#Best Digitizer for 3DS?
8 messages in this thread
Could someone please give me some advice on which digitizer to buy? I'm
looking at the 12×18 CalComp DrawingBoard III with a cordless stylus, but would
pay more if persuaded that a bigger or different tablet were worth it. I will
use it almost exclusively for 3DS, possibly with PhotoShop on occasion. What
features should I concern myself with?
Thanks in advance,
Steve Milligan
GMS
Steve,
Calcomps are great; but look at Summagraphics first — the driver is built into
3D Studio and I have never had trouble with any of ours. We have 3 12×12's and
2 of the really big D-Size ones for tracing (mainly used for AutoCAD).
We also use two Calcomp Drawingboard III's — one 12×12 and one 24×36 and have
no trouble in ACAD or 3DS with them.
I personally use a mouse in 3D Studio and do precise work in AutoCAD (3D Studio
just doesn't have any real good 2D modeling tools for us to use)
-Brad
>> Could someone please give me some advice on which digitizer to buy?
My personal opinion is that a digitizer doesn't give you any real benefits
within 3DS. Using a digitizer in Tablet mode is a little "clumsy" feeling, so
most people resort to using them in "mouse" mode. At home and the office, I
work with the SummaSketch line, and have been very happy with their
performance. I prefer it to a mouse because I get much more accurate movement
than I would rolling a mouse around a cluttered desk.
Since you mention Photoshop, I would suggest taking a serious look at tablets
with pressure sensitive stylii. Summa, Kurta, Calcomp, Wacom and others all
have pres. sens. models. Your choice will depend largely upon the "feel" of
each stylus.
Good luck. Hope this helps.
– Dave
Thanks for the help. Features and compatibility being equal, I can get a much
better deal on the Calcomp, but I'll try to find a local vendor who will let me
test drive both that and the Summasketches. And I'll get a pressure sensitive
stylus if I can, although if I understand correctly 3DS doesn't use this input.
The idea, apart from improved accuracy, is to ward off repetitive strain injury
caused by the "halt" position my hand falls into whenever I grab a mouse. I
suspect a larger board which allowed me to use more sweeping hand movements
would help as well, but I've seen no documentation to this effect, and the big
boards, as Bradley hinted, seem to get used mostly for 2D CAD work.
Thanks again,
Steve
Steve,
I find the big boards cause more strain than any mouse. I have trouble with my
mouse hand when I put in long days; but try and use a big tablet all day —
ouch!
Calcomp pucks are much more form-fitting than Summa's; but the buttons are
awkward on all digitizers. Use one a lot before purchasing it (especially for
3D Studio).
I use digitizers because some work requires their precision, but for every day
operations, I use a mouse. You might want to try a trackball.
Bradley,
I researched this pretty carefully, and symptoms I get (a burning sensation in
the forearm which builds gradually during the day and slowly eases when I quit
work) is related to the cocked-back hand position that both a mouse and puck
encourage. I've tried to hold my hand above the mouse and just use the
fingertips, but as soon as my concentration switches from my hand position to
the work I'm doing, the heel of my hand drops down toward the table. So I'm
hoping the stylus, with its different hand position, will ease this problem.
If you have a trackball recommendation, I'd like that too, although for a
different reason…the virtual reality programming I do frequently requires
that a user be able to tumble the object, a perfect task for a trackball. At
the end of a long day its all I can do to keep from smashing my mouse
underfoot.
Steve
Steve,
I saw a "3D" trackball in one of the Comp USA or Computer Warehouse ads
recently; you might want to look into it. It does something like allow the
user to move the ball in all three dimensions (hence the name)….
I suggested trackballs because some of our users say they have zero hand
stress…and these are pretty heavy computer users.
Oh…Logitech makes a trackball that has digitizer functions.
-Brad
Brad,
Thanks.
Now I've got lots of research to do. I appreciate your helping me narrow the
search. 3D trackballs, eh? Sounds interesting….
Steve