Tablets

Hello,

I should be getting a decent paycheck pretty soon, and I've been really looking into buying a tablet lately. the 4x5 ones for less (or around) $100 USD seem fine. I've read reviews and seen nothing but good feedback, except about the small size. 4x5 is fine with me, I don't need much space.

Just wondering, does anyone have any suggestions on where about a good deal on a tablet is these days? I'm looking for something less than 120.00 and used is fine. If anyone has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure somebody else could find use for this post somewhere down the line.

Thanks!

-Nero

I own a 9x12" Intuos2 and a 4x5" Graphire - both were purchased second hand.

If you're looking for reasonable pressure sensitivity, either Intuos or Graphire should be sufficient, though the Graphire will be considerably less expensive. (I would only really recommend an Intuos if you are genuinely interested in digital painting).

The 4x5" size is OK for texturing, though it is possible for your hand to cramp up after a while if you're used to drawing at larger sizes.

If you're just looking for a 4x5" graphire or intuos, I'd recommend buying from a reputable seller on eBay. They are available often enough that you shouldn't have to pay more than $50-60 USD for a graphire (i haven't checked on Intuos lately...).

ebay for sure.

I just wanted to add that the Graphire and Intuos tablets that Aki mentioned are both made by Wacom. Intuos is their pro line, and Graphire is their basic line. Both are excellent.

Do NOT buy any other brand other than Wacom. Nothing else on the market even comes close. Ask anyone who's got a Wacom, and they'll tell you it's indispensible. Talk to anyone who says tablets are bad, I can guarantee you they only think that because they had something other than a Wacom. There's no other tablet maker on this planet who's figured out how to make their product actually work properly.

If you're considering getting anything but a Wacom, kill yourself now, and then reconsider. Yeah, it's that important.

I have an old Intuos2 6"x8". Now that I look at it, I should have chose the 4"x5" version. I think the size has a lot to do with user preference. The bigger ones are not always better for everyone.

The pressure sensitivity difference between the Graphire and Intuos is quite hard to notice for most users.

I'm not sure if you should really buy second hand though. While the Wacom products are of decent quality, the pen itself tends to be sensitive to abuse. I've experienced a couple of pens that don't report the pen height and pressure properly (showing pen down when the pen isn't actually touching the surface).

And finally, the full potential of the tablet won't be realized if you don't have quality software to go along with it. Something to keep in mind.

Wow thanks for all the responses. I'm deffinately looking at a couple items on ebay now, both Graphire and Intuos. I have a few thinks bookmarked and a couple more days to set my mind on which one to buy. Im almost positive I'll be getting a 4x5, smaller just seems like it would be better for me.

Again, thanks for the responses, they've helped alot. I'll update in a day or two when I've decided, and then after I recieve it I'll update once again.

-Nero

/agree on the wacom thing; they're brilliant

They're also extremely good for anyone with RSI*. If you find you get shoulder pain, a smaller one will be better as it will decreace the distance you reach sideways to grab it.

Incidentally, has anyone figured out a way to use the map / mouselook without spinning to infinity in world? Or am I just a bit malcoordinated?

*Because you don't pronate your arm as much, and don't put pressure on the carpal tendons

Hehe. I've never tried it, but I can see how that would happen. I wouldn't guess it's got anything to do with your level of coordination, so don't feel bad.

I would think the problem has to do with relative vs. absolute cursor positioning. When the tablet is in "pen mode", it maps every pixel on the screen to a corresponding spot on the tablet. In "mouse mode" it moves the cursor relatively, just as a regular mouse does.

Trying to use pen mode for SL or for video games would likely be really problematic. Let's say the cursor is currently on the left side of the screen, and you happen to tap your stylus on the right side of the tablet. The game will interpret that as a gigantic amount of movement, even though to you it was nothing more than a click.

If you're going to use the stylus as your main pointing device, I'd recommend making sure to set the tracking to mouse mode whenever you're using SL or a game. You should be able to do this for any Wacom tablet via the tablet properties dialog.

For what it's worth, I don't recommend using the stylus for anything other than art programs, but if you're most comfortable using it for other things as well, then get in the habit of switching modes where appropriate. Hope that helps.

I've read and posted in similar threads so many times and the answers are something like 'yes' and 'wacom'

Model I can't comment on - because I am, and always have been, a mouse-painter, aside from when I need the pressure functions. But I will take back my standard argument - (that you can do just as well with a mouse as a tablet, pressure aside, if that's how you've learnt and always practiced) - because recently I couldn't be bothered to recharge the batteries on my standard wireless mouse, so I've been using a different one and OUCH! Impossible, like painting with a brick as so many people say! So ok, you can draw really nicely with a mouse, but it has to be the right mouse

I stand by the argument that a tablet isn't the one and only answer- it can't improve your technique (though it may be more suited to your style once learnt and therefore allow you to develop further). But it takes learning, just as getting a nice line with a mouse takes learning. Nothing in the OPs post made me think that was the assumption, but I'm terrible at letting this topic pass without getting that comment in!

My tablet has made my bad art worse. I'm not sure if thats a good thing though, since in art, its better to aim for extremes than being mediocre.

When I got this hand-me-down machine I'm using now, the mouse PS2 port didn't work (And of course, my mouse is a PS2) so I had to use my wacom, and I couldn't find my wacom mouse.

Somehow I managed to use it without spinning around. I think it's because I didn't have it set up for SL specifically, so it worked like a mouse instead of the pen (No pressure sensitivity, no tilt sensitivity, etc).

I might have to look into how it was set up to show others. It was really cool walking around using the pen to guide me :]

Chances are you had it in mouse mode instead of pen mode. It's pretty easy to switch between the two.

Seriously though. I once knew a guy who had a tablet from some other manufacturer. The pen had a giant freakin battery in it. ugh