Wacom Cintiq 12" or Intuous4 L ?

[Antonio Correia]

I want to buy one of these.:up: May be even the Intuous M.:roll:

I suppose that Intuous4 L/M are the best for photography, because as we adjust the cursors on LR we can see what we are doing in our original monitor, for example a large Mac screen.

On the other hand with Cintiq we take less advantage of our monitor as the adjustments are done in the tablet and we are supposed to look constantly to our main monitor to see if everything is going fine.

I work only on photography with Lightroom, CS4 and Bridge.

Intuous L/M are cheaper than Cintiq !

I was needing an advice on this, please.

Thank you

 

[sizzlingbadger]

If you have never used a tablet before I would suggest you buy cheap Wacom first and see if you if like it. It takes some getting used to. I have the Wacom Bamboo (it's pretty good) and when I finally get the hang of it I may spend some $$'s and get the professional model.

 

[Antonio Correia]

If you have never used a tablet before I would suggest you buy cheap Wacom first and see if you if like it. It takes some getting used to. I have the Wacom Bamboo (it's pretty good) and when I finally get the hang of it I may spend some $$'s and get the professional model.

Thank you Nik ! :up::mrgreen:

 

[parintele]

Still, lower quality range models might not work as good and might seem junky...lower resolution, less sensitivity,etc...
Starting on a cheaper model is not allways great just like in many other areas(fly fishing for example with cheap rod you hardly will be able to fish at all and might think this style of fishing is not for you, while using a good rod which allow you to place the fly exactly where you want will make you smile and fell inlove with it... )

So, IMHO, start with a decent model, better a small format and good quality tablet, Bamboo might also work just fine for starters BUT try to get your hand on a good on you aim for... Rent it, test it in a computer shop, ask a friedn which own onw to borow you for 1-2 days, anything that can make you feel the real thing.

Regarding Cintiq over Intuous, that is another story.
Some prefer to use the classic tablet like Intuos with 1 or 2 big lcd displays, price is also better, you can calibrate your monitors better, etc...
Cintiq i tried at a computer-fest, feels more natural for drawing....
IMHO for photography retouching classical Intuos is more apropriate but that is just me.


Later Edit: Sorry, i forgot to answer the main question: LR is not optimize yet for being used with tablets, this is my oppinion. In PS, yes, everything works perfectly, smooth, fast... In LR the brush is still strange, slow and i obsrved it actions in areas i never "brushed" just passed the mouse/pen over ....If you move your hand really fast , no matter mouse or pen (pen being more suited for it which makes things even worst...) is like LR makes no difference between button pushed and released.
In PS everything works as it should.
So i would say take a tablet FOR LR with a grain of salt, for the moment..If you also use PS a lot then it will be great.

 

[Antonio Correia]

Well, well, well. Tank you so much for your lines.
They were very instructive and confirm what I know.
Time will come when Wacom tablets will work well on LR as well as they work well on CSs
I think that you are absolutely right about Cintiq and Intuos regarding the calibration of the monitors and their sizes.
In fact, I don't know yet but may be I will move soon to a 2'" with a 4 processor Mac. One of those Mac that you fill you are flying :cheesy::cheesy: so fast it is.

What happens is that I do have bought a 12" Cintiq a few days ago and only now - shame on me - I can understand that I don't need to see what I am doing on the Wacom - whichever it is - but on the monitor itself.

I am going to the shop now to change to an Intuos.
I read the specifications of these tablets and they seem - for a lurk in computers like myself - very near to each other.

I think I will buy the medium model. the active area is about 22*14 cms which looks like good for work in LR and CS.
I think that with this size I will be able to move quickly from one command to another...

Thank you. :lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Brad Snyder]

Liviu (and others if listening), how do you physically arrange your tablet, mouse, keyboard, other devices? I have an Intuos Graphire, (couple of generations ago) in a fairly small format, but I can never get comfortably arranged in my work area.

 

[Antonio Correia]

... but I can never get comfortably arranged in my work area.

Important issue !
One of my problems is the mouse and my carpel tunnel or when and how it is going to come as I do begin to have it... :frown:
A tablet is good - I hope - to overcome this arm problem.

Work position is essencial as well the arrangement of the equipment.
:up:

 

[Victoria Bampton]

how do you physically arrange your tablet, mouse, keyboard, other devices?

 

[Antonio Correia]

Wonderful Queen !
Just nice

But tell me please: Do you work with Cintiq ?
How do you manage to do so ? I mean, when your are adjusting a picture you look at the monitors as well as to the Cintiq ? Or is it a Intuos ?:roll:

Or you make the adjustments just on the monitors not looking at the Cintiq screen:roll:

It looks like a Cintiq but ...

I am confused yes I am :lol:

:up::mrgreen:

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Nope, that's an Intuos3, but it's the special edition which is why it's black instead of grey.

 

[Antonio Correia]

Nope, that's an Intuos3, but it's the special edition which is why it's black instead of grey.

But Intuos are black these days ...
Thank you
:up::mrgreen:

 

[sizzlingbadger]

Still, lower quality range models might not work as good and might seem junky...lower resolution, less sensitivity,etc...
Starting on a cheaper model is not allways great just like in many other areas(fly fishing for example with cheap rod you hardly will be able to fish at all and might think this style of fishing is not for you, while using a good rod which allow you to place the fly exactly where you want will make you smile and fell inlove with it... )

So, IMHO, start with a decent model, better a small format and good quality tablet, Bamboo might also work just fine for starters BUT try to get your hand on a good on you aim for... Rent it, test it in a computer shop, ask a friedn which own onw to borow you for 1-2 days, anything that can make you feel the real thing.

