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Wacom Intuos 5

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Big W

Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2011
Messages
62
Location
Leeds, UK
Lightroom Experience
Intermediate
Hi all, hope your all keeping well. I am just putting a post on here to perhaps help people who are thinking about getting a tablet for PP work etc.
I recently (last week) purchased the Wacom Intuos 5 Small form a well known web retailer. I had been thinking about this for nearly a year now, and had a play with the Wacom Bamboos in a shop. But after reading lots (and I mean lots) of reviews, watching lots of video reviews.

I decided to get the Wacom Intuos 5 small. Reasons for my choice, looked at size first, medium means too much hand / arm movement for me (only got one screen BTW) small seems right (actual area is approx A5) which maps to my entire screen size. So one quick easy movement from bottom left of tablet to top right gets me across my screen quite quick.

The main reason for going for Intuos and not Bamboo was the pressure levels 2000+ apposed to 1024 (think that's the number) and the issue that some people and reviewers have with Bamboo on Lightrooms compatibility.

The pen is so much more precise and flowing when using adjustment brushes , than mouse/ trackball. A lot more natural and so easy to get exactly what and where you want it to do.

I must say after only a week of using it for all my PC work, and taking advice form this great forum of hiding my trackball. I love the tablet, I am now thinking how did I live without it. I have customized most of the gestures and pen strokes etc. My workflow is so much quicker, and easier.

If anyone else has a Intuos 4 or 5 , would be nice to see or here what your setting are. I will try to get few screen shots and post mine on here.

So I would really really recommend this to anyone getting serious about PP work.

One question for any current users, when I am on the far right of my screen on Lightrooms, and trying to move sliders (values etc) my pen seems to jump a bit, or its move the values too quick. What methods do you use and why. (hope this makes sense)

Keep up the great work on the forums, I love my daily trawl over peoples posts, I have learn so much form this great site over the 2 year I have been a member, just regret I don't post as much as others. Love the Photoshop section BTW.
 
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Congratulations on your new toy! My Intuos is a 3 so you've got a lot more options than I have. The only thing I could see that I have differently in my settings is I have Force Proportions set in the last screenshot, but that's probably more important with multiple monitors than a single.

As far as the sliders go, I'm not sure why you're finding it jumping, but I use the pen to hover over the slider and then use the up/down keys on the keyboard or the dial on my Shuttle Pro to move them. I find the 2-handed approach to be quicker.
 
Hi Victoria, thanks for the reply, sorry late replying, I have set the ring to use the + and - keys now, so I dont have to take my hands off the wacom, works a treat, so will put it down to user error with the jumping.

Many thanks
 
Sorry to go off topic a bit, but its related (slightly I suppose) When using the + or - keys to make adjustments (with or without pen) its jumping in increments of 10s, is there a way to make smaller changes eg 1
 
If you click in the text entry field at the end of slider, it'll go in smaller increments, and then you just hit enter when you're done. Or if you always use smaller increments, make it Alt and the + / - keys.
 
I'm on LR 5.2 and I just recently purchased a Wacom Intuos 5 (small). It's a bit of a learning curve but, so far, I think this is great. The question I have for those who have been using a Wacom for a while relates to tabbing through sliders. I'm trying the setup of using the buttons on the pen to scroll up and down through the sliders by programming them for the LR shortcuts of "." and ",". That works well and then I use the Touch Ring to adjust but this only works in Basic. What I would like to do though is program a couple of the Express Keys to tab through the panels (Basic to HSL to Detail, etc) AND then have the pen buttons toggle through THOSE sliders as well. So far, I'm at a loss. Any answers out there? Thx in advance.
 
You can click on the name of the slider you want to activate, but the . and , buttons only cycle through the Basic ones. That's why I use the float and up/down keys programmed instead.
 
This may not be exactly the right place to post, but I've been having a problem with a combination of my Bamboo tablet and, especially, Nik - thought it happens in other non-photo applications too. Basically, on touching the pen to the screen to adjust a Control Point, a circle appears, and often I can't pick up the slider. It turns out it is a Windows 7 "feature", and if anyone is having the problem, this is the solution:

Go into Control Panel

Double Click on "Pen and Touch"
Click on "Press and hold"
Click on "Settings"
In the Settings, uncheck the box labelled "Enable press and hold for right-clicking"
Click "OK"
Click "Apply"

Dave
 
A most informative thread. This is what the forum is all about!
 
I am considering buying the wacom pro - would that be a recommended tool even if one is not using a very large primary screen?
 
I've been using an Intuos 4 for a couple of years now and can't imagine not using one. Without it I'd have carpal tunnel syndrome for sure by now and it's a lot more precise than a mouse or trackball.
 
I'm going to buy a Wacom tablet with my new IMac 27" retina display and I'm torn about the size to buy, small or medium. I have never had one before so I don't no the plus/minus of each size. I understand it will come down to personal preference. Any thoughts?
 
If you buy a medium, you can always restrict it to part of the area if you find it's too big. I've just picked up a Small which is perfect with a dual monitor setup (15" retina plus 24" external screen). I wouldn't actually want to go any bigger than that (I've had bigger in the past for a 3 screen setup) as you end up moving your arm too far.
 
An advantage of the Medium over the small is having 2 extra express keys...
 
Interesting observation Tom, and welcome. What do you use the express keys for? I've just picked up the latest model, so I have a few more than before and I can't decide what to use them for yet, so all suggestions welcome.
 
its amazing how much more these tablets can do now. I have a wacom graphite CT-430 and that is just the pen and mouse....
 
I bought the small a few weeks ago replacing a similar older Bamboo, and it works well for me. I have the six keys configured to the things I use most, but I'd also be interested in Tom (and Victoria's) view.

Do either of you make much use of the radial menu? I know I don't.

Dave
 
I've set the radial menu to the up/down keys with the theory that I can float over the slider with the pen and use the radial menu to move the slider, much as I do with my Shuttle Pro. I haven't had chance to test it yet though.
 
I ended up buying the small tablet which was the right choice for my work area, I have one question, I want to make the screen area on the tablet a little smaller to work on. I went to the mapping tab and made the workplace smaller by bringing in the tabs but it's still using the full area of the tablet. I did something wrong but don't know what. Any help?
 
You made sure you had the pen option selected at the top? And it wasn't set to a specific app just below? Post a screenshot of your settings and we'll spot it, I'm sure.
 
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