Wacom's 12" Cintiq

[Grey Beard]

Wacom has come out with a gem this time. It's a real cintiq in a compact size.
Kevin

Wacom introduces the new Cintiq 12WX
22.10.2007
A slim, light and flexible tool for direct pen-on-screen drawing


Wacom today launches the Cintiq 12WX – Wacom’s first hybrid product combining the advantages of a Cintiq interactive pen display with the portability and compact size of a traditional Intuos3 pen tablet. Offering slimline dimensions (405 x 270 x 17 mm) comparable to an Intuos3 A5 Wide, the Cintiq 12WX mixes a high quality, 12.1” TFT display for direct pen-on-screen drawing, painting and sketching, with the advanced features and performance consistent with the Cintiq 21UX and Intuos3 range. The new Cintiq 12WX is aimed at professional digital content creators undertaking tasks including storyboarding, finishing, retouching and compositing.

Key to the Cintiq 12WX is its portable and attractive size and design. Its sleek dimensions and weight of just 2,000 g make it an ergonomic product ideal for flexible integration into existing workplaces and mobile use. The display features a special thin design for comfortable and effortless handling. Combining the small size and flexibility of a normal pen tablet with the convenience of an interactive pen display, the Cintiq 12WX enables perfect hand-eye co-ordination. Like the Cintiq 21UX, users can work with the pressure sensitive pen directly on the high quality screen, which provides a WXGA resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels with 24-bit colour depth and a wide viewing angle of 170°.

The Cintiq 12WX comes with a convenient stand, which is fully adjustable and completely integrates into the Cintiq’s body. It is optimised for using the display in three different orientations – at a 25-degree angle from horizontal, at a 65-degree angle for viewing and reviewing or flat on the desk or lap. Due to its compact size, the Cintiq 12WX can be used in a similar way to a traditional analogue sketchpad, meaning that ideas and creative content can be shared in a digital format immediately and spontaneously. When placed flat on a desktop, it also rotates on a pivot to provide agreeable, ergonomic positioning of the hand.

The Cintiq 12WX is suitable in a variety of computer arrangements, either as a primary monitor or alongside other displays in a multi-monitor environment. It is ideal for use in a multi-monitor setup as a second or third monitor, for users working across displays. This can take place either at a workstation with a large-format display or with a laptop, providing the advantages of an interactive pen display in a classic workplace scenario, integrating seamlessly into existing workflows. The Display Toggle function is especially beneficial to those using the Cintiq 12WX in a multiple monitor environment allowing you to easily switch between screens or maximize pen control across different displays.

Cintiq 21UX and Intuos3 functionality is integrated into the Cintiq 12WX, which includes the ExpressKeys and Touch Strips. The ExpressKeys are two freely programmable, five-button keypads that are preconfigured with frequently used modifier keys, such as CTRL, ALT, SHIFT, SPACE or to initiate functions such as the Display Toggle function. The Touch Strip acts like a scroll bar with presets to allow zooming and scrolling in various applications. These features significantly improve workflow and productivity.

The ergonomically designed, cordless and battery-free Grip Pen is precise and provides advanced control and realistic results due to the 5,080lpi resolution and 1,024 pressure levels in both the pen tip and eraser. Tilt functionality is supported, with angles of up to 60 degrees recognised, allowing natural-looking pen, brush and eraser strokes. The Cintiq 12WX supports all Intuos3 input devices. All input devices offer Tool ID, where in supported applications, the tablet automatically recognises the relevant tool with its individual settings when the device is brought into contact with the tablet.

The display comes profiled out of the box and can be calibrated with most colour measurement solutions on the market from companies including Datacolor, X-Rite and basicolor. It can also be connected either by VGA or DVI-I for added convenience.

Bundled software
The Cintiq 12WX is bundled with Corel Painter Essentials – a special edition of the natural media drawing application Corel Painter.

Availability and pricing
The new Cintiq 12WX will be available from November 2007 in the UK from Computers Unlimited and is priced at £829.99 including VAT.

