WACOM CINTIQ 12WX

[Don Libby]

I know this has just hit the market – but does anyone have any first hand experience they want to share?  Not too sure if I like it because it’s a cool gadget or I like it because I think I would use it.  I’m thinking it might be a benefit to masking and other such things in PS.

I did see the big brother earlier in September at the NAPP show.

don

[Tim Gray]

I'm a big fan of their Intuos 3 tablet - you might give that a try...

[Don Libby]

Tim

I have an older Bluetooth tablet that I’ve used however I seem to have a disconnect between my brain, hand, tablet, and my screen.  I got to use the big brother for awhile in Las Vegas and found that it was actually much easier using the pen directly on the image via the screen.  I don’t need a new monitor right now and just filed the experience away for future reference.  I was on NAPP’s website the other day and saw that the baby brother was just released.  

Again, I’m torn between liking it as a gadget and liking it as something that just might be a good tool.  I really don’t have an issue with being able to support the thing as I run dual video cards each supporting dual outputs (that way I can calibrate both my monitors).

I also subscribe to the notion that you just can’t have too many cool toys, err tools!


don

[Mike W]

I'll most probably buy one in the not so distant future....but then again, I'm also an illustrator and graphic designer. I'll no doubt have more use for it than most photographers.

Think about it when you need to repace your monitor

[i2-lens]

I checked it out on the Wacom site last night.  I have an older Intous 2 tablet that I was looking to upgrade.  This looks like the way to go.  I like th other cintiq's but they are too big and not portable.  this gives  you the best of both worlds, small and portable.

[Don Libby]

Just an update:

I bit the bullet and ordered the CINTIQ 12WX a couple days ago and it was delivered yesterday.  Spent a couple minutes setting it up and found the setup was straight forward without any problems.  I run dual graphic cards each capable of dual displays along with two Dell monitors.  I went this way so that I could calibrate both of my monitors but found early on that I really only needed the main to be calibrated.  I switched cabling around and now run both Dells off the same card and the Wacom off a separate so that I can calibrate the main and tablet both.

I couldn't wait - (patience really isn't in my vocabulary) opened CS3 and an image that I had been working on from the Grand Canyon.  After a couple false starts mainly dealing with workflow I came away from the experience satisfied that I made the correct decision.  This is so much easier that working with my older Bluetooth pen tablet.  Having satisfied myself that this will work nicely in my workflow all I need to do now is delete the drivers for the other tablet and see about donating it to the local school.

Since I've had this for less than 24 hours my instant gut reaction is to rate this somewhere between 9 and higher.  I do feel that in my workflow and after I get used it to the rating will only go up.

Anyone who might be sitting on the fence about upgrading as I was and spending $900 plus should really look into this; of course my decision was made a little easier having had the chance to play around with the bigger brother the CINTIQ 21UX in September at Las Vegas.

One last thought is that this is by far the easiest installation that I've done on this machine running Win x64 in the 18 months I've had it.


don

[Keith Snell]

Just an update:

I bit the bullet and ordered the CINTIQ 12WX a couple days ago and it was delivered yesterday.  Spent a couple minutes setting it up and found the setup was straight forward without any problems.  I run dual graphic cards each capable of dual displays along with two Dell monitors.  I went this way so that I could calibrate both of my monitors but found early on that I really only needed the main to be calibrated.  I switched cabling around and now run both Dells off the same card and the Wacom off a separate so that I can calibrate the main and tablet both.

I couldn't wait - (patience really isn't in my vocabulary) opened CS3 and an image that I had been working on from the Grand Canyon.  After a couple false starts mainly dealing with workflow I came away from the experience satisfied that I made the correct decision.  This is so much easier that working with my older Bluetooth pen tablet.  Having satisfied myself that this will work nicely in my workflow all I need to do now is delete the drivers for the other tablet and see about donating it to the local school.

Since I've had this for less than 24 hours my instant gut reaction is to rate this somewhere between 9 and higher.  I do feel that in my workflow and after I get used it to the rating will only go up.

Anyone who might be sitting on the fence about upgrading as I was and spending $900 plus should really look into this; of course my decision was made a little easier having had the chance to play around with the bigger brother the CINTIQ 21UX in September at Las Vegas.

One last thought is that this is by far the easiest installation that I've done on this machine running Win x64 in the 18 months I've had it.


don

Hi Iron Creek,

Can you tell me what the color fidelity is like on the 12WX?  I'm thinking it might be a good traveling companion to my laptop, and might even provide colors that I can trust enough to do basic image editing in the field?  Does it cover the full adobeRGB space like it's bigger brother is supposed to?

Thanks,
Keith

[rovanpera]

The color quality of the 12wx is not so great, the shadow details are worse than Macbook pro 17" led display, also the resolution is quite low. Viewing angle is better than a laptop screen.

Cintiqs are fantastic for drawing and painting, but I find no improvement in retouching compared to intuos. And hand blocking the screen can be a distraction when retouching...

[Keith Snell]

The color quality of the 12wx is not so great, the shadow details are worse than Macbook pro 17" led display, also the resolution is quite low. Viewing angle is better than a laptop screen.

Cintiqs are fantastic for drawing and painting, but I find no improvement in retouching compared to intuos. And hand blocking the screen can be a distraction when retouching...

Thank you, that is good to know.  My quest for a high-quality "in the field" editing option continues...

Keith