Wacom Graphire4 4x5 USB Tablet (Silver) Reviews

• Excellent upgrade!

  
  By A2TBTC0PIEQ9RS on 2005-12-29
  Just a note to correct RE Geiger's review below. In WinXP's Start > Programs > Tablet you can set the Graphire4 to "mouse mode" when you're using the pen, i.e. it uses relative positioning instead of absolute positioning.
  
  I personally have used a Graphire2 to do color correction and graphics work at a daily newspaper for over a year. I also had one at home for personal projects. It's been all the tablet I ever needed. Recently, I bought a white Graphire4 for myself from CompUSA because the pen on my home unit broke--it was stuck at 14-16% pressure all the time.
  
  (I should have checked Amazon, it's about $8 cheaper here with free shipping. I did consider just buying a replacement pen, but wasn't sure at the time whether the newer pens would work with my old tablet.)
  
  After I bought the Graphire4, I found its pen works fine with the Graphire2 tablet and drivers, so there really wasn't any reason to buy an all new tablet. I don't regret it though!
  
  The build quality of version 4 has been well worth the upgrade. Instead of a thin translucent flap to slide images under for tracing, there is a thick, clear "case" on the tablet that you unsnap. The case also includes a pen holder that holds the pen flat instead of upright like before. Both the pen and mouse work flawlessly of course, and are comfortable to use for extended periods of time. The included software seems also a nice bonus, but I won't talk about that because I have the regular versions of Photoshop etc. available. There are also programmable buttons on the tablet that weren't there before...convenient.
  
  The only thing that I worry about is scuffing the tablet "case." I don't like to use the pen holder because it holds the pen too tightly for my liking, even though it's a DEFINITE improvement over version 2. I've opted to keep the original plastic packaging on the tablet for as long as possible. I also keep two rubber bands around the tablet to hold the pen when the tablet isn't in use. The rubber bands interfere with the mouse, but I am always using the pen so it doesn't matter.
  
  

• recommended for stress relief...

  
  By A2CX79FL19TP46 on 2005-10-19
  At first I was concerned about the lower resolution compared to the Intuos... but after trying the both of them, i can't really tell the difference.
  It's much more sensitive than a mouse, and takes a couple of weeks to get used to. I bought it mainly cuz my fingers started to hurt after my 8 hours of mouse clicking everyday at work. And the Graphire reduced the stress on my index and middle fingers (sometimes my index finger hurts so bad, i had to switch fingers...) greatly.
  It's still kinda tricky to catch the notches in Illustrator sometimes, cuz it's so sensitive to movements, but I am getting a hang of it.
  
  

• Artistic tool - not a mouse substitute

  
  By A6D21I0BCWLAX on 2005-12-03
  I'm not an artist. I don't even remember what I was doing that made me think I might benefit from a pen tablet, but I became intrigued with them and ultimately I purchased a Wacom Graphire4 4X5. It is a nicely made, well designed unit for entry level and casual users. I highly recommend it. If you have higher aspirations I would recommend the Intuos3.
  
  After three days of use I knew a pen tablet (any pen tablet) was not for me. I do a lot of drawing and sketching for the various projects I do, so I thought I might have reasonable facility with a pen tablet. No such luck. I couldn't make a smooth pen stroke to save my life - not even by accident. This is my deficiency, not the pen tablet's - so don't take this as a negative review. In the hands of someone artistically gifted this will be a wonderful tool.
  
  I spent days using the pen tablet to make sure I wasn't giving up on it too soon. I didn't like it as an alternative to a mouse. I found I needed to make bigger hand movements to point and click. The pen, unlike a mouse, must be positioned directly over the corresponding point on the tablet. Therefore, to click on an icon in a corner of the screen, for example, the pen must be moved to the corner of the tablet. A mouse on the other hand can be moved a couple inches, picked up, repositioned on the pad and moved a couple more inches, because the cursor doesn't follow the mouse when it is not on the pad. You can't use this technique with a pen tablet as the cursor is always under the pen tip. (note added Sept. 2006 -- Yup, I overlooked the mouse mode for the pen - the pen can be configured to operate as a mouse.) Also, because touching the tablet with the pen is the same as clicking, I found it easy to accidentally click on things I hadn't intended (because I didn't lift the pen high enough above the tablet surface when sweeping from one side of the screen to the other). And, yes, you can reduce the active area of the tablet to reduce your hand motions, but this also has the effect of increasing the sensitivity of your hand motions so that a minor twitch will send the cursor flying across the screen.
  
