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As maybe you have read on my facebook fan page, i started a new awesome partnership with Wacom.
So, i’ll test some of their products and maybe we will make some nice giveaways :)
The Intuos4 model, which I tested for this first review, it’s a fantastic tablet for every graphic designer and digital artist.
Wacom has completely re-designed the tablet, the result is beautiful (the Intuos4 tablets are noticeably thinner than the Intuos3 models) and it’s available in several different sizes suitable for a variety of uses – small, medium, large, x-large.
Every size of the Intuos4 has eight buttons plus the Touching Ring which can be assigned four different functions.
The active surface of the Intuos4 is now different from its predecessor and the pen doesn’t skate across the surface.
The feedback is great and i really love this rougher surface!
The grip pen
The grip pen is very comfortable to hold and a number of different features make this pen well-suited to drawing or for normal mouse operations.
It’s a really cool and natural freehand tool designed for extensive use. Absolutely a must have for professional users.
The new tip sensor allows the pen to respond faster compared to the previous models and the nib is now more sensitive, requiring only one gram of pressure to register a response (and it’s sensitive to 2,048 levels of pressure).
You can easily change the nibs and the best thing is that there is a set of nibs built right into the pen stand!
The Touch Ring
A great big addition to the Intuos4 is the fantastic Touch Ring (a concave version of an iPod classic wheel).
Thanks to the toggle button that you can find in the ring’s center you can easily switch between 4 customizable states.
I found this button very useful in Photoshop for things like zooming, changing brush size, cycling through multiple layers.
Unfortunately it’s hard to see which function is currently activated since it’s only indicated by a small LED.
ExpressKeys and the Radial Menu
Another two great new additions to the Intuos4 are the ExpressKeys (which by default are set to Command, Option and Shift) and the Radial Menu that is a customizable on-screen menu (for various functions like cut, copy and paste).
Roundup
I am using the Intuos4 on a Mac Pro running Mac OS X 10.7.2 and have had no major issues.
The installation was a breeze and it works really great with the primary graphics software that I use with my Wacom Intuos4 tablet (Adobe Photoshop).
I’ve to say that the Intuos3 was already a great graphics tablet (and it’s still today) but the intuos4 is even more cool, a step further.
It’s difficult to find some CONS because when you work as a digital artist a Wacom tablet is your best friend and this product is almost perfect!
Thanks to WACOM for this product!
Comments
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Daniel Kian Mc Kiernan - 09/11/11 -
This comment is someone tangential, but…
The tech support that I received from Wacom when I had a problem years ago was absolutely first-rate. The issue was one of my tablet and another device wanting to make use of the same resource. Xircom, the producer of the other device, basically told me that they didn’t give a flying hoot; Wacom told me precisely what to tweak in their software to resolve the conflict.
And I note that Wacom were supporting the Linux community long before most firms saw any need to do so.
Pat - 21/01/12 -
I’ve read your review with interest. I currently have a Bamboo fun tablet which does not work with Lion. I am shopping for a tablet which is compatible with Lion 10.7.2 and this Intuous model seems to be just right. Thank you – if there in anything else you think I should know about using it with Lion, please let me know.
Pat - 21/01/12 -
I forgot to mention that I’m using Photoshop Elements 10 for Mac…
Luke - 27/03/12 -
I bought a Wacom Tablet in the 6×8 size. It worked well enough once I learned how to shut off the inconveniently-located buttons on the sides, but eventually things began to wear. The surface began to develop rough spots, and when the pen began to make it do weird things I called Wacom and found that I needed a new pen and surface. They sent me a list of companies that carry these parts in Canada. The first two that I called had never heard of Wacom. These were mostly big junk-merchancise chains who are not at all likely to stock small replacement parts. I kept on at Wacom, and they did eventually sent me a pen for free.
Eventually I gave up and ordered the surface piece from B&H in Boston, but when it arrived it was the wrong size. When I called, they said that they did not have it in my size! When they went and checked, eventually I was told that Wacom no longer made that size, sorry. For now I will use it as is, and when I finally need something new to use to clean image files, I will go find another tablet company, perhaps not with all the funny buttons and features that I do not need. If the Wacom does not last and cannot be refurbished, it is a better plan to buy a cheaper model that can be replaced when the surface is gone. Who knows perhaps I will find one that is set up to do business in Canada.