And more gear

Once again a bit of gear, while I’m back in Brazil for season holidays, increasing my already unbearable back log of photo processing.

Wacom Pen & Table – Bamboo

Back log and photo processing brings the gear piece I’ll talk about. Every year my wife and I prepare a photo book about our son, for the grand-parents. We (actually she … ) select about 300 to 400 shots, which I process for the book. Most of them since … you know … the huge back log … The problem is that we systematically do that at the very end of the year, so the processing has to be fast and efficient, but still good.

Mostly Lightroom, going to Photoshop only when really needed. The piece of gear that really helped me out was a Wacom Tablet. For sliders and stuff mouse does the job, but when it gets to using Lightroom adjustment brushes or some major editing in Photoshop there’s nothing like a pressure sensitive pen and tablet. The pen feeling is really comfortable and fast. As Scott Kelby mentioned “editing with a mouse is like performing surgery with baseball gloves”.

Though professionals use the Intuos line (now at version 5) I opted for the Bamboo Pen & Touch line. Works as trackpad and tablet, though I rarely use it as trackpad, especially because I’m left handed, but use the mouse and trackpad with the right hand, but normal people may find it handy hehehehehe!

As far as I understand the Intuos has more resources like more pressure sensitiveness (2048 levels against 1024 of the Bamboo), variety of tips, inclination sensitivity and custom behavior for each application. The Bamboo is less than half the price than the same small size Intuos.

For me was worth the try, I don’t use it as much as a pro (otherwise the back log would be smaller hehehehe) so I still don’t have the need for something fancier. Of course it’s the obvious upgrade, but the “when” is the key here.

Well, it’s very useful, even in the simple model, and I recommend.

Thanks to Pete Collins (also on G+) for the recommendation “Is not as good as the Intuos, but way better than a mouse”.

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