siwtching to wacom?

[ThomasTheToolman]

I wouldn´t say it is worth switching to an tablet if you do most of your work by modeling in Maya. A tablet is more usefull for digital painting/scetching or working with apps like zBrush, Silo, Mudebox or 3D Coat...

Stick with a mouse or something like this:
http://syntacticsugar.nl/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/74538_fx_marble_mouse.col.jpg
(Logitech TrackMan Marble FX)



Regards
TTT

[SheepFactory]

I wouldn´t say it is worth switching to an tablet if you do most of your work by modeling in Maya. A tablet is more usefull for digital painting/scetching or working with apps like zBrush, Silo, Mudebox or 3D Coat...

Stick with a mouse or something like this:
http://syntacticsugar.nl/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/74538_fx_marble_mouse.col.jpg
(Logitech TrackMan Marble FX)



Regards
TTT

I cant imagine using this for 3d, it looks terrible.

Seriously how can you model\animate with a trackball?

[ThomasTheToolman]

Seriously how can you model\animate with a trackball?

I don´t use my feet, that´s the secret. ;)

[imashination]

First, theres no need for a wacom in a 3d app at all, theres no advantage, theyre not 'more professional' it just moves the pointer, thats it.

As for trackballs, nothing wrong with them, I used to use the previous model of the one shown for about 4 years, theres no disadvantage compared to a mouse.

[evanfotis]

FWIW, I know a top 3d modeler, who uses intuos pen regularly.
I do use my intuos pen just for painting, and the rest of the time switch to logitech trackman wheel:http://i.testfreaks.com/images/products/600x400/131/logitech-trackman-wheel.962435.jpg

Using regular mice now, feels slow and cumbersome, but yes, in high detail situations when I do not use the pen, wacom's regular mouse comes in handy.

[705]

any1 ever try the apple's mighty mouse? please dont comment on the price though, would be a forever arguments. im just wondering the feature and is it a three button mouse?
i got a cordless logitech and the middle button is on the scroll and its really super extreme annoying in maya.

and im not sure why you guys like trackball. is it preference or just the best tools in 3D?

thanks

[705]

anw i googled around and logitech mx revolution seems to be the top notch everywhere. got experience on this bad ass?

[biliousfrog]

Apple's mice are awful, pure RSI in a shiny, plastic package.

I've got a Logitech G5, great mouse. Logitech mice are very comfortable and precise and usually offer some extra buttons and features which can be mapped to shortcuts. I'd recommend trying some at a store though because it's got to fit your hand.

I've tried using my wacom for modelling but I couldn't get on with it.

[biliousfrog]

i got a cordless logitech and the middle button is on the scroll and its really super extreme annoying in maya.



Actually, the middle mouse button is tricky on mine as it has left and right plus scroll on there too...I just ignore the middle 'down' and use the left and right instead which gives me a 4 button mouse, I prefer it.

[705]

im using maya and tracking camera using alt-middle mouse button. im like using it a lot and i really hate my current mouse.

[imashination]

any1 ever try the apple's mighty mouse? please dont comment on the price though, would be a forever arguments. im just wondering the feature and is it a three button mouse?
i got a cordless logitech and the middle button is on the scroll and its really super extreme annoying in maya.

and im not sure why you guys like trackball. is it preference or just the best tools in 3D?

thanks

The apple mice have always been crap in almost every possible way, anyone ever have the imac hockey puck inflicted on them?

The current mighty mouse, where do you start? First the shape is in no way at all ergonomic, its the most RSI inducing mouse ive ever used. Its got four buttons (so badly hidden most dont realise theyre there) Three of them depend where you rest your fingers, so if you even hold it in the wrong way, it wont work. If you squeeze it too tight, you accidentally trigger the fourth button. Even down to the material they use on the cable, which is so stiff itll knock a coffee mug over if it nudges it.

The mighty mouse is a pure embodiment of style over content. I'd rather use the square sided 2 buton ball mouse than came with my amiga. Actually I'd rather sandpaper my scrotum than use an apple mouse.

