Wacom CTH461 Bamboo Craft Tablet

This was the first tablet that I have ever owned and it has been a truly splendid experience. I am a traditional "paper" artist and also have been doing a bit of graphic design with a mouse, but I recently wished to take it a step further and try out a different artistic route. I am no professional graphic designer, but I wanted something that would allow me to take my art to a next level. I was considering buying expensive and latest model tablets but since graphic design is not actually a profession for me, I chose to explore cheaper options even though they involved slightly older products. IVe read through the reviews quite thoroughly before purchasing this tablet and so Im going to try and keep it to useful information that paranoid buyers like me would be interested in reading.Been using it for a week, and it works exactly like how I Imagined it to be. Bear in mind Ive never used something like this before, so its amazingly easy to learn and adapt to. The roughness of the surface is perfect as well as the pressure put forth by the nib of the pen onto the surface as you draw, which simulates quite well the pencil on paper kind of feel. Very easy to learn how to use it and I am already beginning to get into quite well renditioned digital drawings thanks to this tablet (I use the tablet on photoshop and illustrator which I already previously owned and used for other purposes). Size is also great so dont worry about it being too small compared to the other massive tablets out there. Any bigger and Im sure your arm would get tired from reaching the ends of the tablet. If it helps, im using this with a standard 13 in macbook pro so the screen of my laptop is pretty normal sized as well. ONe thing to keep in mind also is that the rectangular area of the tablet is proportional to the size of your screen. Its not like using a laptop trackpad-- if you go to the corners of the tablet the mouse will literally go to the corners of the screen. Just be prepared for that. Finally I was worried about customization but all that is well available to adjust via the settings. You can modulate touch sensitivity and all that jazz so if you like faster moving cursors like me then fear not because it is possible to acheive. The shortcut buttons are VERY convenient too and the eraser on the back works like a gem. The touch function is also decent, but i dont use it as often as the pen, because I have my laptop trackpad quite readily available for use as well. Pressure sensitivity also works as I use it a lot with pressure sensitive brushes on photoshop and I acheive that varying thickness pen stroke effect quite easily.To finalize, if you are looking for something that will fullfill the function that is described for the product, you are getting a great run in for your money.

Never worked defective.... But it was already past the return date wished I open the box earlier.i hope this doesn't happened often

I've enjoyed drawing on Wacom tablets for about 15 years. Since I am picky (functionality), I buy the best hardware and update rather than replace willy-nilly. Wacom products were once pretty pricey (even factory reconditioned). My reconditioned CTH461 Bamboo Craft allows me to use pen, or "touch" and pen options --- very useful --- worth another $30-$50 in cost. A simple touch of a finger changes between the modes, like toggling. The drawing sensitivity including changing "line weight" is amazing. By blowing up my art work (magnification) I am able to do sensitive painting and graphics at an amazingly low hardware investment. It takes under ten minutes to install the software and start the skills tutorial. You'll be drawing within an hour. I do wish the pen included a (heavy) desktop steel holder (larger steel core, bored out to receive pen), as years back (I'd pay for it). That's it for criticism. Skinny, light, handsome, and certainly portable, if you travel. Bamboo Craft seems the best choice of model. My newest Wacom tablet offers professional quality, ease of use, at a (way) reduced cost. Incredible bang for the buck.

First of all, I'm not a native English speaker, sorry for you reading my broken Engrish. :)Bamboo is Wacom's lineup for light-users.This is the second generation of this line, which features multi-touch.# What's in the BoxA TabletA PenThree nip replacementA nip extractorNo more mouse offered. (No one uses Wacom's mouse anyway...)# PenIt features Wacom's typical technologies:No battery needed, No cable, and an eraser-programed tail.New Bamboo pen has just OK grip. Just OK.However, if you own an Intuos, it might be little rough for you.Unlike beautifully curved and rubber gripped Intuos pen, it is simply a plain circular cylinder.It is about the size of three AAA batteries lined up.From 2nd generation, Bamboo line features 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity.The higher level allows you to draw more pressure-sensed line.This is significant, because Intuos3, one of the professional ones, features 1024-level as well.(You can draw thicker line when you put more pressure, and vice versa.)In fact, this is doubled level from 1st generation. This is simply great for the price!# TouchThe biggest reason I bought this product, despite the fact I own an Intuos4, is the multi-touch.I had a doubt that how useful it is gonna be, but a tablet with touch-sensors made me sooo curiousthat I had to order one right away.The stinky feeling was right; it wasn't that useful.For navigating, using the pen is wayyy faster.For editing pictures, my keyboard works better.Also the touch does not offer good precision to work with those Adobe programs.Even though it is not-so-useful function with those professional programs,it may be useful with scrapping and album-making programs, such as Shutterfly.# Working SurfaceWorking on this new surface made me feel like I'm working on an actual paper.With 1st generation, it was a bit too rough that the nip wears away too fast.One the other hand, Intuos3's surface was too slippery.But this new Bamboo line's surface is less rough than the 1st gen, and is rougher than the ice-slippery Intuos3.I think Wacom found just right roughness.# DriverThe driver is a little bit disappointing.I don't really get many options for customizing this product.I could still program the pen and express buttons, but I couldn't program the finger gestures.I hope Wacom update the driver, and allow users to add some custom gestures.# AppearanceThe specification of 'Bamboo Craft' and 'Bamboo Pen and Touch' are identical, just different designs.Also Craft comes with a tutorial DVD, and some more deals (e.g. magazine subscription, Shutterfly, etc.) and picture editing programs.I didn't want to get those extra stuffs, but I paid 30 more dollars for this design. (The recommended price of P&T is $99.)I'm satisfied with the design, but I'm still not sure if it worth to spend extra $30.# The bottom lineThe 2nd Gen Bamboo is great product for those who are first to tablet, and those who need a decent tablet for leisure activities.Though the specification is doubled up, the price is same from 1st Gen. So I would say it is a great bargain.Though the touch is not that functional, this new technology is fun to play with.For the tablet's original purpose, pen mousing, I would say it is one of the best.