 

[Mass Hysteria]

Love to have one but Crikey, they're still so expensive!

still there's always this sort of option

 

[LeviG]

Agreed thats expensive, you can buy tablet pc's with wacom hardware for less than that

 

[Grey Beard]

Agreed thats expensive, you can buy tablet pc's with wacom hardware for less than that

Yes you can, and a number are from really good manufacturers, but then they also come with Microsoft and its associated problems. I'd far sooner go with Apple.
Kevin

 

[LeviG]

Yes you can, and a number are from really good manufacturers, but then they also come with Microsoft and its associated problems. I'd far sooner go with Apple.
Kevin

windows is only an issue for those people who don't know what they're doing when they follow some online tweak or don't use common sense and install decent antivirus (and they can't say they're expensive as there's plenty of free ones). My windows machines are just as stable as a mac, I will quite happily have my pc on for days in a row at full load while rendering.

 

[chaosbunny]

windows is only an issue for those people who don't know what they're doing...

... and for people who have bought mac versions of all their design software and won't get windows versions just for the tablet functionality.

And I'm really considering selling my 2,8 ghz 24" iMac and my 1,67 ghz 15" PowerBook to fund a 2,2 mbp and one of these awesome Cintiq 12WX. I can't sell only the pb because I need a laptop for work... then again, maybe it's better to wait a year, I'm sure the price of the cintiq will get much lower sooner or later.

 

[johnnyluu]

Agreed thats expensive, you can buy tablet pc's with wacom hardware for less than that

No you can't actually.

This has been engineered for the purpose of design and illustration.

Tablet PC's are engineered for general UI interactivity.

Have you ever used a cheap Wacom tablet and an expensive one?

Being a professional creative, I have, and I can tell you from experience there is a massive difference.

That's why professional digital designers and illustrators use normal high end Wacom Tablets or Cintiq 21UX's and not Tablet PC's.

 

[LeviG]

Might want to check that again.

Couldn't be bothered to go hunting for uk models/links but even if you take into consideration import tax, vat etc this gateway still comes in at less (before the offer). If you compare the american price for the wacom its even better value.
link

 

[juanm]

Have you ever used a cheap Wacom tablet and an expensive one?

Being a professional creative, I have, and I can tell you from experience there is a massive difference.

That's why professional digital designers and illustrators use normal high end Wacom Tablets or Cintiq 21UX's and not Tablet PC's.

I have used a lot an Intuos 2 (the largest non square model) and I own a Graphire 4, and to be honest, I find they are on par. I used to hate Graphires (I couldn't stand their slippy surface) but I find the 4 to be extremely good, and even better given its price. So unless the Intuos 3 (I haven't tried any) has brought some great improvement, I don't share your point of view...

 

[iKwick7]

windows is only an issue for those people who don't know what they're doing when they follow some online tweak or don't use common sense and install decent antivirus (and they can't say they're expensive as there's plenty of free ones). My windows machines are just as stable as a mac, I will quite happily have my pc on for days in a row at full load while rendering.

So are mine- but doesn't mean anything. I'd still much rather use my mac than my windows machine. As another poster said, I also have mac software that I would rather use.

I love these tablets. I would love to have one.

 

[LeviG]

Software isn't as much of an issue on windows as it is on os-x, there's a lot more of the cheaper photoshop (used as an example) alternatives out there which are only available for windows.

If you take os-x, you basically have photoshop, elements, gimp and pixelmator (which is currently a tad lacking but it should get there).
Compare to a windows machine you have photoshop, elements, gimp, jasc/corel paintshop pro (very good alternative to ps and costs about £100), and then theres the more specific task programs.

Another aspect for me is that I have windows programs already so it has no bearing on which operating system I use.

 

[chaosbunny]

LeviG, what you don't seem to understand is that this tablet is a professional product, targeted at professional illustrators. I couldn't care less about corel products or gimp or whatever cheap alternatives you are playing with. And I couldn't care less about some cheap pc tablet.