  Every button on the tablet, pen and mouse is programable. This is a very cool feature. You can program buttons to open applications as well as for any combination of keystrokes. I would have liked to have been able to program the buttons differently in each application (as is possible on the Intuos3). I found the pen buttons awkward to use - not so much because they were in an awkward position but because I would either have the pen too high above the tablet surface (the pen doesn't work unless it is held just above the surface) or because I would press the point down on the tablet as I was trying to press a button. (It is convenient however to be able to have a pen button programmed for UNDO.)
  
  I found the Wacom mouse difficult to use. It is sensitive to the orientation of the tablet. For instance, you can move your hand in a line that you think is parallel to the top of the screen, but if the tablet is not parallel to the motion of the mouse the cursor will travel at an angle. I wanted my old mouse back. (I think the Intuos3 mouse is independent of tablet orientation.)
  
  The software bundle is very nice. Oddly though, the kind of thing I usually do when editing photos can just as easily be done with a mouse, so again I didn't see an advantage to having a pen tablet.
  
  I liked this pen tablet, but it wasn't for me, it's for an artist. Had I been more artistically inclined I probably would have upgraded to the Intuos3 because of the greater programming options and the enhanced mouse. And if I decide I really do have a use for a pen tablet the Intuos3 is the one I will buy. Wacom Direct offers a 30 day trial.
  
  

• Wacom Tablets Rock!

  
  By A1O4M7XK2TR6BM on 2006-04-26
  I am an owner of several Wacom Tablets including sizes. I bought this one to use with my laptop as I am so used to using a tablet on my main pc and for that one I have an Intuos 6x8.. that I wanted the smaller real estate size. I do graphics and need a stylus to work with it. I hate the touchpad. OK... that said.. a consideration in buying a tablet is your need for size. Keep in mind that the tablet is about 3 inches larger all over than the tablet size. I have owned an 8 x 12 (not sure if correct size.. but major large). It fits anything you would do graphically real size time; however, it takes up lots of room. The 6 x 8 is not small, but it is manageable on a desk. I love the levels of graphic ability, pen controls etc from the Intuos... but I already have that on my desktop. The graphire will afford portability for my laptop and the cover keeps it intact and moveable. It does most things very well, but for extreme detail (if needed) I go to my desktop and use my larger tablet. 4x5 is a good size. It works well for average applications. You need to adjust your setings prior to use to go along with your screen size and it will be quite fine. On a larger tablet, you find yourself going all over the place to get from one end of the screen to the other. So, you need to adjust your screen area to be smaller anyway. And, how many times do you really need a really large area? In my case it is not that often. I do quite well on the 6 x 8 on my desk. This 4 x 5 is quite versatile and very useable. They are the best tablets on the market and for the average user, you cannot go wrong. There simply is no other way better to play games (much faster), edit photos, draw, airbrush, do art, than a tablet. But make your adjustments in the software provided and you should be quite happy. The graphire does not have tilt control, but it will work quite well for a small space, and a laptop computer ... Do yourself and your wrist a favor.. buy and enjoy your tablet. The intuos is almost 3 times the price... but, if you do graphic design I would go there first.
  
  P.S. Been using this graphire almost one month now with my laptop. I just cannot seem to get along without a graphics tablet. This tablet is really nice. I am doing digital painting ..oils, watercolor, etc., using Corel's Painter 9.5, Adobe Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, to name some, and I do quite a bit on this laptop. My Intuos is on my desktop computer, but I am very happy and comfortable with the graphire performance. I prefer the additional settings on an Intuous, but you simply cannot beat this graphire 4. I love the cover, it keeps my pen in place, fits nicely in my case with the laptop, and performs very well for this price. My Intuos does not have this feature and I was a bit concerned about it, but, I never take it off. Using a stylus is very fast, and more natural than using a mouse. Plus the back and forward buttons as well as scroll on the tablet face is a plus. In my opinion, the bad reviews are unjustified. Wacom tablets are the very best and cannot be outperformed.
  
  

• Exceptional!

  
  By A2CSX1OZ0E7EY3 on 2006-05-27
  I do digital design as a hobby, and I must say this thing sure does the job! It's nearly perfect, but there are a couple things I might change if it were up to me. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DEFAULT SETTINGS FOR THE STYLUS ARE ABSOLUTE POSITIONING, AND FOR THE MOUSE IT'S RELATIVE. YOU MAY CHANGE EITHER.
  
