# Wacom Tablet



## kdthomas (Dec 27, 2014)

I've been thinking about getting a tablet, and have been considering this product:

Amazon.com: Wacom Intuos Pro Pen and Touch Large Tablet (PTH851): Computers & Accessories

I have a Macbook Pro 15" purchased in October.
Couple of questions:

Has anyone used this specific product?
Was it worth the money?
What kind of trouble did you have (if any)
Does it work with the "pressure sensitive" brushes in PS?
Many thanks in advance!
--Kerry


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## Nevermore1 (Dec 27, 2014)

My daughter and I both have the smaller Wacom tablets (the mid size one in their Bamboo series) and we love them.  They are pressure sensitive.  I occasionally use mine and my daughter has pretty much worn hers out from constant use doing drawing and other graphics in Gimp.  The only issue we had was the usual adjustments - getting used to a pen and "paper" type setup as opposed to a mouse or trackball to move around the screen.  Since I have the lower end I can't speak much about the value for the $ on this specific one but can say that my ex who was a graphic design major in school has been using Wacom tablets for over 20 years.


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## Trever1t (Dec 27, 2014)

I use this tablet, the medium is plenty big enough, It has a learning curve, is frustrating at times ... but I wouldn't go back to editing with a mouse ever.


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## fotomonkey (Dec 27, 2014)

I agree that medium is plenty. I have a much older Intuos 6x8 and it's the (imho) perfect size. I also use a laptop so the tablet is usually on my lap, not on a desk. I think that once you use a tablet you'll be hard-pressed to go back to the mouse for editing. It'll feel so much more natural. It's definitely pressure-sensitive which you can't do with a mouse. Do it. You'll love it!


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## Gary A. (Dec 27, 2014)

I'm taking a PhotoShop class and I been introduced/using a tablet ... I will be getting one soon.


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## KmH (Dec 27, 2014)

Yep, the Intuos Medium was just the right size for me.


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## tirediron (Dec 27, 2014)

Medium user here too!


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## acparsons (Dec 27, 2014)

I'm getting one next week. My plan is to try the $50 model to check it out and then upgrade when necessary.


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## JimMcClain (Dec 28, 2014)

I use the small - and then I map the screen area to less than 1/4 the area so I don't have to move my arm to go from one side of the screen to the other. I can still make minute brush adjustments. For photography, a small is all you really need.

Jim


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## dennybeall (Dec 29, 2014)

I had a time deciding but ended up with a medium and that's turned out to be the right one for me. I use the pen most of the time doing anything that has to do with pixel manipulation but shift to the Wacom mouse to handle files and such where a Right Click is involved. You can do it all with the pen, I just find it easier to grab the mouse at times.  Have to be careful not to have both on the tablet surface at the same time as it gets very confused.......


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## JustJazzie (Dec 29, 2014)

acparsons said:


> I'm getting one next week. My plan is to try the $50 model to check it out and then upgrade when necessary.


Didn't realize they had a model so inexpensive! Now I've got to add this to my list of maybes!!


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## Scatterbrained (Dec 29, 2014)

kdthomas said:


> I've been thinking about getting a tablet, and have been considering this product:
> 
> Amazon.com: Wacom Intuos Pro Pen and Touch Large Tablet (PTH851): Computers & Accessories
> 
> ...


Of course it's worth the money!    There's a reason why the Intuos is ubiquitous amongst serious photographers and retouchers.      Personally,  I think the large will be too big.  It may even be bigger than your laptop itself!       I use a medium on a 24" screen, but before that I was using the Intuos 3 in a small and it was just fine.   I'd say a small is all you will need with your laptop.   One thing that you may or may not have an issue with is the touch functionality (where the tablet works like a touch screen).    I personally turned the touch functionality off as it was driving me up the wall.   Other than that   I would say that a tablet is absolutely essential to serious retouching work, and for photography you're not going to get better than the intuos pro (unless you want to drop the coin on a Cintiq)


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## acparsons (Dec 29, 2014)

Amazon.com: Wacom Wireless Bamboo Touch-Pad with Digital Stylus (CTH300K): Computers & Accessories


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## Connor Hibbs (Dec 31, 2014)

Glad to see you went with the medium size. When first purchasing a tablet 5 years ago, I thought bigger was better. I am now using the medium intuos pro and I could not live without it. I use a mouse when suring the internet, but that is about the only reason I even have one anymore. It will be frustrating at first, but I assure you if you force yourself to use it in place of a mouse for a week you will never want to go back!!!


