Wacom Graphire 2, or other?

# 1 19-04-2003 , 10:33 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Jan 2003

Location: BC, Canada

Posts: 2,250

Hey guys, I really really want a tablet now.. as i have got really deep into cg design over the last 6 months. Anyways, its time for a tablet. I was looking at wacoms and i saw the wacom intuos 2 6x8 ( i think) anyways.. thats what they said was "my ideal wacom".. but thats too expensive. Can i still do strokes and do lots of photoshop work with a 4x5? Like, can i center the wacom on a certain area, or does it just cover the whole screen.. i just dont understand how it totally works. Anyways, the intuos series is too much for me. The graphire2 sereies though 4x5 is in my price range. Thats the one i think i am going to get, would that be enough for all my tablet needs? Also, is there any other company that any of you use that has a tablet that was cheaper than a wacom and is great when it comes to the pen strokes? Thanks.

)v(

"I should call you sugar maple tree cause i'd totally tap that" haha

email - mattwettstein@gmail.com

Quote

# 2 19-04-2003 , 10:39 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003

Location: Scotland

Posts: 131

M, I have a graphire2 4x5 and its perfect for me! I think itd be your best option to go for one of them. user added image

Black_Robe

''Where do we go now?Where do we go now?...''

Quote

# 3 19-04-2003 , 11:29 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003

Location: North Delta, BC

Posts: 450

ya, i have a graphire2 4x5 as well. I like it. I find its not the best for maya though, just photoshop. You need the 3 buttons for maya, and the mouse is a bit hard to do that with. With the pen, you can make it recognized as direct perportion (1:1) or the 4x5 can be a scaled screen. So with direct, it is the same size as you draw it, and scaled means one corner is the corner of the screen, and the other corner is the other corner of the screen. Mouse is great on the graphire, no wires, and best, no batteries.

-- Why is it snowing rain --
AIM: SnowboarderCF

Quote

# 4 19-04-2003 , 11:43 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Jan 2003

Location: BC, Canada

Posts: 2,250

Thanks guys! Yea, i dont really want to use it for maya though, i would much prefer to use it for just photoshop. Can i still hook up my digital mouse to it, as the last thing i want is to go back to roll mouse user added image

. Please let me know if thats just a optional mouse. So yea, it seems like i will probably buy the graphire2 4x5 then user added image

.. unless anyone else has anything to say.. i would love to hear it user added image

. BTW, if you do feel that only the intuos series is worth the money, then let me know so i can think about it user added image

"I should call you sugar maple tree cause i'd totally tap that" haha

email - mattwettstein@gmail.com

Quote

# 5 21-04-2003 , 10:42 AM

Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003

Location: North Delta, BC

Posts: 450

It comes with a mouse, but the mouse is better than optical since it uses the same tracking system as the pen.

-- Why is it snowing rain --
AIM: SnowboarderCF

Quote

# 6 21-04-2003 , 07:18 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: Seattle, WA

Posts: 1,154

The 4x5 Graphire is fine for casual Photoshop work. It doesn't have nearly the same level of pressure sensitivity as the Intuos line, but it is decent. If you work at a high resolution though, like 1600x1200, the Graphire is going to take some getting used to. Even the smallest movements on the tablet will be huge on screen. IMHO, the 4x5 work area is best suited for resolutions no higher than 1024x768. Beyond that, 6x8 is the most comfortable.

As for the mouse, you can hook up as many input devices as you have available USB ports. You can have both the tablet and your usual mouse connected and switch between the two as you're working. That's what I usually do.

One thing you might consider doing is trying to track down a used model of the 6x8 Intuos tablet (not the Intuos2). I've been using a 6x8 Intuos tablet for a few years now, and it blows away even the current Graphire tablets. More space to work and more pressure sensitivity. You can probably find them for pretty cheap on eBay.

Danny Ngan
Animator | Amaze Entertainment
my website | my blog | my job

Quote

# 7 21-04-2003 , 09:03 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Jan 2003

Location: BC, Canada

Posts: 2,250

Thanks dannygan.. yea i will buy mine off of ebay.. or buy&sell if i find one in there user added image

. Then i have decided to go with the intuos 6x8 then.. i wont go cheap..if i go cheap i will just end up getting a better one in the future user added image

. Thanks for the feedback guys.. sounds like the graphire series is good.. but not the sensitivity i need.. and it sounds like 4x5 is just too small for my res. user added image

, thanks again.

"I should call you sugar maple tree cause i'd totally tap that" haha

email - mattwettstein@gmail.com

Quote