  PROS: The software bundled with the tablet is fantastic! I actually use those programs more than the software I already have for digital art, and such. There are 5 programs that come with it (Evernote, Corel Painter Essentials 2, JustWrite Office, Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0, and one other I can't remember right now ^^ ). They all appear to be permanent (non-trial versions), so you should be able to keep them for a long time. I really think Evernote is a useful program! You can handwrite notes, take website screenshots, shopping lists, and a whole lot more. I also use Corel alot.
  
  This tablet is very well designed. Though I wish I bought one a little bigger, the size and functionability of it well worth the price. It's very clean cut, and it looks pretty attractive and modern. A nice touch to any bland desk! You can customize the frame, and it has an awesome little blue light that turns green when you click! The browser buttons are also a nice extra feature to include :) This tablet is actually mroe responsive than my old mouse!
  
  It's also very durable. I've had this tablet for a while now, and the surface hasn't even scratched or cracked yet.
  
  Plus, it takes hardly any time to get used to at all! The stylus is a great mouse substitute, and it's very comfortable. Plus, you can also have the tablet in your lap if you feel like having a lazy day at the computer by leaning back in your chair.
  
  CONS: We have three cats, and when I took the frame off, cat fur in the air stuck to the underside like a magnet! Maybe some of you might like cat fur under the frame, I'm not sure... but always have a tissue ready to go if you do take off the frame.
  
  If you disconnect the tablet from your computer often, it takes a little while to kick in when you reconnect it. If you leave it in, you should be fine.
  
  I think it would also be cool if you could change the color of the the pretty little light... but I think I'll live ^^
  
  
• WHAT A GREAT NEW TOY FOR GROWNUPS!
  By A2CMKQTG379X9F on 2006-02-01
  I had never even seen a digital pen before ordering this one. I'm an amateur photographer with some sales, but mostly I'm a fairly skilled hobbyist-photographer. I have no skills whatsoever as a sketch artist or painter. I absolutely LOVE the control I get from the Wacom pen, The size is just right for my desk. I am using the pen almost exclusively in lieu of a mouse, although the included wireless mouse is also very nice. I am using the Graphire4 mainly with my Photoshop Elements 4.0 software. Neat! The eraser is a big help and because I lack fine motor skills, this pen really helps. I have a friend with hand tremors who finds the Graphire4 very helpful. The bundled software is also nice. There is a bit of a learning curve, but after two days, I just can't imagine going back to my old mouse or living without this pen. I'm sure professionals would benefit from the larger size tablet, but this one is just right for me. Main drawback? Would it kill software companies to give us a printed darned manual? I downloaded and printed out the one from the internet, but would much rather have a nice paperback version.
  
  
• Very Useful Device
  By A28PFY1B19HNKA on 2006-03-13
  This has proved to be an excellent purchase. The mouse takes a little while to get used to, as you have to pick it up and move it back into the active area when moving across large areas of screen. But after a while you don't really notice it anymore.
  
  I had never used a pen and am still getting used to it, but the additional control it gives me in Photo Shop has been a revelation. There are less expensive tablets, but the software bundle more than makes up for that, even though the software is all one generation old.
  
  I STRONGLY RECOMMEND A WRIST REST! I got a small one with no mouse pad about two weeks after I got the tablet, as my wrist was starting to ache.
  
  Minor Details:
  It's nice being able to put a photo in the tablet. Not only does this personalize it, it makes it easier to identify the active area with a glance, unless you use a real big photo.
  
  The software called Just Write Office only works if you have Microsoft Office installed.
  
  
• Intuitive and Fluid
  By A15R8I05QMQJOG on 2006-05-10
  I've only had the Wacom tablet for a few days and I love it. I find I don't need the included mouse, as the pen works well for all desktop applications, from photoshop to web. The 4 x 5 size is certainly sufficient; I think a larger size might actually put additional strain on your wrist.
  The tablet comes with several useful software programs that take advantage of the pen's ability to transfer handwriting directly onto the screen. And since the tablet is truly plug-and-play, I switch it back and forth between my desktop & laptop without any hassle.
  
