Wacom Bamboo Review

[Minimoose]

Wacom Bamboo

Ok, i ordered this tablet from Amazon and bought it from Pixmania, the model is french but all this changes is the writing on the package (well this is what a believe).

Cost - ?50

[bPackaging>[/b]>

I love the packaging:DD Its very artistic but simple and the colours are very sexy. On the back of the sleeve they just advertise why the product is so wonderful etc...

So you take the sleeve off and you get another box, looks nice again.

Foam to cover the breakables and on a lot of the shiny surfaces there's plastic covering, not useful for me because I managed to drop everything on the floor as soon as I took it off ;)) If you aren't as clumsy as me then this is a nice thing for Wacom to do.

[bIncluded items:>[/b]>

- Tablet

- Pen

- Pen Holder

- Driver Software

- Wacom JustWrite Office Software (Haven't tested but it shows that you can write your signiture on the tablet then use it under emails and batch letters, not useful for me but for others quite nice, also you get the software code so it's free with the tablet, tasty)

- Wacom Colorelli 50% Discount Code (19.90 normally, 9.95 discounted (In Euro's))

Aesthetics> - The main part of the tablet has a matte finish which feels smooth and is nice to rest your hand on. The shiny surface of the top part looks sexy, especially with the blue LEDs but it collects dust easily, so you will need to clean this occasionally, which is kind of annoying.

Shape> - Very slim, very smooth and the button design + scroll wheel is lush.

Touch> - Smooth to touch everywhere, resting your hand on it while drawing is good, although I only just got it so i haven't tested it for long periods.

Aesthetics> - The main pen is a rubbery black which looks similar to the main part of the tablet, then the top is the shiny surface again, so it fits in. The buttons are the shiny surface again and feel very nice:))

Shape> - Pen-like would be a good description but seriously its comfy to hold for short periods, not sure about long ones.

Touch> - The rubber isn't too rubbery if you can understand that, so its nice to hold rather than sticky, thats the best way I can describe it.

[bThe Pen Holder>[/b]>

Aesthetics> - Similar layout, top shiny and bottom matte.

Shape> - You can insert the pen vertically or horizontally, I prefer the vertical way since it holds it firmly and its easy to take out again, but this is just personal preference.

Touch> - Well you dont really need to touch it, but if you really want to know then i guess it feels similar to all the other bits :))

Software> - The software is very customizable, you can change what all the buttons do, double click timing, what the ring does etc... Also you can change the tracking from pen mode (pad is mapped exactly to the monitor) or mouse mode (progressive tracking, so you use it like a mouse ;)))

Use in photoshop> - This is the program I'm using it for, I think its brilliant for it, much easier than using a mouse. It's very accurate and the pressure sensitivity works better than i expected, even on the large brush sizes you can make tiny marks.

Using it as a mouse> - I actually really like using it instead of a mouse, its very responsive and i thought it would be much harder to control.

Finally:DD I am very pleased with the Wacom Bamboo tablet, everything i expected and more, it took about 1 minute to install the drivers and set it up. Also the tutorial included covers everything i needed to know so the learning curve after the tutorial is about a minute:pp

9.9/10 (0.1 is from the shiny surface cleaning

If there are any other questions you want me to answer then ask away.

Edited March 28, 2008 by Minimoose

[Jarik]

Nice review, but how much did it cost ?

[Minimoose]

Nice review, but how much did it cost ?

Edited :D i forgot to put that in

[Ashiaveli]

Good Review. I got the Wacom Bamboo Fun for Christmas, here's my review:

http://lemonlimedesigns.ca/blogs/index.php...acom-bamboo-fun

Even if you're not artistic, I'd recommend it if you have wrist problems.

[Quillz]

Do I have to have a special program, or can I use it with Photoshop, for example?

[sundayx Veteran]

I have been thinking about picking one up after I graduate. Thanks for the review!

[Minimoose]

Do I have to have a special program, or can I use it with Photoshop, for example?

You can use photoshop with it:

Use in photoshop - This is the program I'm using it for, I think its brilliant for it, much easier than using a mouse. It's very accurate and the pressure sensitivity works better than i expected, even on the large brush sizes you can make tiny marks.

^From my original review :)

Good Review. I got the Wacom Bamboo Fun for Christmas, here's my review:

http://lemonlimedesigns.ca/blogs/index.php...acom-bamboo-fun

Even if you're not artistic, I'd recommend it if you have wrist problems.

Thanks. Do you know the difference between the Bamboo Fun and the Bamboo? Nice review by the way.

[GrimReeper]

Nice review. I have wanted to get one of these but I've never actually used one (a bamboo) so I have held off. This may just seal the deal if someone ever puts one on sale

[Ashiaveli]

Thanks. Do you know the difference between the Bamboo Fun and the Bamboo? Nice review by the way.

From what I've read, it's the look and the Fun comes with a mouse.

[Keito]

I also have a Bamboo and it surely is nice. I really recommend it to anyone looking into tablet due to the price and slightly better sensitivity/resolution than older flagship models which nowadays sell for roughly the same price.