[ThomasTheToolman]

FWIW, I know a top 3d modeler, who uses intuos pen regularly.
I do use my intuos pen just for painting, and the rest of the time switch to logitech trackman wheel:http://i.testfreaks.com/images/products/600x400/131/logitech-trackman-wheel.962435.jpg

Using regular mice now, feels slow and cumbersome, but yes, in high detail situations when I do not use the pen, wacom's regular mouse comes in handy.


I like this one.
You only have to move the ball with your thumb to get where you want on the screen.
With some little adjustments in the pointeroptions it works perfect.

Nice post ;)



Regards
TTT

[705]

okay i guess i'll scratch apple mouse. im considering wacom now (planning to do some illustration in the future :D), but how many button does it have? there are on button at the point of the pen, and it looks like in the middle there are two buttons.

but of course, a decent mouse with 3 button will always be option. i somehow dont like the idea button on the scroll (dont ask why :D).

any advice?

thanks in advance :)

[evanfotis]

I like this one.
You only have to move the ball with your thumb to get where you want on the screen.
With some little adjustments in the pointeroptions it works perfect.
Nice post ;)
Regards
TTT
I opted for this solution (trackball) initially just for presentations, since there is limited space on the podium, and I just cannot stand laptop touchpads, where one needs two hands to do what can be easily done with one using a mouse.
I was skeptical that trackballs might cause over stress to the thumb when using it exclusively to navigate. Then I got hooked and use it all the time..
Three years now, no such thing has happened. On the contrary, I now find normal mice awkward..

[pher]

I hate using a mouse in Maya. How you can say it doesn't have an advantage I don't know. It's more ergo, and more precise. It's a personal thing, but I'd just buy a wacom if I were you. $100 will get you a bamboo fun medium. You could go with the small one for cheaper. You'll find yourself navigating your OS/web browsing with it too.

[705]

great wacom it is. but i always annoyed by the tracking camera thing (crtl+middlemouse button). Is wacom has 3 button on its pen?

thanks

[pher]

Two buttons. I use one button for middle click, the other for right click. Middle mouse clicking any mouse is cumbersome.

[705]

wait, sorry...
you dont use left click?

[pher]

Touching the tablet with your pen is left clicking =D

[SheepFactory]

I hate using a mouse in Maya. How you can say it doesn't have an advantage I don't know. It's more ergo, and more precise. It's a personal thing, but I'd just buy a wacom if I were you. $100 will get you a bamboo fun medium. You could go with the small one for cheaper. You'll find yourself navigating your OS/web browsing with it too.


Seconding this. A wacom is better in everyway to a mouse.

[chrispix]

Yeah, go for a medium tablet. Once you get use to it, it will feel so much more natural and you'll never want to touch a mouse again (unless it's cute and furry).

[705]

considering to get this one:

http://www.wacom.com/bamboo/bamboo_fun.php

might be a little off budget :D but i think its really worth the price.
but i notice this in the specifications:

Resolutions: 2540 lpi

how dyou count lpi compared to dpi? or better, how many pixel is it? so intuos got 5010 lpi, does it affect that much if i want to do mostly is navigating in maya but possibly doing low res sketch in the future?

thanks in advance :)

[imashination]

Seconding this. A wacom is better in everyway to a mouse.

Except you cant rest your hand on it, or lift it up to drag the pointer further, or use any more than 2-3 buttons, or use a scroll wheel, or use any other shape than the officially sanctioned wacom ones.

Theyre useful, but theyre not 'better in every way' by a long stretch of the imagination.

[SheepFactory]

Except you cant rest your hand on it,

yes you can. Do you really use wacom with your hand hovering over the pad at all times?

or lift it up to drag the pointer further,

Never needed to since its mapped 1\1. If you mean about going out of slider ranges, yes you can do that by lifting the wacom pen just like you would with a mouse.

or use any more than 2-3 buttons, or use a scroll wheel,

I have counted 8 programmable buttons on the wacom pad just now and two scroll strips. :)



or use any other shape than the officially sanctioned wacom ones.

Not sure what you mean here.

