Wacom Tablet: Intuos Pro or

[The View]

My old Wacom CTE-430 Saphire tablet is dying. The pen, respectively. It's an old thing without pressure sensitivity.

I'm deciding between two wacom tablets.

Intuos pro small

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1002452-REG/wacom_pth451_intuos_pro_professional_pen.html

Intuous Photo Pen small

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1180855-REG/wacom_ctl490pk_intuos_photo_pen.html


The key difference for me is size. The pro is 12.5 inches wide: a monster that barely fits onto my desk next to my keyboard

The photo pen is 8.3 inches wide, takes a third less space.


The key difference, so I saw, is the number of buttons and the pressure sensitivity levels 2048 levels on the pro vs. 1024 on the Photo Pen.

The price is very different as well: the pen costs 100$, the pro 250$


Is there a good argument to buy the larger and more expensive pro vs. the pen? The Pen should be a rocket compared to my 10 year old tablet.

Do you have any of these two? Comments appreciated!

[philaitman]

I use an Inuos Pro, which was purchased as an upgrade to a failing Bamboo (1st generation) I use a medium which is bigger again but that's the size of work are I like the most. It's a fantastic piece of equipment I couldn't be without today.
Aside from the differences you mention I use the wireless functionality of the Pro all the time. I also have button profiles set-up for Lightroom and Photoshop so I can use the hot keys and scroll area to access commonly used tools and increase/decrease brush size with ease. Do I notice the extra levels of sensitivity, I can't say I do. If I was a digital artist then they would maybe be the deal breaker. for me and my extensive use of dodge and burn 1024 would probably be enough.

However, as you say even the cheaper Photo Pen tablet will be a massive upgrade for you.

[D Fosse]

I have a Pen & touch and frankly found it useless for my work. Size isn't an issue, often smaller is better and more easily controllable. Depends on what you do.

The problem in my experience is a more general one: the angular movement from hover to touch/click, which causes the cursor to shift a little. Just enough to miss your mark. It drove me crazy and I ended up throwing the thing in a drawer, where it still sits.

For precision work, there's no way I can use a tablet. I'm back to my Logitech mouse. You can say a lot about mice, but they stay put, they don't jitter around when you're trying to hit a precise point.

I do believe the problem can be overcome if the pen is allowed to drag the surface without clicking, until additional pressure is applied. And I think the Intuos Pro can be set to do this with its 2048 pressure levels. It's not an option with the Pen & touch.

[Czornyj]

I have a Pen & touch and frankly found it useless for my work.

It's only a matter of a habit After working with Wacom since Art Pad II I find any rodents useless for my work

[D Fosse]

OK, if you say so, I'll take your word.

But let me just ask one thing: Do you work with paths, either in Photoshop or Illustrator? Are you able to hit handle control points, with confidence, every time? If you can, then your neurons must be wired differently than mine, because I can't. But I can with a mouse.

I did try for the longest time, because I really believed the dogma that tablet is king and mouse a poor man's substitute. I even put the mouse away for a week or two, just to force the issue. But instead of getting used to it, my frustration only grew, and in the end I said **** this, I have work to do.

Aside from the fact that the pen tip moves sideways as it moves down, what I miss with the pen is resistance, inertia or whatever you should call it. If you could dip the pen in heavy grease it might work... My hands aren't particularly unsteady; it's just a physical property the mouse has and the pen doesn't that I'm much more comfortable with.

[Czornyj]

OK, if you say so, I'll take your word.

But let me just ask one thing: Do you work with paths, either in Photoshop or Illustrator? Are you able to hit handle control points, with confidence, every time? If you can, then your neurons must be wired differently than mine, because I can't. But I can with a mouse.

I did try for the longest time, because I really believed the dogma that tablet is king and mouse a poor man's substitute. I even put the mouse away for a week or two, just to force the issue. But instead of getting used to it, my frustration only grew, and in the end I said **** this, I have work to do.

Aside from the fact that the pen tip moves sideways as it moves down, what I miss with the pen is resistance, inertia or whatever you should call it. If you could dip the pen in heavy grease it might work... My hands aren't particularly unsteady; it's just a physical property the mouse has and the pen doesn't that I'm much more comfortable with.

