Graphics Tablets

dazdmc

dazdmc

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Couldn't find the right place for this so please feel free to move to a more relevant section.

Does anyone here use one? Does it make your workflow easier or more comfortable?
I've been forcing myself to go through the contrast grading tutorial every spare minute I get but I'm starting to find my wrist getting a bit painful. I have a very hands-on job and my wrists suffer a little from RSI as it is, so I'm hoping a graphics tablet will lead to a more natural wrist position and cut down on the pain. I've gone for a well recommended (although much cheaper) unit that has 6 customiseable shortcut keys on the tablet itself and a further 2 on the pen. I did look into the wacom ones but size for size they were at least twice the price so I discounted them until I find out if they are going to work for me.
 
All the people I know who use one swear by them , not at them lol, I been threatening to get one for a few years, ah well one day
 
Have a look at the XP Pen ones Martin, they seem to get really good reviews and, from what I've read, comparable in quality to much more expensive brands
 
I've just been informed that the courier has delivered mine, so when I get home from work I can have a play and make some comments on it if anyone is interested? Not that I've got anything to compare it to apart from a normal mouse
 
dazdmc said:
Couldn't find the right place for this so please feel free to move to a more relevant section.

Does anyone here use one? Does it make your workflow easier or more comfortable?
I've been forcing myself to go through the contrast grading tutorial every spare minute I get but I'm starting to find my wrist getting a bit painful. I have a very hands-on job and my wrists suffer a little from RSI as it is, so I'm hoping a graphics tablet will lead to a more natural wrist position and cut down on the pain. I've gone for a well recommended (although much cheaper) unit that has 6 customiseable shortcut keys on the tablet itself and a further 2 on the pen. I did look into the wacom ones but size for size they were at least twice the price so I discounted them until I find out if they are going to work for me.
Click to expand...
You get what you pay for I reckon

I use Wacom after trying others at college. The others may have improved since- looking forward to your review
:)

I swear by my Wacom not only is it highly and instantly responsive but never had wrist strain since I got it

only use it now for everything- don’t even know where a mouse is anymore, I had several high tech jobs wil a thumb ball and loads of buttons: not a patch of. Tablet
 
Holy Sh!t, sorry for the language but I've only been playing with this for 15 minutes and the mouse is in the bin already!!!
Not much of a review I know, but I will get round to something more in depth as I learn and get a little more info from my use of it.
Plugged in and it automaticaly installed the standard drivers so I was able to use it as a basic mouse right away. Went onto the manufacturers website and downloaded the correct software, I used it to mirror the size of the display to the active size on the pad, adjusted sensitivity to my liking and set up the custom functions for the pen. All I can say so far is WOW, I've been toying with the idea of a graphics tablet for over a year and just never got round to it, wish I had done it yonks ago, my wrist now sits at a more comfortable and natural angle and is a joy to use even after only playing with it for a short time. Of course I have to use it with PS and a couple of CAD programs to see how well it really works, but even as a basic mouse it's superb. If this cheap model turns out to be not so good with editing software I'll quite happily stump up for a well known brand.
 
Wacom are the market leaders but their basic EMR (no battery needed in the pen) patents ran out a few years ago so others are able to copy now. They do provide higher levels of sensitivity (really just marketing) but the pens are more comfortable to hold. Their tablets do have better x/y accuracy but that's only critical when its a display tablet. They also do have better tilt / pen angle detection which is important if you like to simulate multiple different pens and brushes.

I have used multiple different WACOM pens and tablets from the cheaper ones to the top quality ones but never really got on with them and ended up back with a conventional mouse. A bit embarrassing as I used to work for a part of Wacom a few years ago ! I think it's because I like to leave the mouse stationary supported by the desk / pad rather than holding the pen hovering while my brain decides what to do next. I suspect graphical artists will be much happier with the pen than part time photography editors.

In summary they remain the market leaders on product quality. I would recommend the bigger tablet if you have the desk space rather than compromising on the smaller versions.

I don't believe any graphic tablet mouses are really much use as they dont work when you move off the tablet area.
 
I have used a small Wacom for several years - as with you I have a bit of arthritis and find it very helpful.

I tend to mix and match between the Wacom and a mouse- although I know that I dot use the Wacom at anything like its full capacity eg pressure sensitivity.
 
I to use a small Wacom bamboo tablet, I find it great to use...
 
Like both of you I too had a Wacom, but that was in the days of Windows XP. When I changed to Widows 7 it would no longer work and I have never bothered with one again. Even with a cordless mouse you do not have the control that a Wacom pen gave, even the most basic version. Some day perhaps.
 
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