Theyre useful, but theyre not 'better in every way' by a long stretch of the imagination.

we'll have to disagree on that one.

[pher]

or use any other shape than the officially sanctioned wacom ones.


Do you want a tablet shaped like a cupcake? Rather than the same 16:9 ratio of your monitor? You're making yourself sound like you've never touched one before.

As for that Bamboo Pen/Touch - those just came out this month, so I don't know anyone who has tried one yet. I've got a feeling you might get some unwanted clicks when using a pen, maybe not. You can have the pen about a cm away from the tablet and the magnet still picks up it's presence.

Don't worry about LPI - if anything it's the sensitivity you want. Which they doubled for the bamboo to the old intuos3 levels (1024). Ituos4 has 2k, but a lot of programs don't even support that and you'll use 1k anyway.

If you're looking at spending 200 now you can get an intuos4 small for 200, or this new touch/pen one for under 200 on amazon. I use the intuos4 small at home and for travel. It looks like they are blurring the lines between their pro tablets and the bamboo's, which I guess is a good thing. The only thing I can think of that intuos' have over this new one now is pen tilt, which you only need if you're really into painting.

[imashination]

yes you can. Do you really use wacom with your hand hovering over the pad at all times?

I mean actual support from it, resting your wrist on a flat surface and pinching with your fingertips is the very text book definition of how a computer user gets RSI

Never needed to since its mapped 1\1. If you mean about going out of slider ranges, yes you can do that by lifting the wacom pen just like you would with a mouse.

Lift move click, lift move click, lift move click....

I have counted 8 programmable buttons on the wacom pad just now and two scroll strips. :)

Ive got 5 buttons on my right hand and 102 on my left. You have 2 on your right and 8 on your left, I win ;-)

Not sure what you mean here.

On the shape, what I mean is, the most common complaint ive heard is about the rubber grip, or the pen being too long, or the nib rattles, or its too thin to grip etc (I dont care, I find the regular pens fine) but unless you like the default pen or the chunky optional airbrush, youre screwed.

Dont get me wrong, tablets are the best thing since sliced bread, I just take issue with the idea theyre better in every way ;-)

[705]

okay i think i'll go wacom bamboo fun, i always love multi-touch touchpad, and this one is like jackpots for me :)
i already have a mouse so i guess im gonna try a different path for a while :)

thanks for all the advice guys, really helpful :)

[pher]

I think it's obvious you are arguing for the sake of arguing.

Honestly, try to write ANYTHING with a pen with your wrist flat on the table. No one does that. I even use my tablet to rest my wrists on it when I'm typing and it's surprisingly comfortable.

Your lift, move, click doesn't make any sense to me. That's how a pen works. You lift, move and click with your mouse, too, which is the most un-ergo thing ever created.

There are also quite a few different shapes/grips for the pens. And if you are really going to complain about half a mm of travel on a nib... don't ever try the spring loaded one =x

To the OP- you'll be happy with it. If it works well I know I would be using zoom/rotate A LOT while painting. When I work on my laptop I even find myself trying to write on the touchpad with my pen sometimes. They should get wacom to put tiny little pen/touch pads on all laptops imo.

[zanfb]

hello. i see pher already adressed the question, but i still need some help deciding. the new bambo fun or the small intuos4? i am wondering how much does size matter? im a beginner user. i want to use it for maya and drawing/painting (both beginner stage).pher, you said the only major difference is the tilt. what are precision mode and radial menus? important stuff? i am thinking more in the direction of the bamboo. but still cant get myself to click the order button :D

[pher]

Precision mode is kind of like lazy mouse in Zbrush, or Steady Stroke in Mudbox... it just adds a ton of weight to your pointer to try and do micro movements. The radial menus I never use. To be honest, I never even use the programmable buttons on the tablet anymore. It's just easier to use the keyboard.

I think the safe bet is still going with an Intuos.

[motoxpress]

The bigger area just allows for longer strokes when drawing. If you primarily will you use it as an input device AKA mouse replacement, the smaller size is great. If you intend to draw extensively, the medium or larger size are nice for more natural drawing from the elbow.

-gl

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