[James123]

Have you (or anyone else reading this) used an A6 tablet like this with applications like Maya/ZBrush? I can't afford any bigger than A6 at the moment, but using a mouse is driving me crazy :p.

Nice review.

[Dotdot]

Thnx for the review gonna pick one of these up once my new PC arrives. Illustrator and Photoshop with a mouse kinda has a few restrictions not present when using a tablet :)

[Rudy]

i was just wondering how hard is it to get used to the fact that you're not "writing" anything? I used to draw a lot (on paper) and i've always wanted to start drawing stuff on the computer but I think I'll have a hard time because you're not actually drawing anything on the board.....

[GrimReeper]

Can anyway answer this. I know the Bamboo fun has handwriting recognition so you can write instead of type, can you do this on the bamboo?

[Kerm]

We use a whole variety of tablets at work, and this is the cheapest of the lot, but it holds up very well.

It takes a few weeks to wear it in and get a silky smooth surface, it's a bit grainy to begin with, but once you've worn it it it's excellent.

Absolutely no complaints, for ?50 you can't go wrong.

10/10.

^Rudy - I'm sure you'll adjust much quicker than you imagine, and once you have you'll wonder why you didn't ages ago.

^GrimReeper - Yep.

[Rudy]

^Rudy - I'm sure you'll adjust much quicker than you imagine, and once you have you'll wonder why you didn't ages ago.

I might get one then.... I've been looking at them for a long time (wacom tablets in general), but i've always been scared I wouldn't get used to it

[GrimReeper]

or the stop being lazy technique ;-)

We use a whole variety of tablets at work, and this is the cheapest of the lot, but it holds up very well.

It takes a few weeks to wear it in and get a silky smooth surface, it's a bit grainy to begin with, but once you've worn it it it's excellent.

Absolutely no complaints, for ?50 you can't go wrong.

10/10.

^Rudy - I'm sure you'll adjust much quicker than you imagine, and once you have you'll wonder why you didn't ages ago.

^GrimReeper - Yep.

Thats good to know:DD From what I've read the Bamboo is actually supposed to be textured and not silky smooth to me more like writing on paper but then again I could have misinterpreted what I read.

[NiceCarpet]

i was just wondering how hard is it to get used to the fact that you're not "writing" anything? I used to draw a lot (on paper) and i've always wanted to start drawing stuff on the computer but I think I'll have a hard time because you're not actually drawing anything on the board.....

Think of it this way, you're 100% comfortable with your mouse, the pen works just as the mouse would. As you use your pen you're not meant to be looking at the pen and tablet but rather the screen, even when the pen isn't on the board as long as it's not to far off the pen moves the cursor on screen. Really it's just a better shaped mouse that's pressure sensitive.

Thats good to know biggrin.gif From what I've read the Bamboo is actually supposed to be textured and not silky smooth to me more like writing on paper but then again I could have misinterpreted what I read.

Even if not, you could put a A4 piece of paper over your tablet to create the feeling of real paper when required. : )

[toadeater]

I might get one then.... I've been looking at them for a long time (wacom tablets in general), but i've always been scared I wouldn't get used to it

I've tried a few other cheap tablets and I couldn't get used to them because of either the poor tracking, or because of the lag and overall "unnatural" feel. So I was even more scared this one would be another tablet I couldn't get used to and it would sit around collecting dust. But it turned out to be exactly what I was hoping for, and now I know there's no substitute for Wacom tablets. The important thing for me is I don't have to compensate for it being a tablet, I draw the same way I did on paper with pen and pencil. The tracking is precise and there's no lag, and the pressure sensitivity is good too. It's a perfect match for Photoshop. I got mine for $156 from Provantage. They're still selling them now for $161.

http://www.provantage.com/wacom-cte650k~7WACM18L.htm

the Bamboo is actually supposed to be textured and not silky smooth

The one I got isn't textured. Feels like drawing on marble or something. The pen nib compenstates for that though, unless you want the feel of a paintbrush or something.

[Cosmin]

very nice .

[+jamesyfx Subscriber²]

These are just toys, right? Not serious stuff?

I had a customer that didn't want any of the Bamboo ones (We have about 5 different versions of it), but wanted the other Graphire ones.

[acies]

I have one of these myself, they're pretty good, though I found them quite different to actually drawing on paper and I am still finding it hard to adjust. For example I cannot do very accurate lines. Straight lines are just impossible to do. Though maybe I need to give more time, or have it set up wrong or something. Still fun to use though.

Also I have heard of a pen, for tablets, which is actually a proper pen as well. So you could lay paper on the tablet then what you draw on the paper would appear on the screen.

These are just toys, right? Not serious stuff?

I had a customer that didn't want any of the Bamboo ones (We have about 5 different versions of it), but wanted the other Graphire ones.

They're really beginner tablets. If you don't know what to get this is probably a good choice.

[+Warwagon MVC]

mine just arrive today. Its Very hard to get use to. It annoys me that when I go to draw the mouse moves on me. from me picking up the pin.