  
• I LOVE THIS PRODUCT
  By on 2006-06-25
  this is an amazing product, the price is great and i love the fact that the eraser is on the other end of the pen and can be used like a regular eraser. The size is great and portable. the pen sensitivity is amazing and it allows me to create amazing artwork with a natural appearance. I am very pleased with my purchase. At first it can be hard to adapt to the use of the pen but eventually it feels like a pen and paper.
  
  
• Good as a mouse replacement, not so much as an artistic tool.
  By AZE5UT3U4F3D0 on 2006-03-22
  Graphire 4 4x5 i a very useful gadget for people looking for an alternative to the ol' mouse, but it is not the best option for the artists for its active area is too small for on-screen design. I have purchased it with the hope of eliminating the middlemen (paper and scanner) while drawing, but it was not as useful as I expected. Other models with larger active areas might provide better results, but they were much too expensive. As a mouse replacement, it is perfect. After a very short period of getting used to, the pen increases your speed considerably, and the smallness of the active area works positively for that purpose. You can reach every part of the screen without moving your arm more than a couple cantimeters. Another plus is the software bundle comes with the tablet which, in my opinion, is more than enough reason to buy it.
  
  
• bundled software
  By AKIK0R14GQ4E8 on 2006-03-25
  I bought this tablet in order to get the Adobe Elements 3 software that comes with it. This was suggested by a reviewer of Elements 4. I am happy with the tablet as well as the software. The tablet is beautifully designed and built. I like Elements 3 and the other bundled software is a bonus. My only complaint is that the USB cable is a foot or two too short so that I cannot place the tablet where I would use it more.
  
  
• Excellent beginners tablet
  By A2KG66JW3ISARA on 2006-08-22
  I was considering purchasing a tablet and Wacom was consistantly recommended. I was originally hesitant to buy the graphire line because I didnt think it would be very good for drawing compared to the top line (the intuos line). I was pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong. Installing a driver was a piece of cake and I began drawing away in minutes. It is very responsive and works with all my drawing programs (paintshop pro, painter, photoshop). The mouse is pretty useless however, and I would have preferred if they had included some extra pen tips instead (they seem to wear out, though I do press pretty hard). Other than that, its an amazing product.
  
  
• Great Product, Great Price
  By A3TI480P2QRWQF on 2006-03-03
  I decided to purchase the Graphire4 4x5 tablet intead of the Intuos because of the price -- I wasn't sure if I would like using a tablet and thought it was best to start off small. Well, I love it! It's super easy to install and easy to use. Makes working with Photoshop so much easier than using a mouse. No complaints so far. The free Nik filters included with the tablet are kind of lame.
  
  
• lack of options renders useless.
  By AO313U8S0MKQ on 2006-03-22
  i wont repeat what others have said only mention why i found this to be a complete waste of money.
  
  so when i right with a piece of paper the pen touches the paper and thus you have writing. this thing doesnt work that way at all. instead you have to hover the "pen" above the tablet without touching it. when you do touch the "pen" to the tablet it performs a click. so if try to use it in a comfortable way you end up performing constant clicks and it actually makes the workflow much slower. there should be an option to turn of that clicking function but there is not.
  
  trying to use this device with its hover-overness is a pain and for me produced more muscle strain and less accurate strokes then with a standard mouse. so if one tries to use this as one would a pen on a paper, writing by the pen and paper TOUCHING, it doesnt work. pretend next time you feel like writing, hover the pen over the paper and pretend to write... uncomfortable, useless, difficult on the muscles... that is how this device feels.
  
  the option to turn of the clicking that happens when the pen touches the tablet would enable users to have more flexibility, and actually allow its use as a pen and paper and it seems silly to have over looked it. but there it is nonetheless.
  
  Edit: now here is something interesting. all of these options are enabled in the higher end tablets and rumor has it they were enabled in the older versions of the entry level tablets. and have now been disabled. simple money grab.
  
  
  
• A surprising disappointment from a usually stellar company.
  By A1E3LN9V4M1I3S on 2006-07-04
  I'm a seasoned graphics pro who always reads the manuaI, and have owned several previous models of Wacom tablet. For the life of me, I just couldn't get the Graphire4 working on my Mac at all. The installer crashed (Kernal panic!) my otherwise rock solid Tiger installation. Downloading the latest driver from Wacom's web site was only marginally useful; the cursor jittered like crazy no matter how I adjusted the control panel, and even moderately fast motion caused it to "submarine" from one side of the screen to the other. Wacom's sparse FAQ suggested that interference from my monitor might have been the culprit, and could be remedied by moving the tablet further away. It didn't work, and besides, I have no plans use the tablet from across the room.
  Phone support was no better: Wacom very thoughtfully gave its staff July 3rd off! Too bad, it would have been a chance to talk me in to keeping it. Looks like my trusty workhorse Intuos2 tablet will be enjoying a few more years of service, if this is the level to which Wacom's legendary tech support has fallen.
  