My agency clients require me to hand them .psd or .ai files of finished illustrations so they can integrate it in their projects. My workflow is optimized for OS X, and the couple hundred bucks saved with your tablet pc mean nothing since I would have to take the time to configure the tablet pc, track down your cheap pc software (weather this is legal or not... ) and install it and work with an operating system I don't like for various reasons which means I will be slower. Then I would have to copy the data to my mac and see if anything changed (if I used some fonts for example). On the other hand I just have to plug in the wacom tablet and I' ready to go.

Time is money, and the time lost with your tablet pc equals far more money than the price difference between the tablet pc and the wacom. If you can't understand this it is pretty clear that you are no professional illustrator, so please don't comment on too expensive hardware you don't need anyway.

I have no problem with you being more comfortable with windows, to each their own, but comparing the Cintiq 12WX to some cheap tablet pc is just plain wrong. This 2 products are targeted at totally different people.

 

[LeviG]

This 2 products are targeted at totally different people.

This is the point - I don't see them as being targeted at different people and I'm in the design industry. I cannot take a graphics tablet such as that wacom with me to a client and do on the fly design amendments, the wacom looks like it has 3 cables one of which is power, not everywhere I meet clients has readily available power outlets. It might be good for office work but its still got a lot of cables which to me is annoying, I have enough of those as it is.

Time is money, and the time lost with your tablet pc equals far more money than the price difference between the tablet pc and the wacom. If you can't understand this it is pretty clear that you are no professional illustrator, so please don't comment on too expensive hardware you don't need anyway.

I use both os-x and windows and within the main programs and I see no difference between the way they work (obviously some subtle os differences due to keyboards but nothing serious).

If I couldn't work with both windows and os-x systems, especially with the similarities in the ways the os and the programs work then I personally would feel that I would be in a situation to lose money.

And saying that because I feel something is overpriced (and it is when you compare to a laptop with the same added features) means I'm unprofessional means to me that you're stuck in the world that believes that expensive hardware/software is what makes a designer/illustrator good at what they do - it is not, its talent and the ability to adapt to the environment they're in. A computer does not give someone the ability to be a good designer, its just a tool to get the message across, there's plenty of talented people out there who can use gimp just as well as people use adobe software. The reason adobe can keep their prices so high is because of people with similar views to you.

 

[MRU]

I'm so tempted to buy one

 

[chaosbunny]

... expensive hardware/software is what makes a designer/illustrator good at what they do - it is not, its talent and the ability to adapt to the environment they're in. A computer does not give someone the ability to be a good designer, its just a tool to get the message across, there's plenty of talented people out there who can use gimp just as well as people use adobe software...

I totally agree with this point, however you don't seem to get what I mean. I can use gimp&co all the way, but most agencies work with the adobe products, and that is a fact. If you get layouts in InDesign/Illustrator/Photoshop formats from agencies to work with, to adapt them, to add illustrations or whatever, they expect you to hand them an InDesign/Illustrator/Photoshop file back, so they can continue to work with it. Even if you can import it to another program and then export it again, this always means trouble with type/tabulators/effects/filters etc. etc. I'm pretty sure this will change in the next 5-10 years, with open source programs gaining more and more features. And I have no problem learning something new.

There is a major difference in working with/for agencies than working for clients directly, where no one except you has to handle the data. I do both but most of the time I work with/for agencies.

I'm no native English speaker so I hope I can get my point across.

All I wanted to say is, if a cheaper tablet pc is the better solution for you that's fine. But it isn't for me and certainly for many others.

I'm really interested in the Cintiq 12WX, and actually would like to read something about its pros and cons in terms of features here, and not something about some cheap tablet pcs that won't suit MY needs anyway.


So the question is, will this thing be comfortable to work with, or is its screen too small anyway? Atm I draw my stuff on paper, scan it and then trace it manually with Illustrator or Photoshop, depends on what the final look should be like. If the Cintiq would eliminate the trace step, that could save much time. I think one has to try this thing before spending that much money on it.

