Wacom Intuos3 6 x 8-Inch Pen Tablet by Wacom
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Digital camera reviews of Wacom Intuos3 6 x 8-Inch Pen Tablet
Digital camera Review: A Must for Any Serious Photoshop User
Summary: 5 Stars
First, this tablet is well designed and built to last a long time and very easy to use and to configure for your particular needs. Where I find this to be indespensible is in selecting objects in photoshop. If you've ever tried to outline a person, flower or any object using the mouse you know this job is tedious to say the least. However with the Wacom Tablet, precise outlining is so much easier. In fact, in PS, anywhere that you need to use a pen, pencil or brush, you will greatly appreciate using this product for its accuracy and time saved. The only complaint I have is that it does take up a fair amount of desk space. I haven't yet decided whether it should be on the right or left of the keyboard and mouse. Note that this table does not replace the mouse, but complements it (IMO). I am an amature photographer and I do spend considerable time working with photoshop. Definately worth the money. I'm glad I didn't get one of the bigger tablets 6x8 is plenty big.Digital camera Review: A Must for Photoshop Pros
Summary: 5 Stars
The Wacom Intuos3 6x8 tablet is nothing less than amazing. It takes some getting use to though, if you're an artist like me who usually draws on paper. However, it doesn't take long to get into the swing of drawing on this tablet. The precision is awesome, a hundred times better than any mouse I've used. The tablet is also extremely light and neither the pen or mouse need batteries, which is a plus. The only complaint I have is that the mouse included only works while on the drawing area of the tablet and the mouse feels a bit "cheep." Other than that this product is a must buy for anyone who loves to draw in Photoshop!Digital camera Review: A Necessary Computer Artist Tool
Summary: 5 Stars
I come from a traditional art background having done drawing and painting before computers were even considered viable for that sort of thing. I did a large amount of illustration work for the auto companies and you would think this form of art with its tight clean line work would be perfect for computers but it proved to be not so for the longest time.
Sure a computer program could create perfect straight lines and circles but there was a total lack of subtlety in the line work. Example: to denote space it was common to use thicker and thinner line work, to do this with a pencil or rapidograph pen was easy, you ran he pen lightly over the paper using a circle template or french curve and even let the pen skip to make faint thin lines. To make thick bold lines you would use a thin pen and by simple tilting the pen slightly and running over the line twice you could create a line that went from thin to thick and back to thin with very little effort. This is still something computer can't do very well, or it you try it take longer to achieve than any good illustrator can do with a few quick swipes of a pen or brush.
With that in mind the pressure sensitive tablets are a truly amazing advancement for digital art, and the key words here is PRESSURE SENSITIVE. To draw a line or paint stroke that can vary from thick to thin or light or dark by simple pressing harder or softer is a truly wonderful thing. I find it allows me to create art with a more natural organic look and feel unlike the overly tight and regimented digital look.
I do think there is a lot of hype being expounded about tablets. Lets face it the mouse is still the best and easiest to use method of navigating around a computer screen. Sure you can use the pen to navigate but for many it is more tiring for simple fact you have to keep hold of the pen, Tablet makers tend to stress their product as a cure for repetitive stress injuries, that is true to a degree but I think is only because using a pen is different and not necessarily better. Use a pen for 10 hours a day over several years and I think you would get a bad case of writers cramps which is form of repetitive stress injury in itself. I think it is more the idea you can switch from one to another that helps in this area. If you are like me keeping track of the pen is a big deal too, I tend to take it with me and leave it behind, I have found them in the car, the refrigerator and once the cats were using it as a puck in a quick game of carpet hockey, the mouse stays where it is. The mouse that comes with the Wacoms are in fact no better then your standard optical mouse so I which Wacom would make it an optional extra, and yes you can use your existing mouse with this tablet.
Accuracy is another over hyped issue with tablets. I have yet to see any of the large or small tablets I have owned to be any more accurate than a good optical mouse. The way you get accuracy is by zooming in on the subject and that has little to do with the input device and more to do with the resolution of the image and the screen you are working with. Like I said the key advantage the tablet has is it ability to sense how hard you press down on the pen, it is something so natural when using a pencil or brush or crayon but totally lacking in a mouse. To me a tablets levels of pressure sensitivity are far more important than its lines of resolution.
The biggest drawback to the tablets over traditional drawing is the obvious one, the fact you draw in one area and the image appears in another, it goes against the whole idea of hand to eye coordination. As well you can't twist and turn the tablet to get a more natural drawing angle and if you like to use things like circle templates, french curves and rulers you are out of luck there is no way to position them in relation to what you are drawing.
In the end a tablet like this will not make an artist out of a computer user who can not draw in the first place. It is not a magic push button "make some art" device. If your idea of digital art is to take a photo an apply filter X Y and Z, a tablet may not be for you but if your desire is to create digital art with expressive line and brush work and and have the painting skill already you will soon find your Wacom to be more important then the computer itself.
Digital camera Review: A Truly Stellar Tablet
Summary: 5 Stars
I have nothing but praise for this amazing little tablet. I bought it mainly for use in conjunction with Photoshop CS2, but quickly discovered that its use extended far beyond the scope of a single program. It was only a matter of days before I packed away my standard optical mouse; and now this tablet is the only pointing device that I use with my computer. Simply put, I absolutely love it.
I use it for digital imaging, graphic design work, digital video editing & FX, and 3D animation. But on the other end of the spectrum, I also use it for such common everyday tasks as browsing the web, playing music in itunes, and working with Word documents.
You won't believe how much time this little device will save you - no matter what you are doing. It comes packaged with both a pen and a wireless mouse, so you're all set no matter what project lies ahead of you. I love the programmable buttons and the touch strips on the pad - what a great feature and timesaver!
Taks that proved tedious at best with a regular mouse will seem almost TOO easy with this tablet. And, as yet another bonus, it is far more comfortable to use than a normal mouse. Using it for long periods of time causes no discomfort whatsoever.
This is one of the best purchases I have ever made. You won't regret spending your money on it!
Digital camera Review: A must for Corel Painter
Summary: 5 Stars
I use this with both Corel Painter and Photoshop CS4. After a week of use I was sold on the Wacom Intuos3. The 6x8 pad is huge and I'm glad I did not get the larger one.
Pros: very well built, pen is the most useful device. I love the way I can now pinpoint a touch up like the whites of an eye in a photograph.
Cons: the mouse has a cheap feel to it and is slow. So I use a wireless Logitech mouse on the pad that seems to work better for me.
Other thoughts: I ordered one before this with Free Shipping from Amazon. It did not arrive, lost somewhere between Sacramento and my house. Amazon refunded the money but it was frustrating.