  
• Wacom Graphire4 4x5 USB
  By A3L61BQYSW2JA1 on 2006-03-28
  I ordered this product to do home graphics. Wow. What a great product. I wish I had ordered it before. I not only use it for my graphics work, but also in place of the regular mouse. I suffer from RSI and noticed a huge improvement in ergonomics from using the pen over a regular mouse. Thanks for a super fast delivery to New Zealand. cheers.
  
  
• For Flash Users
  By A2W7O1RF8BH9NE on 2007-01-04
  I was a little nervous about buying this product. I had been trying to get into Macromedia Flash and my normal mouse didn't give me the drawing fluidity that I was hoping for. I was nervous because there wasn't any reviews for specifically Flash users, and I wasn't sure if I should've got the bigger version.
  
  If you seem to be at this crossroad Fear Not. I'm actually very happy I decided to go with the smaller size because I can simply put my wrist on the side (this product would work fantastically for right and left handed people) and simply draw without having to move much. The timing delay between drawing and it appearing on the screen doesn't hinder me at all, I don't even notice it unless I really try. And Flash is Instantly Ready for this kind of product (ie: Pressure control, and Eraser tool on the back.)
  
  There are so many programmable buttons on it too that you rarely have to reach your hand up to the keyboard (I have one programmed to 'Undo', very helpfull.) For the price, this product is a steal.
  
  
• Fantastic piece of kit
  By A2WFB09ULES6RK on 2006-11-10
  What an amazing product for such a small price. It works right out of the box, but to get full functionality you need to install the encolsed drivers. The option of mouse or pen makes it useful for everyday PC work as well using the pen for graphics. I use it mainly for teaching via phone and use the whiteboard in messenger to communicate in words and pictures. It really makes a difference.
  The unit seems well made and I like the fact you can personalise the tablet to add a picture of your choice. I opted for the smallest in the range for value, and was not disappointed, but I am sure for more commerical use or for artwork a much bigger screen would be better, but at cost.
  The software bundle is ok too if you don't already have photoshop tools.
  The one quibble is that at home when I installed the drivers it continued to crash my PC with my wireless keyboard installed. Not ideal, but as I dont use it at home any longer it is not a problem for me, but be careful, I am sure there will be a fix somewhere
  
  
• Wacom Graphire specification misleading
  By AKX0HSPL7PRDM on 2007-04-10
  I like the pen and particularly the mouse. BUT--the adverstisement and specifications omit the fact that
  many of the features are NOT available for users who have Macintosh computers.
  
  
• wish I had gotten a bigger one!
  By AEHFOPBOTNMVQ on 2006-11-20
  This technically works well. I am finding learning to use it difficult. I really wish I had spent a little more and gotten a bigger one!!!!! It is a lot smaller than I thought it would be and would be alot easier if it was bigger.
  
  
• Go for quality over area
  By A32JTNRX1LAXZA on 2006-12-27
  This is my second graphics tablet - my first was the Adesso Cyber Tablet 8X6". I thought that a larger tablet area was more important than a good name brand, but found otherwise. The Adesso was huge (there's a large molded plastic fringe - pretty but dysfunctional). The pen was moody - sometimes needed huge pressure, sometimes not, generally didn't work well unless it was plugged in when I booted the computer. More importantly, several key features didn't work - the pen sensitivity never worked in my favorite graphics program (Xara), and I couldn't set the function key areas to do what I wanted.
  
  This Graphire4 tablet makes a big difference. The pen sensitivity works, the tablet settings software works and has online help for questions. There are two buttons actually on the tablet - plus a scrollwheel - that you can program *by keystroke* for them to execute - so I can set them to the most common things I reach for the keyboard to use. (I would have liked 12 of those!) And in practice, 4x5 is a better size than 6x8 - enough resolution (and I have a 1680x1050 display) and less tiring than a bigger tablet, and doesn't take up so much *room* on the desk.
  
  If you can pay a little more and are wondering whether to go for area or quality - I recommend quality in these devices.
  
