As the topic title suggests, when you're editing your photos do you use the bog standard mouse or do you have a graphics tablet set up? If so what are the advantages or disadvantages you have noticed using one over the other. 
Mouse or Pen and Tablet?
- Thread starter Derek W
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I'm aiming to improve my PP as its certainly one aspect which as you've stated above is currently sitting at moving a few sliders and not too much else. I'm exploring the use of layer masks and the like and for areas of finer detail the control aspect over time taken to do something is making me look towards getting a tablet. But its just speculative at the moment and wanted some opinions from those who have one
I'm aiming to improve my PP as its certainly one aspect which as you've stated above is currently sitting at moving a few sliders and not too much else. I'm exploring the use of layer masks and the like and for areas of finer detail the control aspect over time taken to do something is making me look towards getting a tablet. But its just speculative at the moment and wanted some opinions from those who have one
Layer masks with an Intuos4 is the PP equivalent of Liz Hurley in bedazzled lezzing off with Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider (and I'm not referring to the acting).
does that mean I'll end up with a sticky mess if i get a tablet?
thats some comparison !
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Tablet ***!
Seriously though just try the bamboo first until you get used to it and if you love it and need to, upgrade or flog it and stick to a mouse if you hate it.
Seriously though just try the bamboo first until you get used to it and if you love it and need to, upgrade or flog it and stick to a mouse if you hate it.
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I tried the Bamboo for quite a few months, and couldn't get on with it. I think I'm welded to a mouse.
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Exactly
A realtively inexpensive experiment - bettert than a few ton down the drain. I love the tablet and use it for everything photo now, but they're not for everyone. Depends on style - bit like choosing your camera/lenses and shooting style.
Like I would rather chew my own foot off than take people's wedding photos, much less look at them or people that takke photos of planes or cars - they bore me. Some people love that stuff.
Each to their own
A realtively inexpensive experiment - bettert than a few ton down the drain. I love the tablet and use it for everything photo now, but they're not for everyone. Depends on style - bit like choosing your camera/lenses and shooting style.
Like I would rather chew my own foot off than take people's wedding photos, much less look at them or people that takke photos of planes or cars - they bore me. Some people love that stuff.
Each to their own
Same situation here. Every now and again i'll try the bamboo but soon switch back to the mouse when frustration sets in
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You may find that's because the cheap tablets aren't really very good, there's a world of difference between the bamboo range an A4 intuos (and yes, a big price difference too but the point being you can't really fairly judge the usability of a tablet based on a small budget device...I wouldn't be without a tablet for editing but I wouldn't touch a bamboo either...)
+1. The difference between the Bamboo range and the Intuos ranges are night and day, the difference in pen being the most obvious (cheap plastic stick versus heavier rubber ergonomic stick).
The other thing to remember is matching up the tablet size with your screen resolution. If you're using a Bamboo with a 30" screen it's going to be rubbish, because for every inch on the tablet your cursor will be flying wildy about on the screen. The opposite problem occurs if you have an extra large Intuos with a 13" MBP screen, you're moving your arm wildly for little movement on the screen.
If you're using your tablet to paint or draw, you're better served matching the sizes as equal as possible, so the ratio is as close to 1:1 as you can get. However if you're retouching it can just end up making too much work for yourself, and having a smaller tablet can help you work longer with less strain and unnecessary movement. I have a medium Intuos4 with a 24" 1920x1200 screen and find it perfect. Plus if I need to get a lesser ratio there is a 'Precision mode' on the tablet which when pressed pretty much flips it, meaning say 5cm on the tablet is 2.5cm on screen.
I would bet one of the main reasons people don't get on with the Bamboo is they go pairing them up with 24"+ monitors, and they're just a bit on the small side to give you that nice control.
I'd still stick with a medium personally. Unfortunately there aren't as many tablet sizes as screen sizes/resolutions.
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It's a given that the pro tablets are better to use than the Bamboo.
In photography terms only, if you are not a fairly intensive user of detailed photo editing techniques then a tablet is a waste. My point was just that if you're really unsure and can't borrow one, I wouldn't spend the money on the big boy version until you've tried the cheaper one to see how they work in terms of individual style.
In photography terms only, if you are not a fairly intensive user of detailed photo editing techniques then a tablet is a waste. My point was just that if you're really unsure and can't borrow one, I wouldn't spend the money on the big boy version until you've tried the cheaper one to see how they work in terms of individual style.