screen. If you pick up the stylus from the upper left, and place it down in the lower right, the cursor snaps to the lower right. I hate that mapping.

I change mine to "mouse" mapping, even when using the stylus. In mouse mapping, when you pick up your pen/puck, the cursor stays where it is, and when you place your stylus back down, the cursor stays where it is, and you begin moving from there.

The feel is very different, and I think some folks get turned off from tablets because they don't know they can change the mapping. I use my Intuos at home as a mouse replacement: it comes with a puck, and in mouse mapping mode, the tablet makes a fine mouse replacement.

 

[sevo]

I notice there is quite a bit of variation within the Wacom range, and not knowing enough to distinguish between them really, wonder what the real world differences are

Well, as far as pen capability goes, all of them are fine for spotting photographs.

If they did not seem to be permanently shrinking, I'd recommend a Bamboo - affordable, and good enough even for serious spotting work. But these don't seem to be available in sizes above A6 any more, and the minimum size I can recommend would be A5 (which they made in the past). But tablets seem to last forever, so you could pick up a used one with little risk.

The Intuos series can register tilt in addition to pressure, nice in theory, however photographers usually won't work their tablet hard enough to master that extra degree of freedom. But given the available sizes that may be what you'd have to buy, if you want to buy new.

The Cintiq series are Intuos with integrated displays, which pretty much does away with all learning curve. But then even the smallest cost a arm and a leg and you'll need a multi-screen capable colour calibration tool in addition, so these set you off by at least five times the Intuos price. And combining something as long-lived as a tablet (my oldest one is past 17 years now) with something as short-lived as a monitor could be considered somewhat wasteful.

 

[damien.murphy]

One of the things to understand with the tablet is that the input mapping can be changed. It defaults to a geographic mapping to your screen, so the upper left of the tablet is the upper left of your screen. If you pick up the stylus from the upper left, and place it down in the lower right, the cursor snaps to the lower right. I hate that mapping.

I change mine to "mouse" mapping, even when using the stylus. In mouse mapping, when you pick up your pen/puck, the cursor stays where it is, and when you place your stylus back down, the cursor stays where it is, and you begin moving from there.

The feel is very different, and I think some folks get turned off from tablets because they don't know they can change the mapping. I use my Intuos at home as a mouse replacement: it comes with a puck, and in mouse mapping mode, the tablet makes a fine mouse replacement.

Just curious, am I right in saying that a graphics tablet like the Wacom can be used with Apple track-pad like gestures, if one wanted to use it instead of a mouse

 

[sevo]

Just curious, am I right in saying that a graphics tablet like the Wacom can be used with Apple track-pad like gestures, if one wanted to use it instead of a mouse

That has nothing to do with (relative vs. absolute) mapping. Some can be used with touch and gesture inputs - the last time I read that up mostly in their consumer (Bamboo) range, and none of their biggest and most advanced ones. But that may have changed.

 

[Gazzah]

The bamboo has an on tablet switch so you can enable or disable touch control - you can program in a number of gestures, but Ive never really used that facility much, more to do with being lazy than any technical reason 🙂 .

All this talk of the Intuos or Cintiq ranges are a bit over the top for someone who hasnt used a tablet - these are serious money to outlay on something you may not like - try the cheap ones first then move up if it suits.

 

[damien.murphy]

Well, as far as pen capability goes, all of them are fine for spotting photographs.

If they did not seem to be permanently shrinking, I'd recommend a Bamboo - affordable, and good enough even for serious spotting work. But these don't seem to be available in sizes above A6 any more, and the minimum size I can recommend would be A5 (which they made in the past). But tablets seem to last forever, so you could pick up a used one with little risk.

The Intuos series can register tilt in addition to pressure, nice in theory, however photographers usually won't work their tablet hard enough to master that extra degree of freedom. But given the available sizes that may be what you'd have to buy, if you want to buy new.

The Cintiq series are Intuos with integrated displays, which pretty much does away with all learning curve. But then even the smallest cost a arm and a leg and you'll need a multi-screen capable colour calibration tool in addition, so these set you off by at least five times the Intuos price. And combining something as long-lived as a tablet (my oldest one is past 17 years now) with something as short-lived as a monitor could be considered somewhat wasteful.

Cheers Sevo, that is a really useful distinction between the ranges

 

[damien.murphy]

If they did not seem to be permanently shrinking, I'd recommend a Bamboo - affordable, and good enough even for serious spotting work. But these don't seem to be available in sizes above A6 any more, and the minimum size I can recommend would be A5 (which they made in the past). But tablets seem to last forever, so you could pick up a used one with little risk.

