Author Topic: Wacom tablets - comments/suggestions? (Read 7931 times)

madelaide · « **on:** December 23, 2007, 19:21 »

Still trying to solve my PC problem (I will buy a new video card tomorrow), my mind started thinking about Wacom tablets. I should have bought one for myself as a Christmas gift!

Anyway, there was a thread about Wacom Intuos3 vs Graphire 6x8 here in April.

An Intuos3 4x6 costs here about US$650 (yes!) and a 6x8 about US$750. There is also the Bamboo Fun medium (active area 8.5x5.3in) costing less than US$500, but than means lower specs (compared to Intuos3 in parenthesis):
pressure levels: 512 (1024)
maximum resolution: 2540 (5080)
maximum data transfer: ? (200 pps)
precision: ? (0.01in)

I'm still trying to find these last two items, but Wacom's website doesn't show them.

Any opinions about this Bamboo series or its specs?

Regards,
Adelaide

ichiro17 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 23, 2007, 20:45 »

750 is ridiculous. 6x8 is 280 in Canada right now, and thats the Intuos3. Just get that. Its great, been using it since I made that post. It takes so many minutes off the processing its unbelievable. Order online if you can.

madelaide · « **Reply #2 on:** December 23, 2007, 21:04 »

Ichiro,

Such items would be subject to import taxes of 60%, including handling and shipping fees, and warranty would not be valid here. Brazil is very restrict about import taxes, making imported items very expensive.

In the end we have a lot of smuggling...

Regards,
Adelaide

ichiro17 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 23, 2007, 23:36 »

Well warranty isn't going to do you any good at 750 per unit. So on your next trip, smuggle one back, if it breaks, take another trip and smuggle another back. I have had zero problems with mine and they are very reliable in general, so the potential risk of having one be defective can indeed be outweighed - plus - you get to take a trip

a.k.a.-tom · « **Reply #4 on:** December 25, 2007, 07:52 »

Quote from: madelaide on December 23, 2007, 21:04

Ichiro,

Such items would be subject to import taxes of 60%, including handling and shipping fees, and warranty would not be valid here.
Regards,
Adelaide

Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I think I have it bad with taxes in New Jersey...... that's legalized extortion... wow!

=tom

Peiling · « **Reply #5 on:** December 25, 2007, 08:49 »

So which is the best one to get? I am thinking of getting a cheap one....Bamboo Fun by Wacom seems pretty good....

Of all the options, which is the best? I think its much cheaper here. Also, can they be used on freeware like Inkscape?

madelaide · « **Reply #6 on:** December 25, 2007, 17:26 »

Peiling,

I saw good reviews in Amazon.com about the Bamboo Fun. It seems to be a newer product (though not necessarily better, of course) and I can buy one for a more reasonable price (US$460), so I am only looking for some more feedback before I decide.

Regards,
Adelaide

le_cyclope · « **Reply #7 on:** December 25, 2007, 18:40 »

A store in Canada (Future Shop, futureshop.ca) sells the small Bamboo for 69.99$ (1 $CDN = 1$US these days). I spoke with a salesman last week and the only difference between the Bamboo and the Bamboo Fun is the Fun one includes a cordless mouse, which I already have.

Is that true?

Again, how is it possible to have such a big difference in price???

Taxes are high in Canada too!

Claude

madelaide · « **Reply #8 on:** December 25, 2007, 21:14 »

Bamboo has two sizes: small (~4x6in) and medium (~6x8) and the price you saw is possibly for the small one (US$95 in Amazon.com).

Apparently Bamboo Fun has four main advantages over Bamboo:
- size (Bamboo comes in 4x6 version only)
- eraser
- mouse
- software
http://www.wacom.com/BambooTablet/compare.cfm

Regards,
Adelaide

madelaide · « **Reply #9 on:** December 25, 2007, 21:21 »

Oh, hell! Still using the VGA mode I can't find the edit button to click...

Just a clarification: Bamboo Fun has two sizes.

Regards,
Adelaide

Susan S. · « **Reply #10 on:** December 26, 2007, 03:45 »

The cheaper Wacom lines (Graphire and Bamboo - I have the graphire, which appears to have similar specs as the Bamboo) seem to be fine for basic photo correction - cloning etc. I've been using a Graphire (the smallest) for around four years now. It's only now that I've been getting much more heavily into illustrator and doing digital illustrations that I find the Graphire isn't quite sensitive enough for using with the very small control points in Illustrator, and I'm considering upgrading to an Intuos - but again the smallest one - desk space and economy of hand movement are more important to me than having a large working area.

madelaide · « **Reply #11 on:** December 26, 2007, 17:41 »

Susan,

Thanks for your feedback. I also intend to use it for illustrations, but mine are very simple. Do you think the Bamboo Fun would still be a good choice for me?

Regards,
Adelaide

Peiling · « **Reply #12 on:** December 27, 2007, 09:22 »

yah the difference in prices seem a bit extreme

but does it work on inkscape? or does it only work on Illustrator? I would like to explore drawing too...simple ones....and looking for a cheap and good tablets...I have never used one before, so its something to do for fun and personal use.

yingyang0 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 15, 2008, 18:58 »

Quote from: Peiling on December 27, 2007, 09:22

yah the difference in prices seem a bit extreme

There is a reason for the price difference! With tablets it's all about sensor points/sensitivity. It makes all the difference.

When buying tablets look at the specs! You may think that you're getting a bargain when it's actually very overpriced. The "cheap" ones normally have so few sensitivity points that they are nearly worthless. You need the larger number of points if you're going to do any kind of real editing or illustrating. In other words, the bamboos are overpriced and not worth the money. Get the Intuos3 or better, or juststick with what you're already working with now and save the money.

madelaide · « **Reply #14 on:** February 07, 2008, 19:36 »

So, guys, despite Yingyang's suggestion (the Intuo$ wa$ out of que$tion to me), I got my Bamboo Fun today. Haven't tried it yet, was only drooling over it - it looks cool, even if not a good piece of equipment!

Regards,
Adelaide

Lizard · « **Reply #15 on:** February 12, 2008, 14:26 »

Quote from: madelaide on February 07, 2008, 19:36

So, guys, despite Yingyang's suggestion (the Intuo$ wa$ out of que$tion to me), I got my Bamboo Fun today. Haven't tried it yet, was only drooling over it - it looks cool, even if not a good piece of equipment!

Regards,
Adelaide

Hi Adelide.

May I ask you a question please

I bought bamboo fun for my kid brother and shipped it to him ( he lives in another town) and now he called me and claims that photoshop elements is not in the box when he opened it or he cant find it.

I never opened the box , but he says that he got one black drivers cd , one white artrage 2 cd.

Before I call the shop I just want to check if PS elements is hidden somewhere in those two , or there is a third CD missing.

Thanks

madelaide · « **Reply #16 on:** February 12, 2008, 18:21 »

Lizard,

Mine came with two CDs too. One is black and is the installation CD. One is white and has the three softwares - it even comes with their serial codes in stickers on the plastic cover (with Elements for Win and for Mac). I haven't however opened this CD to see if they are indeed there.

Regards,
Adelaide

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Author Topic: Wacom tablets - comments/suggestions? (Read 7931 times)

madelaide

ichiro17

madelaide

ichiro17

a.k.a.-tom

Peiling

madelaide

le_cyclope

madelaide

madelaide

Susan S.

madelaide

Peiling

yingyang0

madelaide

Lizard

madelaide

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