Wacom introduces Graphire4 consumer pen tablets

Wacom has introduced a new consumer focused pen and tablet product called Graphie4 for those amateur digital photographers who are interested in creating just the right image from birthday, weddings, and holiday photos. The Graphie4 tablets are offered in multiple sizes and bundles with software like Adobe Photoshop elements 3.0, nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 Standard. The pen has the companies 512 levels of pressure sensitivity and ergonomically correct design.

While I see the benefit for an amateur using this device I don’t think they will and here is why. The learning curve is a little too steep for the true amateur and I do not believe people have that kind of time. How many consumers do you know that have cards full of images that they have done nothing with and most likely never will? Their intentions are good but Jenny’s birthday pictures will most likely stay in her parents’ digital camera or hard drive until her next birthday.

But for those of you who are interested here are the details.

Wacom introduces Graphire4 consumer pen tablets for optimizing digital photos

Wacom Europe GmbH, Krefeld, Germany, announces Graphire4, a range of consumer pen tablets aimed at amateur photographers who record family events such as birthdays, weddings and holidays, and who want to get the best out of their digital photographs. Graphire4 can correct exposure problems and imperfections, remove unwanted objects and improve the color of a picture.

Graphire4 comes with a new, ergonomically designed pen and tablet in either A6 or A5 size. The range is available in different configurations with or without digital imaging software - the Graphire Classic (A6), Graphire Classic XL (A5), the Graphire Studio (A6) and the Graphire Studio XL (A5). The Studio and Studio XL versions include Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 and nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 Standard. Users can improve contrasts, correct exposure problems, remove unwanted details or enhance colors.

Two freely programmable buttons (ExpressKeys) are located at the top of the tablet, which can be configured with frequently used modifier keys such as Ctrl and Alt - practical for quickly accessing important additional functions in standard imaging software. Integrated into a pen tablet is a new scroll wheel, for zooming in and out of photographs or for browsing. The tablet houses an integrated pen compartment.

The pen comes in metallic silver with a grey rubberized grip. Two separate buttons on the pen are set as right and double-click by default - the top button works as double click, which supercedes tapping twice with the pen tip on the tablet. For quick corrections, the pen can be flipped upside down to use the pressure sensitive eraser at the other end. The Graphire4 pen has 512 levels of pressure sensitivity for precisely editing images. The pen is cordless and battery-free.

The new Graphire4 Classic is priced at euro 83.99, the Graphire4 Classic XL at euro 125.99, the Graphire4 Studio at euro 167.99 and the Graphire4 Studio XL at euro 210.00. The range will be available from end of September in Poland from local distributors and key retail shops.