Perhaps the Bamboo may be the one for me. I see one for sale here that is about 12 inches x 7 inches, with an active area of about 6 inches x 4 inches within that according to the spec, and may check that out.

 

[intheviewfinder]

Very soon the mouse, and probably the tablet, will be obsolete. You can try this for $70USD.

--Rich

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

Try to borrow one for a while.
I remember when the first tablets came out. I bought the largest Wacom for our design studio. It sat unused for years.

Years later, for myself, i decided to get a Wacom. I got a smaller version - the one i have is a relatively recent edition, and has the latest features. But, again, i really don't use it. It's cool when i do, but to be honest, it's just kind of a (small) pain to pull it out, grab the pen, and then re-acquaint myself with it. It's just so much easier to do the same work with my trackball.

If you're going to be doing a lot of that kind of work, sure, maybe it's worthwhile. I've worked with designers who ONLY use a small pad - for everything, instead of a mouse. But, for occasional stuff, in my experience, there's sort of a disconnect. I sometimes find myself doing photo editing, finishing, and then remembering the pad is sitting there on the scanner. I don't miss it.

Whatever you do, don't feel you need the largest model. The bigger they are, the more cumbersome and the less you'll want to bother. Keep it set up next to your mouse, so it's not something you have to get up to retrieve and/or plug in....

 

[damien.murphy]

Very soon the mouse, and probably the tablet, will be obsolete. You can try this for $70USD.

--Rich

I like it! Am kinda surprised now that I think about it that we have not seen this sort of technology come to computing prior to now, especially all the developments in this area by Nintendo with their Wii and Microsoft with their Xbox Kinnect. Also imagine it would be easier to implement with a computer, given the restricted range of motion, as compared to someone standing in front of a tv playing a video game.

In any case, great link and thanks for sharing. Pity a product was not available now to play around with 🙂

 

[damien.murphy]

Try to borrow one for a while.
I remember when the first tablets came out. I bought the largest Wacom for our design studio. It sat unused for years.

Years later, for myself, i decided to get a Wacom. I got a smaller version - the one i have is a relatively recent edition, and has the latest features. But, again, i really don't use it. It's cool when i do, but to be honest, it's just kind of a (small) pain to pull it out, grab the pen, and then re-acquaint myself with it. It's just so much easier to do the same work with my trackball.

If you're going to be doing a lot of that kind of work, sure, maybe it's worthwhile. I've worked with designers who ONLY use a small pad - for everything, instead of a mouse. But, for occasional stuff, in my experience, there's sort of a disconnect. I sometimes find myself doing photo editing, finishing, and then remembering the pad is sitting there on the scanner. I don't miss it.

Whatever you do, don't feel you need the largest model. The bigger they are, the more cumbersome and the less you'll want to bother. Keep it set up next to your mouse, so it's not something you have to get up to retrieve and/or plug in....

Good advice, I think the drawer is the death knell for any peripheral. From time to time I get out my usb card reader and dust it off, but more often it simply lives in a drawer, and I plug the camera directly into the computer.

Unfortunately don't know anyone with one to try it, so may just have to put my money where my mouth is. That said, for my intended usage, I can't see any more enjoyable way to dodge and burn, or write digitally, so can't imagine it gathering dust altogether, but rather be there to be called upon.

By the way, speaking of writing digitally, has anyone seen the actor Jeff Bridges website. I remember when I first saw it a few years ago it blew my mind. Has some interesting images too, being a photographer himself in his free time. Shoots with a widelux. http://www.jeffbridges.com/main.html

 

[sevo]

I like it! Am kinda surprised now that I think about it that we have not seen this sort of technology come to computing prior to now,

3d scanning gesture controllers are not that new - I used several for video art installations starting in the early nineties, and even back then there was a choice among several that could be bought off the shelf. Arguably this thing seems to be way more accurate, but even back then it did not fail on accuracy, but on comfort. The only niche where these devices succeeded was for hand tracking in consumer research.

Then and now waving your hands about in front of a monitor stinks in terms of ergonomics - manipulating the air in front of you without any resistance is much harder than it might seem, and can hardly be done for hours on end, as any T'ai Chi practitioner can tell you. And doing so at a micro scale is even more strenuous. I severely doubt that this thing will make it into a mouse replacement for nine-to-five jobs...