I'm a graphic designer for >20yrs, I use Ai, ID, PS, and quit using mouse several years ago. At first it was tough to hit small targets, but it's only a matter of practice and tablet quality. I could work without mouse with Intuos3, and since I switched to Intuos5touch I didn't touch my mouse, I even feel lost when I have to use mouse with some clients computer This game is very good for practicing tablet Bézier drawing skills, I always recommend it to my students: http://bezier.method.ac

I only wish touch would work as good as Apple rMBP touchpad, now I sometimes have to put my left hand on Macbook to make some multigestures.

[The View]

The question is still open: Intuos or Photo Pen for 259$ or 100$.

Where's the difference other than price, size, and pressure levels? Is the difference so big?

[Otto Phocus]

The key difference, so I saw, is the number of buttons and the pressure sensitivity levels 2048 levels on the pro vs. 1024 on the Photo Pen.

Can you control your hand to the precision that will allow deliberate and controllable 2048 different levels of pressure?  I can't, perhaps others can.

[The View]

Can you control your hand to the precision that will allow deliberate and controllable 2048 different levels of pressure?  I can't, perhaps others can.

I don't think the 2048 levels are the only difference.

QUESTIONS:

1. Maybe there is a better control over the tip of the pen overall?

2. Or you are getting a better pen with the Intuos.

3. Or the surface is much better on the Intuos?

Can't find any info on the web. All reviews are those robo reviews / spam reviews (with which Google search results are littered, thanks to seo), where reviewers just go through the motions in order to get a free tablet.

So I'm trying to get firsthand feedback from people who are actually using it and who paid for it.

[Czornyj]

Can you control your hand to the precision that will allow deliberate and controllable 2048 different levels of pressure?  I can't, perhaps others can.

It's not about the numbers - it's rather a matter of feeling, responsiveness, convenience, ergonomy. The gap between the pro and non pro versions is getting smaller, but it's still there.
Doesn't matter in simple retouching applications, but if you want to completely convert to tablet to work more efficiently, then Pro is the answer. Price difference isn't that big considering that Intuos is virtually immortal.

[The View]

It's not about the numbers - it's rather a matter of feeling, responsiveness, convenience, ergonomy. The gap between the pro and non pro versions is getting smaller, but it's still there.
Doesn't matter in simple retouching applications, but if you want to completely convert to tablet to work more efficiently, then Pro is the answer. Price difference isn't that big considering that Intuos is virtually immortal.

I've been working on a tablet for six years, so I'm not converting.

It's an old Graphire tablet without pressure sensitivity and a glass smooth surface (which I actually like, which is why I kept it for so long)

It's just time to switch.

What size are you using? I read small is best for photography, but on one review I read medium is better for larger monitors (I'm on a 27" with 2560 pixels width)

[Czornyj]

I've been working on a tablet for six years, so I'm not converting.

It's an old Graphire tablet without pressure sensitivity and a glass smooth surface (which I actually like, which is why I kept it for so long)

It's just time to switch.

What size are you using? I read small is best for photography, but on one review I read medium is better for larger monitors (I'm on a 27" with 2560 pixels width)

I've always been using the smallest version - it's fast, I can reach the whole surface using just the wrist and not the elbow, and put it on the left side of my keyboard, not in the front of it, which is more convenient because I work with my left hand on shift, command, option, space and can press any shortcut in a blink of an eye. I'm on 30" + a second display (15" of my rMBP or some other monitor).

[The View]

I've always been using the smallest version - it's fast, I can reach the whole surface using just the wrist and not the elbow, and put it on the left side of my keyboard, not in the front of it, which is more convenient because I work with my left hand on shift, command, option, space and can press any shortcut in a blink of an eye. I'm on 30" + a second display (15" of my rMBP or some other monitor).

Yes, I read that repeatedly: that the smallest version is best for photography.

I really checked up on it, as I'm used that I always have to spend more than I want to get what I need...

The work area is actually larger than on my current Sapphire.

I also decided to get the Pro - the whole dynamics seems to be better (not just the pressure levels), and the express keys are great. And I'm really doing a lot of retouching.

By the way, B&H has currently a special on Wacom Tablets, about 12% off instantly, no rebate coupon bs.

[xincheng]

I  bought the XP-Pen Deco Pro https://www.xp-pen.com/product/432.html graphics tablet . I feel that this is as good as wacom intuos pro , and does not force me to break the bank. I had other alternatives but they weren’t as good as this one, and for the size and price you can’t beat them.