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## JacaRanda (Dec 31, 2014)

I use the pen & touch medium.  The mouse is in the garage with a bunch of other crapola.


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## dennybeall (Jan 1, 2015)

The Bamboo is the less capable line and with the Intuos they have a new model so you can get the older one for a good price. I've seen them on eBay used and new.


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## EIngerson (Jan 1, 2015)

I use the small Intuous Pro. I love it.


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## qleak (Jan 1, 2015)

I have a Bamboo tablet I used to make Khan Academy style videos for my job. It's perfect for that, but it's not nearly as good for photo editing. I'd say spring for the better model if you're going to do it.


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## TCampbell (Jan 3, 2015)

I have two.   

I've got a large Intuos 3 tablet that I've used for several years.  I was encouraged by a graphics artist that the small tablets can seem "cramped" and to get a large tablet.  So I did.  But after using it a few years, I'd say I could have done with a slightly smaller size.

So my next model was the Cintiq 13HD -- which is a very comfortable size.  This is the model that has a built-in display screen (so you draw directly on your image -- making hand-eye coordination a MUCH easier task.)  The hand-eye coordination with the Intuos is easier than a mouse, but certain tasks... like carefully trying to trace out a selection area in an image... is much easier on the Cintiq than it is on the Intuous.

I also had an original Graphire BT tablet and this is a bit more like the current Bamboo series.  The Graphire line was renamed to the Bamboo line.  These are the entry-level Wacom tablets.  The Intuos line and Cintiq line are their pro-grade tablets.

The differences are:

(a) the Intuos has more pressure sensitivity levels
(b) the Intuos are also sensitive to the tilt direction and angle of the pen AND the barrel rotation of the pen.  This is very useful when using something such as a calligraphy brush, fan brush, airbrush, or any other type of drawing tool where the angle of the tool would be important. 
(c) the Bamboo support just one "pen".  The Intuos supports multiple "pens" (or pen-like tools) and it IDs each one uniquely.  It's nice because when you're in Photoshop and you set your brush type, size, color, etc. etc. and work with the brush, you can just put it down, pick up another pen, and assign a different brush type, size, color, etc. to that pen -- and then you can flip between the two (you can have as many as you want.)
(d) you can get different nibs for the Intuos pens and these will have a different "feel".  The default nylon nib has a low-friction feel to it... it feels a bit like writing with a bold-tip ballpoint pen (one that rolls easily).   There's a felt nib that provides a bit more friction and it "feels" a bit like writing with a pencil (it has a slight bit of drag to it that the nylon nib doesn't have.)

BTW, the Cintiq is pretty much exactly an Intuos (all features of Intuos work on the Cintiq as well) except you get a built-in monitor.


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## dennybeall (Jan 7, 2015)

If my budget would have allowed it I also would have gotten the Cintiq but the price difference between that and the Intuos is significant.


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## Nevermore1 (Jan 7, 2015)

The Cintiq Looks like it would be very nice to have if it didn't cost so much.  As TCampbell mentioned I think it would make outlining/selecting a lot easier.

TCampbell - What is the build quality on the Cintiq?  Is it pretty sturdy or something you would be terrified of damaging easily (in other words could it possibly survive an accidental drop of a foot or so onto a padded surface)?


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## Bitter Jeweler (Jan 8, 2015)

The 22" Cintiq is spectacular. I debated going with the 13" but am so glad I didnt.


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## ronlane (Jan 8, 2015)

JacaRanda said:


> I use the pen & touch medium.  The mouse is in the garage with a bunch of other crapola.



JacaRanda. I hear you about that but I tried this set up. I am left handed so, I put the tablet on that side and I have a track ball mouse that I use with my right hand. With this set up with my old Windows laptop, I only touched the laptop when needed to type something in.

I've got to get the intuous pro medium so I can use my current one at work.


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