 

[LeviG]

I totally agree with this point, however you don't seem to get what I mean. I can use gimp&co all the way, but most agencies work with the adobe products, and that is a fact. If you get layouts in InDesign/Illustrator/Photoshop formats from agencies to work with, to adapt them, to add illustrations or whatever, they expect you to hand them an InDesign/Illustrator/Photoshop file back, so they can continue to work with it. Even if you can import it to another program and then export it again, this always means trouble with type/tabulators/effects/filters etc. etc. I'm pretty sure this will change in the next 5-10 years, with open source programs gaining more and more features. And I have no problem learning something new.

There is a major difference in working with/for agencies than working for clients directly, where no one except you has to handle the data. I do both but most of the time I work with/for agencies.

I'm no native English speaker so I hope I can get my point across.

All I wanted to say is, if a cheaper tablet pc is the better solution for you that's fine. But it isn't for me and certainly for many others.

I'm really interested in the Cintiq 12WX, and actually would like to read something about its pros and cons in terms of features here, and not something about some cheap tablet pcs that won't suit MY needs anyway.


So the question is, will this thing be comfortable to work with, or is its screen too small anyway? Atm I draw my stuff on paper, scan it and then trace it manually with Illustrator or Photoshop, depends on what the final look should be like. If the Cintiq would eliminate the trace step, that could save much time. I think one has to try this thing before spending that much money on it.

I never said the solution was ideal, the best option for purely mac users is in my view the modbook (you're not restricted to the location of the computer - usually a desk) but thats more expensive (come on apple you're missing a market here). And even some of the adobe software has issues with working with files saved from different versions.

I also actually like the wacom product, I just feel when you take into account what you are getting its got too high a premium on it for what it is, if it was £100-200 less then it would be an obvious purchase for anyone in a graphics/design field.

Having looked at some 12" laptops yesterday I think the size might actually be too small for a true illustrator/digital artist and the next size up is 21" which is probably too large. They have some 'pass through' monitors which are the same principle but not designed for the same use. Although from wacom's sales the most popular sizes are the a5 wide and a4, the 12" would be roughly the same as the a5 wide graphics tablet.

 

[Grey Beard]

Wacom Cintiq 12wx

ChaosBunny and LeviG, this is the link to the Wacom Europe site for the Cintiq. The drop down menu under the "Cintiq" leads through to the information that is available at the moment.http://www.wacom-europe.com/index2.asp?pid=90&lang=en

While I do appreciate the comments regarding the Windows vs Mac software, I think that the main difference between the Cintiq tablets and Tablet notebooks is that the Wacom is designed for graphic use. They make use of the pen pressure and tilt features (1024 pressure levels vs the 512 of the 'ModBook') The Axiotron ModBook also seems to have stalled, I'm not even aware if any have yet been delivered. Further, the 12wx also makes use of the Intuos3 pens. I use the standard pen and the Art 6d pen and will soon be ordering the Airbrush for use on my graphic tablet.

This is the link to the tech specifications for both the 12" and the 21" Cintiqs http://www.wacom-europe.com/index2.asp?lang=en&pid=94

When I can find any further info, I'll post here. Oh, and I understand that Wacom- Europe is the first to be in line, hopefully followed by Wacom-Asia.

Cheers, Kevin.

 

[Artful Dodger]

MacRumorUser, I'm so tempted to buy one

Hey there, it's not fair your grass is greener on this one okay maybe…
Grey Beard,
After reading part of this thread and looking at wacom for info I now see that you lucky folks get first crack at this new item I was just looking at my 9x12 tablet and thinking the 12" would be just right. Well as long as the pallets were out of the way like on my 20" iMac screen. Shame to say it but I have gotten away from "large" traditional drawings/sketches myself since scanning those huge poster size drawings in can be stress inducing at times I'd love a 21" but then I would feel bad not using my iMac like I bought it for in the first place
If you hear of more news about one being released for the US please send me a pm or post back to this thread for the rest of us

 

[Grey Beard]

If you hear of more news about one being released for the US please send me a pm or post back to this thread for the rest of us

The latest I've seen was from MacWorld (USA) and it alludes to both the 12wx AND a new 20" [20wsx] model, that seems to also offer the desirable 180 deg flip. Prices that MW cited were basically 1,000usd and 2,000usd.

