# Wacom Intous Photo Tablet for non pen or brush operations



## eli452 (Apr 27, 2016)

Been thinking about purchasing Wacom Intous Photo Tablet. My post processing is mainly ACR in bridge or Dxo Optics Pro. The con is clear 100+usd for the device and some clutter on workstation...What are the pros?


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 27, 2016)

I have a now discontinued intuos 4. I used it with my mouse in my right hand and pen in left hand. The nerves in both hands have deteriorated so much that I don't have fine motor control so a mouse is easier. My tablet just sits now, I am reluctant to sell it.

For someone with good control of their movements, its great. I found a mouse was also needed for some commands, so I used both.


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## scottkinfw (Apr 27, 2016)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I have a now discontinued intuos 4. I used it with my mouse in my right hand and pen in left hand. The nerves in both hands have deteriorated so much that I don't have fine motor control so a mouse is easier. My tablet just sits now, I am reluctant to sell it.
> 
> For someone with good control of their movements, its great. I found a mouse was also needed for some commands, so I used both.



You should see a plastic surgeon as you likely have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Continuing to ignore this could result in permanent disability.

Sek


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## scottkinfw (Apr 27, 2016)

eli452 said:


> Been thinking about purchasing Wacom Intous Photo Tablet. My post processing is mainly ACR in bridge or Dxo Optics Pro. The con is clear 100+usd for the device and some clutter on workstation...What are the pros?



I have one. I find it useful for adjusting small areas especially but also larger areas. I actually like it quite a bit when using it for serious photoshopping (Lightroom).

I purchased the wireless one for my Mac but that never worked at all, so I remain wired. Other than that, It gives me fine control, and also helps with larger areas as the pen gets the job done quickly and easily.

Hope this helps.

Sek


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## Zeidora (Apr 28, 2016)

I use the simple bamboo version A LOT. For spotting and cut outs, I could not live without it. I am not sure I would use the function keys too much, as I do a lot of keyboard commands. Depending on what I do, I frequently use the tablet for repetitive point-click-drag operations. If I need to write frequently (Word, FileMaker, Quark), then mouse-keyboard is better for me. 

Re size, I have an 8x10 inch (or so) for dual screen set-up.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (May 8, 2016)

scottkinfw said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > I have a now discontinued intuos 4. I used it with my mouse in my right hand and pen in left hand. The nerves in both hands have deteriorated so much that I don't have fine motor control so a mouse is easier. My tablet just sits now, I am reluctant to sell it.
> ...



My Carpal Tunnel Surgery was done by a hand specialist, a orthopedic surgeon about 2-1/2 years ago. Apparently, some plastic surgeons also do the procedure. I've been back to see him about it, the carpal tunnel is gone, but I have nerve damage that cannot be fixed. I've done rehabilitation and ended up worse than before, I just live with it.


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## JPAZ (May 8, 2016)

I don't use it much but when working with layers in PS it is much more accurate than a mouse if I am defining a border for a change.


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## YuengLinger (May 8, 2016)

I've been using a Wacom Intuos 4 going on five years now. I've almost never touched the pen tip to the surface, as I use it for retouching and just resize the brush using the on-tablet dial. Got started that way and never could get used to using it for actual touch.

I tried using it for navigation too, but it doesn't work for me. I have to move my hand too far. 

Also, as I have dual monitors, and the Wacom is set to only work for 1.5 screens--the image on one screen, and PS controls on half the other screen--I couldn't "reach" reach the far right of my right hand screen.

(This makes sense in practice but probably sounds odd in description.)


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## scottkinfw (May 8, 2016)

JPAZ said:


> I don't use it much but when working with layers in PS it is much more accurate than a mouse if I am defining a border for a change.



Sorry to hear that, and hopefully it isn't incapacitating for you. That is why early treatment is so important. Once the nerve is damaged, it isn't likely that you will get much improvement. Sometimes the damage continues even after carpal tunnel release. Hopefully, the damage wasn't caused by the surgery.

sek


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## d (May 8, 2016)

Once you get your coordination sorted using a pen tablet, your speed and accuracy vs. using a mouse tend to be significantly greater. Spotting, selections, brushing etc, all tend to become easier and quicker, and I even find the pen great for adjusting sliders and options in LR as well.

