Tablet, do you use one?

My answer would be yes and I do so before I started with photography almost 2 years ago.
The trusted little Wacom Graphire 4 has been my friend next to the keyboard for almost 4 years now. She's getting a bit old now, some scratches on the surface and my finger prints embedded in the rubber grip of the pen tells me so.

Before photography I use her for some digital art work, 2D and 3D but I was too precise and ended up spending hours behind the PC perfecting things without any results.
I've many unfinished work on my harddisk, quite a shame really.
This was one of the last ones I was busy with a year ago and it's still in the same state.



I've used the tablet exclusively in there and now with my photos I use it a lot in combination with the burn and dodge tool, it's so handy and the result is much more subtle then when using the mouse.

So back to the question, how many of you use a tablet for photography?

Yes, I use a tablet, an Intuos 3 A5 Wide, I think that's the size, it's just a teeny bit smaller on the pressure area than a sheet of A4. I'm left handed, but like many left handers, was pretty much forced to use a mouse right handed when computers first became the norm at work and were shared between many users. As such, it doesn't really feel right for me to use a mouse in my left hand, and my fine control in my right hand isn't as good as it could be. Using the pen stylus on a tablet makes things far more intuitive for me and I have better control.

You don't need to get a very big tablet, I only went for the size I did because the size down from this didn't have the button/slide bars on the right - I'd forever be crossing my arms to use the buttons on the left (with right hand) whilst using the stylus (with left hand).

It takes a bit of getting used to, as you have to make much bigger movements than you would with a mouse. Once you've got the hang of that, it's great. The pressure sensitive nib really comes into its own when dodging/burning as the opacity can be naturally varied to the pressure applied.

For quick and dirty edits, I'll still use a mouse, for something that I really want to be right, I wheel out the tablet.

Duncan

I use a tablet occasionally. Got it for CAD use, butdon't do much of that anymore. I tend to forget it's there( you want to see how cluttered my desk is ), but I like to use it when cloning as I like the more natural control.

The mouse is put away here and only is used whit some games, the rest is pen only.

It certainly takes some time getting used to but it works so much faster after a while, even with normal handling like surfing and such. And my wrist doesn't hurt any more.

I've used the tablet in Maya creatively and also did some things in Catia.
For CAD the mouse and pen both are equal I believe, you hardly use the pen pressure and such so that's why.

You have paintshop right, that program should work very nicely with a tablet.

Have used tablets for more than 15 years
After a bad start, I only use Wacoms - just the cheaper Graphire and Volito.
Even my laptop tablet PC has a Wacom digitizer in the LCD (Tosh M200).
Couldn't work without a tablet!
Matt

Yes i use a Wacom Graphire 4 which is becoming rather tattered the rubberised grip is beginning to break up as i believe is common. I do not use a mouse at all and have not done so for 4 years or more. I have attempted artwork with it but i had difficulty composing the images so i tend to do a quick outline sketch in pencil and then use a scan of that as a base for the artwork. I found it difficult at first so just to get used to the feel of it i would hold it in my hand whether i was reading or watching TV or whatever so that it became more natural. When i was at my Pc i would do everything with the Pen instead of a mouse and just doodle using different pressures. Then i let myself loose on my images simply by removing dust spots at first.

Regards -Pete

I won one of THESE on Ebay a week ago for £40 incl postage.

I keep forgetting I have it though.

Iam thinking of getting a tablet several people in my camera club use them. The only problem whether to get a tablet or save a bit more and get a longer lens ie 60-250mm

Sandy

Yes, I use a tablet, an Wacom Intuos 3 A5, def worth the money and love it, but only use it when doing fine PS work for detail stuff, I dont like the mouse that came with it, so tend to just swap over between the two, it is a must for precise selection detail work though.
Lilly

I plan to save for Wacom Bamboo Fun (Medium size) - seems to be reasonable, Intuos are a bit pricey... and I'm not that advanced user. But I already noticed that a tablet would make retouching scanned photos much easier.

Sandy the Wacom Bamboo are fine tablets to begin with and cost 1/10th of what a 60-250 cost so money can't be the reason

If you use a brush a lot in PP, like for example the burn tool in photoshop or a crop tool then a tablet would improve your work and get you to a finished photo faster. If you do everything in silkypix and the likes, sliding bars and such then you would not gain anything from a tablet, maybe it will prevent you a mouse arm though.


A question.
Intuos 4, does any one got experience with them. My tablet is pretty wearing down and want to replace it with the intuos 4 if it's worth the money or else I would get a bamboo.

I suppose with limited money I thought it best to buy a good tablet instead of upgrading later. This might not be a wise move because I have only just started in CS3 trying to improve on the photos rather than just use curves and unsharp mask. So getting Wacom Bamboo might be a good idea in case I cannot get on with a tablet.

Sandy

But a Bamboo is a good tablet, it just doesn't have the pro specs as the Intuos and it does not detect the angle of your pen but that's only really needed when you draw on your tablet, for photoediting a bamboo is good enough.

Although you might be able to get an Intuos 3 for a good price since they are replaced by the Intuos 4.

Just be aware of tablets of other brands, they are just a bit less and need batteries to operate.

Thanks for the info Stefan

Sandy

Have you had a chance to try it out yet? I'm being offered a new one for £90 and wondered what they were like in use.