  
• A must for Painter IX
  By A3GMJK1FXHDAYY on 2006-02-24
  Set up was easy. The results you get from the tablet are a added bonus over the mouse. If you are looking to make vast improvements on your paintings use a tablet. I thought I would be alright using only a mouse. Wrong. Get one.
  
  
• Excellant value and tool
  By A394SSVUKR2MZG on 2006-02-28
  The software alone is worth the price! I purchased this primarily for picture editing. It's very easy and I find my self surfing the web with my wacom and never using my mouse!
  
  
• This Tablet Rocks
  By AY85GJLGI06IX on 2007-01-11
  I couldn't be happier with this purchase, and I'm hard to please when it comes to electronic gadgets. This has done wonders for my carpel tunnel by eliminating the need for me to use a mouse to paint and draw in Photoshop. I would recommend this product to anyone who uses such software for their artwork. I was initially worried that the 4X5 writing space would be too small, but now that I have worked with it, I really can't justify spending almost twice the cost of this tablet, just to increase the writing space by a couple of inches. This 4X5 pad is plenty sufficient for the price. On the downside... Well, I really haven't come across a downside to this tablet yet.
  
  
• Think of it has an extension of your hand
  By A39171SQLMKH6T on 2007-01-20
  Good tablet for anyone who has never used one before. Great to learn on and for a nice price. Everything about it is easy to use. The small tablet size is nice because the larger ones can get annoying when you have to constantly move your hand across the whole space. With the smaller size your cursor can get across the screen comfortably and still maintain the precision and accuracy of your hand.
  
  
• great buy (word of warning though)
  By A3A3Z7K4OYBUXR on 2006-02-22
  First - the amazon stuff: ordered, shipped, delivered in 1 day, with the super saver shipping... wooo hooo! (ok - just lucky)
  
  Just got it - and can agree with the other reviews so far. Installed, runs under OS 10.4.5 like a dream. I have it and my optical wheel mouse plugged in, no issues.
  
  word of warning to any GIMP/OSX users - at the version I have (2.2.8) the pressure sensitivity is non-functional. This is supposedly to be fixed - but I will not hold that against the tablet.
  
  Only thing I have as a gripe, and it is a minor one, is that the USB cable is rather short.
  
  
• Wacom Graphire4 4X5 USB Tablet
  By A17VF35RVX8OEB on 2006-03-19
  Product was very easy to install and easy to use. The software that comes with it makes photo editing easy. It takes a little practice, but a great product. The wireless mouse comes in handy. My wife uses this tablet extensively for photo editing and the pen is easy for her to use than a mouse.
  
  
• Fantastic
  By A13D3HGFIJEQCX on 2007-01-21
  This product is great, I dont know how I survived this long in the film industry without it. Loaded the software and was ready to go in minutes on Windows XP. Would highly recommend this tablet for anyone who uses Photoshop, Illustrator etc.
  
  
• Doesn't do what I wanted it to but great mouse substitute
  By A64PKVY0MSBWR on 2007-05-07
  I bought the tablet because I wanted to draw my own images, make
  hand-written annotations. In particular, I hoped that I could use the pen to
  jot down notes instead of using a pen and pad of paper.
  
  The graphics tablet works great as a mouse substitute. Installation was a no brainer. I got used to using the pen within an hour.
  
  But..as a substitute for pen, this isn't it. In fact, I've been doing research on the Internet and there really isn't a true "jot on paper" substitute yet. There are applications that let you jot notes but not with the intuitive ease of having a small pad and pen next to you.
  
  This is a good product and I have no regrets around buying it. The main reason I gave my review 3-stars rather than 4 or 5 is because of the
  deficit in the notes area (and market verbiage promises annotation features).
  
  
• Nice addition if you do a lot of photo enhancement
  By A1QJ10LEINDRWW on 2006-10-11
  If you do a lot of photo retouching, the Graphire4 will give you a lot more control than a mouse. The pressure sensitivity is very helpful when you are masking. The lighter you press, the less dense the mask is. It allows you to "paint" in the correction/effect.
  
  The absolute mode (location of the pointer on the screen is based on exactly where you touch/move the pen) of the pen takes a little while to get used to and I still seem to have a little trouble with it after switching from the mouse. But after a minute or so of using it, it comes pretty easily. I think it might be a real pain on a larger tablet.
  
  It's fun to use too!
  
  

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