Wacom Intuos4 Medium Pen Tablet (Academic Version)
by Wacom
(Click here)
Digital product summary information
Manufacturer: WacomModel: PTK640AC
Color: Black
Product features:
- 48.5 Square inches of working area, this tablet provides ample workspace
- Eight ExpressKeys and illuminated displays
- Anime Studio Debut 6 [OLD VERSION]
- Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium [OLD VERSION]
- Adobe Creative Suite 5 Design Premium[OLD VERSION]
- Pixelmator [Old Version]
- Anime Studio Pro 6 [OLD VERSION]
Digital camera reviews of Wacom Intuos4 Medium Pen Tablet (Academic Version)
Digital camera Review: A Very Nice Tablet... Just not for me.
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the subjective review and opinion of one person however, it's likely I'm not alone and therefore I hope others with similar needs will find it useful.
Before I chose the Intuos4 Medium I read just about every review there was at the time. From what I gathered the most significant differentiating features were the 2048 levels of pen pressure sensitivity, and the programmable OLED buttons.
For me, these became the two leading factors driving my decision. After that it was the size, the multiple pen tips, and the fact that being a brand new model means it should be some time before it becomes outdated.
However, now that I've had my tablet for about a month, I must admit, if I were to do it all over again, I'd likely chose differently.
Don't get me wrong. It's not that the tablet doesn't live up to the hype; I still feel the reviews I read singing it's praise were accurate. It's because this is my first tablet and as such the sensitivity doesn't seem to be as important as I initially expected. [At least not yet.]
Then there's the programmable OLED- Yes, the "OLED" is a nice feature however, it's a bit dim for my liking but more so, the actual buttons are rather disappointing. So much so that I don't even bother to use them; instead I find myself using the keyboard for shortcuts.
The problem is the keys are so small and so close together that I can only fit 3 fingers in the space of 4 buttons. Even with one finger, it's difficult to select the correct button without looking. They're also a bit too recessed and lack the tactile feel you'd expect from a component of this level. This makes using the tablet keys feel unnatural, or more importantly, no more convenient or faster than using the keyboard commands. In my opinion, you should be able to use the pen with one hand, and the shortcut keys with the other all while looking at the monitor. You shouldn't have to stop what you're doing, look down at the keys, choose which one you want, press it and then continue with your work. That's defeating the purpose. To me it should be a much more natural and fluid process, which the Intuos4 key design does not allow. I would almost prefer that Wacom went back to making the programmable functions an active area that respond to the tap of the pen; as was the case with past models.
So now my top-two reasons for choosing the Intuos4 M are moot. When you add to that the fact that additional tips are available as an accessory and suddenly the extra money becomes difficult to justify. I also feel at times that the size of the tablet is a bit awkward too. Perhaps it's because I'm so used to using a mouse that the smaller pad would be better for me. However, if you're someone who often draws freehand on paper, the larger pad may be more to your liking.
As for the other perks, I never even bothered to take the mouse out of the box and other than the additional Photoshop brushes, I found the free bundled software to be by and large of no use. They are bare-bones versions lacking the key features to make them useful. Lastly, the tablet's ability to sense tilt angle and twirl are lost on someone as new as I am to tablets.
In conclusion, the Intuos 4 M is an excellent tablet that lives up to the hype and positive reviews of others. However, for someone who is new to tablets, if I had to do it all over again I would likely save the $200+ and go with a Bamboo.
My only hope is that in time I will become more comfortable with the Intuos4 M and learn to appreciate it's unique features; if not, I suppose I can always put it up on Craigslist or eBay to recoup some of my hard earned dollars.
Regards!
Doc V.
Summary of Wacom Intuos4 Medium Pen Tablet (Academic Version)
Wacom Intuos4 Medium Pen Graphics Tablet PTK640AC Graphic TabletsTablets
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