Hi. I am thinking about getting a tablet so I can delve into sculpting with Zbrush a little deeper. I just wanted to get people’s opinions as to which tablets work best with Zbrush. I would like to stay under $300 U.S. if possible.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
Over time I tried quite a few and must say that Wacom Tablets pretty much have the monopoly on the best working solutions. Others I had introduced jitter, empty stylus batteries in the worst moments. But a mediocre tablet is still better than none. I have not had a really bad one. Just the Wacom ones are the best regarding quality of results.
Another thing, and probably a personal thing, do not necessarily go for a large tablet. First it clutters your desk and you get the feeling of playing tennis after a while. Look at the mouse movements you make, then imagine a tablet below that. So, a mouse pad sized tablet is nice. If you have two monitors and/or a 16:9 ratio screen, see if the tablet has that ratio as well. Not a major thing, but nice to have.
I suggest you look at ebay as well. If unsure if a tablet is something you like at all, then go with the cheapest small one you can get and gain experience before you sell out hundreds of dollars.
Good luck
Lemo
PS: Cintiq… Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Best investment ever… There went the vacation…
I use the intuos 3 6X8 and I would even go smaller. Lemo is right about the 9X12 they are a pain. one hour into using them and your arm will be very tired!
I used to use a huge Intuos 2 A3 oversize (12x12) but now I use the smaller A5 wide (6x9) & find it much better to use for longer periods of time… 
Hey thanks you guys for your sound advice! Yeah, I was thinking something along the size of my mouse pad. It looks like Wacom is the way to go.
I’m glad I visited today. I had not considered how much room a large tablet would eat.
the one that’s plugged into your computer? …get the best one you can afford. been using a 4x5 wacom since their inception and it works fine…and it’s more portable if you use it with a laptop.
As the guy with the dumb handle that is wacom spelled backwards I can say that after using a stylus for the last 13 years has me wondering why ANYONE who does graphics doesn’t own one already. I would take classes with Intous tablets for use and only 1/50th of the students would use them?!? This was even in illustration classes!?! I blame the teachers…they probably couldn’t draw anyway so it didn’t mater…
For general apps- such as XSI, LW etc. I like a mouse (my evoluent is awesome), but for fine details that require a flourish? It’s like painting and sculpting with a bar of soap!
OK- the size does mater thing. I whole heartedly agree that a 4x5" or 6x8" tablet is all that is needed by most people for ZB and many other apps. To me it depends on the application though and how much the control keys can be accessed with just your off hand. ZB, flash- these are perfect to me at 4x5", but sometimes in painter I wish I had a tablet that was about 30x45" or something crazy- just to get the control with large gestures like you can in real life.
My first tablet was a corded calcomp 4x5 with only 128 levels of pressure sensitivity and it was such an amazing improvement- I can’t see how any tablet is worse than even the best mouse. GO FOR IT!!!
i own a Wacom I2 A4, yeah it’s to big, i just wanted to mention, that you can limit the the active area, if you can get cheap a second hand board, go get it.
Besides that, yep quality is top on wacom products.
I have a wacom 6x8, I think its the best size…
Have a bigger one at work, and I had to shrink to working area…
I started with a Graphire 4x5 it’s great, much better than a mouse 110 times better.
But now I’m using a Intuis 9x12, why you might ask?
Presision. I found the Graphire 4x5 had steps… as if it was 512x512 sensor areas. I had to zoom in to do detail work.
- So what do you what it for?
For photoshop and painter Go big …For 3d ext. go small. - How close to 1-1 movement do you what (1mm in the real word to 1mm on the screen) That is what I wanted (allot less zooming in and out to paint in the details)
9x12 Yes it takes allot of space on the desk, But luckaly not all the space (well mabey I have a pritty large desk) I had to move the keyboard between the screen and the tablet, but I got use to it. Its not because there is no other room (the large desk), But it better up there, than on the side. The left hand gets the cramps if the keyboard is at the side.
I use a cheap genius 6X8 pentablet which works just fine, if you dont want to spend heaps of money. I actually prefer it to my wacom graphire, and also its got heaps of progammable hot spots.
I have to get a new Wacom tablet pen because I accidently sent mine through the laundry. 
Wacom 
Ditto on the tablet size. I have three sizes and I only use the smallest.
Someone should sticky one of these tablet threads.
Edited to say - yes there are advantages to the big tablet in PS. Thats why I have multiple sizes.
Lemo! Did you get one for everybody?