Regarding Cintiq over Intuous, that is another story.
Some prefer to use the classic tablet like Intuos with 1 or 2 big lcd displays, price is also better, you can calibrate your monitors better, etc...
Cintiq i tried at a computer-fest, feels more natural for drawing....
IMHO for photography retouching classical Intuos is more apropriate but that is just me.


Later Edit: Sorry, i forgot to answer the main question: LR is not optimize yet for being used with tablets, this is my oppinion. In PS, yes, everything works perfectly, smooth, fast... In LR the brush is still strange, slow and i obsrved it actions in areas i never "brushed" just passed the mouse/pen over ....If you move your hand really fast , no matter mouse or pen (pen being more suited for it which makes things even worst...) is like LR makes no difference between button pushed and released.
In PS everything works as it should.
So i would say take a tablet FOR LR with a grain of salt, for the moment..If you also use PS a lot then it will be great.

The Bamboo is not junk, it's surprisingly good. It's also very cheap so if you want to upgrade you can sell it on or keep it as a backup and you don't lose much. It works well with LR too. I have tested more expensive models and they are better but not 5 times the price better so I have kept mine for now.

 

[Antonio Correia]

:up::mrgreen: Nik :up:

 

[parintele]

The Bamboo is not junk, it's surprisingly good. It's also very cheap so if you want to upgrade you can sell it on or keep it as a backup and you don't lose much. It works well with LR too. I have tested more expensive models and they are better but not 5 times the price better so I have kept mine for now.

It might be, I was reffering in principle in low price models AND especially low price brads (for example in eastern europe Genius is one known cheap brand of peripherals)
IMHO is good to test good gear in such circumstances, I have seen many people which consider tablets junk because they have tried cheap (money AND quality) models/brands and were really dissapointed.

So, Wacom small format models, which are cheaper, or lower models, might be good enough to use in some friendly circumstances and to have a good, accurate idea about how such a device , a good one, works... Bamboo could be decent one for that matter. BUT in principle going for cheap is tricky and people should know that.
It would be a pitty to try a junky one and think anytablet is allmost useless when, in reality, a good tablet in a decently trained hand is a real timesaver.

@Brad : Victoria is indeed a queen... something like that, except i also keep my mouse at the right from tablet...
left to right is keyboard, tablet and mouse....depending on how much you need to use the keyboard for text writing (filenames, layer names, text whe creating web templates and stuff like that) OR just shortcuts, the keyboard sits little oblique/lateral or frontal(when used a lot) ...
Usually, tablet use in editing does not involve more than some shortcuts and keyboard will sit oblique and more to the left.

A round or L shaped desk is also helpfull, also a 36' rotary chair,i use a large straight desk and a fixed chair though so...

 

[breyman]

I second the thoughts that going with quality is worth it, but that generally a Cintiq isn't needed for photography (drawing seems to be its sweet spot).

I own both a Bamboo and an Intuos and I far prefer the Intuos. The differences are small, I suppose, but make big differences (the Bamboo is still a decent product, but is way outshined by the Intuos, IMO). The following are the reasons I prefer the Intuos. And, at only $2'' for the small one, it's a steal (a similar sized Bamboo is $1''). (I atcually prefer the small because my hand has to move less as I edit.)

- Generally a more solid feel. The pen and the tablet (even the pen holder) feel a bit more substantial, which is nice.
- The few shortcut keys are on the left (or right), instead of the top. This puts them in a MUCH more natural position and as a result, get used more.
- There are more buttons. The Bamboo has 4 buttons + wheel. The intuos has 6/8 (depending on the size) buttons + wheel. In addition, the wheel has a button in the center that allows you to cycle what function it performs. The wheel also feels WAY smoother on the Intuos. The Bamboo's wheel is a bit clunky.
- The Intuos software allows better customization of buttons, changing what each does from program to program.

Also, I tend to have my keyboard with my mouse next to it. My tablet sits a bit further away. When I want to use it, I pick it up and set it on my lap and use it exclusively, only reaching to my keyboard when needed. This is where the touch keys and wheel are EXTREMELY useful.

 

[Antonio Correia]

I would like to thank you all for the written lines, good and wise advices

:up::up::up::mrgreen::up::up::up:

 

[Antonio Correia]

I have bought the Cintiq. :lol:
I display the second monitor as the main monitor.
I mean: I click on LR to show me the second monitor and I move it to the my main, to the Mac, while I move the main LR screen to the Cintiq.
So far so good.
I am getting used to it.
But I have seen that the adjustments made in LR are nor immediately visible on the Mac. They are not seen as I adjust the cursors. I think that should happen.
I have to stop making the adjustment to see what happens in the Mac.
It it normal ?
Am I missing something ?:roll:
Thank you.:up:

 

[sizzlingbadger]

I recently upgraded to an Intuos 4 and it works very well in LR and Photoshop. I talked to a friend of mine who works in the Art & Design college about which one to buy he said the Intuos is definitely the way to go for photography. They use several different tablets at the uni including Cintiques but they are used in the design classes as they suite that work better.

I see my adjustments immediately on my Mac. Have you downloaded the latest Wacom driver from the Wacom website ?

 

[Antonio Correia]

Thank you Nik !

I do have the last available software from Wacom.
In fact, it is not exactly as I said bucause it happens only in certain commands. I think that is because when I make intensive use of the graduated filter.

I am getting used to the tablet and it feels quite nice.
As time goes by I'll get working better and better...
Thank you ! :cheesy::up:

I post a picture to color this thread !

​