Wacom Technology on Monday added two new models to its line of Cintiq peripherals. The Cintiq is a pen tablet that incorporates an LCD display, so you can actually see what you’re editing or changing underneath your stylus. Both new models incorporate widescreen aspect ratios.
The new $999 12WX features a 12.1-inch TFT display that can stand upright or lay flat. It can work as a standalone display or as a supplement to a primary display, and features 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity on the pen and eraser. It sports native 1280 x 800 pixel resolution and weighs about 4.4 pounds. It can connect to a host Mac or PC using either HD 15-pin (analog) or DVI display adapters. It comes bundled with Adobe Photoshop Elements 4, Corel Painter Essentials 3, Nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 and Wacom Brushes 3.0 software.

The Cintiq 20WSX model costs $1,999. Designed as a widescreen alternative to the company’s flagship 21UX model, it sports 1680 x 1050 resolution and measures 20.1 inches diagonally. The stand lets you rotate the display up to 180 degrees in each direction and incline the display from 10 to 65 degrees. The pad also uses “ExpressKeys” and “Touch Strips” you can use to program keyboard shortcuts, modifier keys and functions like zooming, scrolling and adjusting tools.

So, it looks like US won't be too far behind Europe and SE Asia/Pacific.

KGB

 

[weg]

So, it looks like US won't be too far behind Europe and SE Asia/Pacific.

Last time I checked, Wacom US offered much better software bundles (for a lower price) with their tablets than Wacom Europe...

 

[Artful Dodger]

The latest I've seen was from MacWorld (USA) and it alludes to both the 12wx AND a new 20" [20wsx] model, that seems to also offer the desirable 180 deg flip. Prices that MW cited were basically 1,000usd and 2,000usd.


The new $999 12WX features a 12.1-inch TFT display that can stand upright or lay flat. It can work as a standalone display or as a supplement to a primary display, and features 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity on the pen and eraser. It sports native 1280 x 800 pixel resolution and weighs about 4.4 pounds. It can connect to a host Mac or PC using either HD 15-pin (analog) or DVI display adapters. It comes bundled with Adobe Photoshop Elements 4, Corel Painter Essentials 3, Nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 and Wacom Brushes 3.0 software.

So, it looks like US won't be too far behind Europe and SE Asia/Pacific.

KGB

Thanks Grey Beard,
I forgot to mark this thread as I signed up for and got the e-mail from Wacom about the 12" a week or so ago and is now on my wish list So I guess the only thing is that this will cut into when I upgrade to a Mac Pro now Knock on wood my iMac runs great and will be happy to hear that I will wait to keep it as a backup.

 

[zarusoba]

AUST pricing

In Australia, it costs over US$1500, a wonderful tribute to the way consumers are being ripped of by importers despite the strength of the Aussie dollar.

 

[Mr. B]

I've had a chance to use it, and sadly...

it's a huge disappointment.

The screen brightness is DIM. If you look up the specs, it's less than half the wattage (or whatever it is) of the current cinema displays.

The screen is cramped and small.

The thing itself has to be constantly plugged into a USB port, a screen port (whatever it's called) and a power outlet, thus having zero portability.

The actual thing is bulky enough to make hand holding less than optimal.

Sadly this thing isn't the winner I was hoping it would be. very very sad.

 

[etoiles]

Sadly this thing isn't the winner I was hoping it would be. very very sad.

That is too bad
I used one of the larger ones a couple years back, and was a bit disappointed by the cursor lag... did they improve on that (assuming it was display and not computer related)?

 

[Techguy172]

This is very nice but quite expensive but with 1024 pressure levels that's nice and sounds like a dream to work with. Hmm.. I want to replace my old screenless tablet with this one although it still works so it will have to wait until later.