To all of those out there who care to answer. I just bought a 12x12 Wacom intuos2 in anticipation of a soon to be released Z2 for Mac.
How much more control, and how much better do you think using Z2 is compared to a mouse with a pressure sensitive tablet?
And also what does the pressure sensitivity actually control, or is that up to me?
Was this a worth while purchase?
I probably can’t answer as throughly as most others here but from my experince with a Wacom Graphire3 and Zbrush2 it’s been great. I started out sculpting and painting objects with my mouse in Z2 and the results were okay but not the greatest until it dawned on me to ‘draw’ everything. The pressure sensitivity rocks when modeling. I set the Z intensity to about 20 so when I lightly draw on a model it barely shows up with is nice for subtle facial features. If I want a stronger feature I just either press harder or go over that same area a few times. It works out rather well for me. Texturing objects is better with the wacom. Basically it boils down to how well can you draw with a mouse? If you’re used to doodling and drawing with a pen and paper then the wacom is the way to go. That’s my two cents. 
pnoland
it is far superrior to a mouse…
it is like sex without a condom.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>it is like sex without a condom.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Damn! That good huh.
I’m pretty excited to try it. I’ve been using photoshop with a mouse for years, and people have always told me I should try a Wacom. I have more apps that can take advantage of it, but the excitement of Z2 is what sold the Wacom. 
Its like painting with a brush as opposed to a brick. Try detailing a painting with a brick sometime. That’s what it’s like trying to use zbrush with a mouse compared to a pen.
I feel I have to post in defense of the mouse! Just last night I was round a friends who has zbrush and a wacom tablet so I had a go as I’ve been thinking of getting one.
I didn’t like it. It’s ok, but I was forever switching between the pen & the mouse to change settings like draw size (and anything else menu/settings related). I tried the PencilCase script which it was fine for 2d stuff but for 3d modelling it was just quicker for me to use a mouse. Anyone else had this problem?
For those that do use tablets (& there seem to be quite a few on here) how to you manage?
Short of being ambidextrous (which I’m not!) I can’t see how it would work for me, constantly changing from holding the mouse to pen to mouse etc just interupts my workflow too much. Yes I know I can use all the menus/sliders etc with the pen but I find the mouse much more accurate.
why did you have to switch between the two?
I use my pen for everything. Although if I am trolling websites I sometimes use my mouse for its scroll button but even then very rarely.
It took me a day or so to get used to it having used a mouse forever before getting a pen but once I got used to it I wonder why I keep my mouse at all.
He may have been using a Graphire? I hear the Graphire 2 had very few options, I’ve tried one with Photoshop. I hated it. It was only like 4x6 though, but switching while using one seems likely.
I appreciate all the responses to my question BTW.
I’m really excited about this new toy.
Also in somewhat of a defense of ZB, and a mouse: My only ZBrush experiences is with a mouse, and ZBrush1.55b Demo, and now ZBrush1.55b. Using ZB with the mouse alone was enough to convince me I had to Pre-Order Z2 for Mac.
it was the same way for me at first… I had to use the mouse to tweak settings and when doing Zsphere sculptures I used mouse also…
it just takes a little practice, after a while you will get used to it…
I was the same way when I first started useing my first graphire 2… the I got used to it… and upgraded to intuos 2…
each upgrade was well worth it… I wish I would have tried an intuos 2 along time ago…
Polaris, I have yet to try this so I can’t test it myself, but how are you making all your adjustments? Are using the spacebar, and some customized tear off palates, or are you just mousing some of it with the pen?
I guess the new question/topic is this:
How do you set up a suitable workflow with a Wacom?
you can either press the button on the side of the stylus (pen) or space bar…
I usualy use spacebar for some reason.
what I did to start getting good with it, was forceing myself to use it all the time for a couple of weeks… even surfing the net… now I use mouse plugged into diffrent USB port, and a tackball in other port… when Zbrushing I only use stylus.
Give it a little time, and you will be a pro in no time
one day I hope to be able to play quake 3 with it too LOL!
Working with an Intous2 (Wacom tablet) I can model in ZBrush and never touch the mouse. There is no problems clicking on a setting and setting as I like and doing so with the tablet pen. The tablet pen is exactly like the mouse in that the cursor goes where you move the pen and there are three buttons (the pen tip is one and there are two on the side of the pen). So movement is there and three buttons just like most mice.
I only use the tablet for drawing, painting and modeling in ZBrush (I still prefer modeling in 3D Studio MAX with a mouse) and I use the mouse for everything else (scrolling in a web page, selecting text in Word, etc). I could use the tablet for these as well, but some old habbits die hard .
Yea its better for detail stuff.
I’ve used Wacoms for years, usually the larger ones.
I’ve had a “cheap” Wacom and wore it out. I have an Aiptek now. It uses a battery in the pen, but I like the weight it adds. The Aiptek also has a higher resolution than the Graphire pads. And its less than $100.
The trick is to get the “brush” size and pressure settings right. When people first use one they want to turn the pad some, like when you draw on a sheet of paper. Keep the pad “square” on the desk so it tracks right on the screen.
$.02
I’m also still switching to my mouse for shaping something up in early subD levels, but for detailling a Wacom is really awesome, because of the pressure sensitivity and just the “feeling” - It feels absolutely natural and really perfect if you’re using a Wacom.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Aiptek also has a higher resolution<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
That’s an interesting little factoid I was not aware of. I know the Wacom has a higher levels of pressure sensitivity, but I didn’t know the Aiptek had better resolution. Maybe I should have gone with the better resolution? Then again maybe I should have saved some money, and bought the Aiptek? Sh*t… Now I feel like I just got jiped.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Now I feel like I just got jiped.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Not if you got a Wacom. Higher resolution may or may not mean so much. It depends on what they mean when they say this. It’s sort of like all those video cards battling it out and presenting numbers for this and that.
Wacom makes the best tablets and that is a fact. They are second to none. So if you got a Wacom you got the best.
Not really, you get used to each.
The Aiptek pen has 512 levels of pressure sensitivity. I can setup my Intuous and the Aiptek and play around with the settings to get them both where I want them.
Its personal preference. Its the Kung Fu vs Karate debate. The best one is the one you know.
I will say this. After owning each, there is no way at all that there is that much difference in the price for the same size models.
I would buy an aiptek again.
As far as the pens go, the Aiptek does use a battery. But I’m used to using heavy mechanical pencils. The weight gives me more feel.The battery lasts for months.
On a side note, those who are new to tablets may not like the slick surface. Some people like to tape a piece of paper to the top so it feels more like sketching…
Anyway, its just personal preference. Either one you buy will work fine.
If I am not mistaken intuos2 had 1024 levels of sensitivity…
I could be wrong tho…
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>If I am not mistaken intuos2 had 1024 levels of sensitivity…
I could be wrong tho…<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
That’s my point, and leads to my next question. the Wacom intuos 2 does have 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity, but which is better to have? A higher resolution, or 2x the pressure sensitivity?
How much higher is the resolution, and how is that resolution applied anyway?
I cant honestly awnser that because i have not tried anything but WACOM products…
all I know is the only way someone will get my intuos2 away from me is prying it out of my cold dead hands…
If possible try them both out…
I am currious now… I want to try the other brand now