It might take a week to become comfortable with the movement of the pen over the tablet, and to also work out how much of the surface you want to map to your display, but the perseverance pays off. In my former studio we had a talented retoucher who was an absolute gun on his Wacom. He'd be using his pen and tablet with his right hand, left hand was for keyboard shortcuts, and it was *fast* - it convinced me of the limited utility of a mouse.

d.


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## YuengLinger (May 9, 2016)

I use the pen with right hand, keyboard and mouse with left hand. Mouse for navigation/control.


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## Zeidora (May 9, 2016)

YuengLinger said:


> Also, as I have dual monitors, and the Wacom is set to only work for 1.5 screens--the image on one screen, and PS controls on half the other screen--I couldn't "reach" reach the far right of my right hand screen.



That is strange. I've had dual screens, including one 4K, for years, and use a single Wacom tablet spanning both screens no problem. Maybe you need to change settings in the Wacom preferences. I'm on a Mac, not sure about PCs.


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## pwp (May 9, 2016)

I hardly use a mouse at all these days. It’s really worth the learning curve
to make a Wacom Tablet your mouse replacement. I have two Intuos 6x8. 
For those who have never used a tablet, at first it is much weirder than the
very first time you ever used a mouse. The curser scoots all over the
screen, and any concept of precision work looks totally unachievable. Use
pen mode.

But stay with it. Other advantages of a tablet include wrist injury. When
you hold a mouse, your hand is more or less horizontal. Put your hand flat
on the table. Do it now. Physically, this is a twist. Now put your hand
vertically on the table (pinky on the table, thumb up) This is the natural
resting position. This is basically how you will hold a Wacom pen. Prolonged
mouse use did give me carpal tunnel pain, but with the tablet pen, there is
no problem at all.

If you must have a mouse, learn from serious gamers. They tend to steer well
clear of cordless mice & keyboards. A corded mouse will always be more
responsive than a cordless. A corded mouse with slowed down curser speed can
be a superb precision instrument. Do a Google search for specialist gaming
mice. There are specialist manufacturers outside of the Microsoft/ Logitech
duopoly. Razer make great mice.

Another advantage of the tablet, provided you get the premium Intuos range, is
the array of programmable buttons. Once you get these configured to your
workflow, it even makes keyboard shortcuts seem slow. The Wacom software
allows for a different set of commands for individual programs. So I built
custom setups for Photoshop, Lightroom, Bridge, Premiere Pro and Photomechanic, plus a
default for all other programs. But there is an even better tool for your KB shortcuts.

If you use a Wacom Graphics Tablet and also tend to use a lot of keyboard shortcuts, here's a productivity tool that has transformed the way I work. It's the Nostromo from the gaming device company Razer. Google it. If you have a Wacom and don't use it very often, this may be the perfect companion to get you to use it all the time. It's comprehensively better than using the buttons on the Wacom. The only button I use on the Wacom now is the Touch Ring for brush size.

http://www.pwp3.com/nostromo.jpg This image shows how I have it set up. Of course there is a mouse available on my right as well. They don't conflict with each other. When you have the Wacom pen in your right hand, it's brilliant to have a scroll wheel and an enter key on the LEFT side. Plus, every one of the buttons on the Nostromo can be custom configured to execute keyboard commands...single keystroke keyboard shortcuts. You can set up a custom set of commands/macros for each program that you use, like the Wacom. So I have a set for Photomechanic, Lightroom,Photoshop and so on. The Nostromo detects which program you're currently using and switches more or less instantly. If you work through large folders of images every day, this gadget will be your new best friend. I doubt Razer had non-gamers in mind when they made the Nostromo, but hey!

The only downsides are that your teenage kids will want one for themselves for gaming. But the cost is around the same as a decent mouse. The irritating teen focused blue glowing lights can be turned off. You can save your complex custom settings on Razer's cloud. I've bought another unit for a second workstation and any changes to settings or preferences stay in sync. Fantastic! 

So there you have it. For me this is a cool toy and a useful, incremental productivity breakthrough.

-pw


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## YuengLinger (May 9, 2016)

Zeidora said:


> YuengLinger said:
> 
> 
> > Also, as I have dual monitors, and the Wacom is set to only work for 1.5 screens--the image on one screen, and PS controls on half the other screen--I couldn't "reach" reach the far right of my right hand screen.
> ...



I like it this way. Mapped it on purpose.


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