Tablets: Bamboo pen&touch

[cdhakl]

my old WACOM Graphire3 bit the dust last week. I am retired and just retouch / restore for my own personal photo use now.

I bought the WACOM Bamboo pen & touch model. Only comes in one size (medium 6x9 inch) and one color (silver). I have been able to set it up just like the older Graphire settings I am used to plus the new side buttons & the touch pad feature is really great. Can toggle on/off the touch pad function via one of the customizable (sic?) side buttons, so switching from pen to touch pad is fast & handy.

I have always used the pen in the "mouse" setting function on all the tablets I have ever had, so no need for any size other than small or what ever is available. I don't do any CAD or drafting type jobs, so the full screen / corner to corner "pen" mode never gets used.

I like the 'feel' of the textured screen on the pen nibs. As I set up to only use light pressure settings for PhotoShop / LightRoom, I don't think nib usage will be a problem. I was on my 2nd pen with the Graphire when it quit and had never replaced a nib. The old nibs from the old pens are still in great shape and will slip into the new Bamboo pen, plus the tablet came with 3 extra nibs. I had taped an acetate clear sheet over my older Graphire when I first got it ( 4+ years ago) so that may or may not have helped attribute the great nib condition, I don't know.

I use the tablet exclusively for all computer use except if I type word documents. Love the ability to switch from pen to touch pad in the blink of a button, or one can leave the touch pad function ON while using the pen as well.

Since retiring 5 years ago, I spend many hours a day on the computer. Will be interesting to see how the new textured screen effects pen nib wear. The pen from my Grahire tablet does not work on this Bamboo tablet, but the nibs do.

After only a week of use, the Bamboo P&T is worth the extra money over the straight Bamboo "pen" or straight "touch pad" models. For the home user or hobbyist, I can't think of a better tablet than this Bamboo P&T model. The Intous models are designed for the pro / high end serious user, but for the home user, I am really impressed with this Bamboo version.

Was A $236.00 here in Australia including shipping via the Internet, and they should come down in price, I would suspect, after Christmas is over.

Curt Hakl
"el Condor loco" GRAPHIX
Townsville, Queensland