Graphics Tablets - Do you use one?

[Murtasma]

I just purchase a brand spanking new desktop to upgrade my 8 year old machine since I'm going to be doing lots more video editing now. My old machine was just starting to show the signs of age when working with large images (especially panorama's) and video editing. My new machine just arrived yesterday and it's blazing fast I love it.

AMD X6 2.6GHz (6 cores)
8GB RAM
1.2 Terabytes (RAID 0)
Radeon 5770 Graphics Card
New 21.5 in LCD (unfortunately not an IPS panel)

I also decided it was time to upgrade my old graphics tablet from a few years back (graphire 3). This time I purchased an Intuos4 (small) and love it. The additional completely customizable buttons and 4 function scroll wheel really make editing photos much easier and most importantly faster. The feel of this tablet is much more natural and the additional nubs are also pretty sweet.

Currently I have buttons assigned for
Hand Tool
Clone Tool
Healing Brush
Brush
Lasso
Alt Button

My thumb wheel is configured like this
Zoom
Brush Size
Layer Selection
Last one is unused still trying to figure out what would work best with the wheel.


I will be purchasing a specialized game pad this weekend and a new keyboard and mouse since I don't like the ones that came with the computer. I was going to use the game pad for additional shortcut keys in photoshop as well since I can create custom macros with the included software with the game pad.

One hand on the game pad and one on the pen I think would work excellent. I should have to take anything out of my hand to accomplish any task in photoshop.

How many out there are using tablets for editing?
What do you primarily use the tablet for? Masks, Illustrator, General use, Painting
What functions do you have assigned to your tablet buttons?

[Gina9942]

I love my tablet!! I have the same one as you. I use it for basically everything. In my non-photographer life I am a graphic designer, so it's so nice to have, and my friend is a presenter for Wacom, she's the one at the trade shows, showing how amazing it really is!!

I am although, having issues with my preferences, I have to keep resetting them in order for the tablet to work. Wacom told me this was a windows 7 issue. So I don't have any buttons assigned.

[RLucas]

I really want a Bamboo or something like that. Things are tight for us right now, as with many other people, so I will just stick to the track pad on my laptop for the time being!

[sk66]

I have the intuos4 wireless. I use it for everything when doing significant editing....
The buttons are set as default.

[NicoleScraps]

I have a Genius Tablet and I really like it. I don't use it for photo editing very much though. I make doodles and hand written word art for my digital scrapbook pages.

[kelleyrie]

I have a bamboo tablet and have no idea how I got by without it. I use it to convert my handwriting to type and of course in any photo editing.

[AnonymousKiwi1]

Well now you guys have done it!

I had to go googling to find out what exactly a graphics tablet is. Now I want one!!
Something else to add to my Christmas wish list.

[bass_chika]

I just bought the bamboo pen & touch, mainly because i wanted to be able to draw into photoshop or illustrator and animate from there, but it's so much fun! i've never used one before and it took me a few days to get used to it, been trying it out in editing and i've found it's so much easier to be precise with even little things. Definatly love graphics tablets

[harish sutar]

Originally Posted by AnonymousKiwi1

Well now you guys have done it!

I had to go googling to find out what exactly a graphics tablet is. Now I want one!!
Something else to add to my Christmas wish list.

I am with you!!

[Jonbar18]

I'd love a Cintiq, but thats a little out of my price range
saving up for a bamboo!