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Capture One Pro & Astropad

sky_guy
I attended David Grover's excellent webinar today on how he uses Wacom tablets with Capture One Pro. Afterwards, I started shopping for a Wacom tablet and came across the idea of using an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil with a highly regarded app called Astropad. It sounds like it largely functions like a Wacom tablet, better in many regards since you can draw directly on your photo on the iPad or you can still look at your display. That got me thinking: why spend $250 on a Wacom Intuos Pro if I can utilize a far more versatile iPad Pro? While far more expensive, I consider an iPad essential for other things, so why not utilize a tool you already have?

Has anyone in here used an iPad Pro/Apple Pencil/Astropad with Capture One Pro? What has your experience been like? Are there any drawbacks or loss of functionality in C1P?

There is an older existing thread on Wacom tablets in which someone mentions Astropad, but the discussion is outdated and not very deep which is why I'm starting a dedicated thread to gather more info.

Thanks!
Bryan
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Comments

9 comments

Date Votes
  • Jim_DK
    TL:DR - BEST solutions are a pay off of not only cost, but use, ease of use and time.

    The main major disadvantage with ipad (or indeed any texture-less surface) as I see it is haptic feedback. Ask anyone who can touch-type why the ridges on two specific keys on a keyboard layout are important as to location and you start to see why flat screens are not good unless you are looking at it. This divergence is (in a way) what Braille is to type as far as interface goes.

    In my mind the real question is (being as always the cantankerous design major): how does it do it? THIS is the kicker. Efficiency.

    Assume (if you will) I earn $10 per hour in this process. If I can save a minute an hour/per hour in an 8 hour day, not fumbling for functions, then in less than a year I pay for the Wacom in time alone.

    This is a kind of "perfect" business-hyperbole though - measure your own workflow and what your time is worth and what you get done. Then you answer your question as to what is actually a benefit to your life (and maybe your work too) if it works well.
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  • photo by FA
    I use without a problem if you adjust screen sie correctly.
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  • Wesley
    I've been thinking about using Astropad during culling (on the couch) but never took the plunge.

    What I'm wondering is if I use WiFi, will it use up my monthly data allotment?
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  • sky_guy
    [quote="Jim_DK" wrote:
    TL:DR - BEST solutions are a pay off of not only cost, but use, ease of use and time.

    The main major disadvantage with ipad (or indeed any texture-less surface) as I see it is haptic feedback.


    Thank you Jim for the great feedback -- much appreciated! Just to make sure I understood you correctly, your biggest fear with the iPad/Apple Pencil is the lack of tactile buttons that you receive with a Wacom, is this correct?

    [quote="fatihayoglu" wrote:
    I use without a problem if you adjust screen sie correctly.


    Excellent! Are you experiencing full functionality when using the IPad/Pencil/Astropad with Capture One Pro? Is there anything that is not working correctly with this setup? Your feedback is very valuable to me since you have hands-on experience.

    [quote="Wesley" wrote:
    I've been thinking about using Astropad during culling (on the couch) but never took the plunge.

    What I'm wondering is if I use WiFi, will it use up my monthly data allotment?


    Wesley, I can chime in on this one. It will not use up your monthly allotment. Astropad communicates directly with your Mac via your own in-house wi-fi network. It can also connect directly with a cable, but that wouldn't work well for culling on a couch! BTW, I've read that the lag-time is very low, right at 20 milliseconds. I have no experience with Wacom, but I would think that Wacom would experience some form of lag as well.

    All: the reason I'm digging deeply into this is I think the iPad Pro/Apple Pencil/Astropad app has enormous potential to blow by Wacom in the months to come (if not already) so I want to flesh out its current state and see where things stand today. iPad Pro (especially the 12.7 inch version) has a lot of great uses and it would be great to use it for editing, but then to pick it up and walk away with it for other things. I've also heard rave reviews on the Apple Pencil and that it blows away other pencils/styluses on the market. This alone might make it a better solution than other editing tablets currently on the market.

    Love the feedback and exchange of information -- let's keep it going!

    Bryan
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  • Scott Lanehart
    The only bad thing is the lack of a "right click." You may need an additional accessory to accomplish some basic functionality of C1. Still trying to fiugure this one out myself, otherwise it works VERY well.
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  • photo by FA
    The only problem for me is, my iPad Pro is the small one, not 12.9 so since Astropad imitate the screen I cant use CO as full screen otherwise buttons get to small but otherwise it is good. Pencil pressure works perfectly. Usually I set up it as it covers the picture and the tools then it is good. To me it is much more intuative then looking to the iMac screen. Also similar Wacom tablets (where it imitates the screen of your computer) are really expensive.
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  • sky_guy
    [quote="Scola77" wrote:
    The only bad thing is the lack of a "right click." You may need an additional accessory to accomplish some basic functionality of C1. Still trying to fiugure this one out myself, otherwise it works VERY well.


    When using Astropad, can one still use their mouse or trackpad at the same time? If so, perhaps you could use one of those devices with your left-hand while drawing/editing with the Apple Pencil in your right hand. (Or vice-versa if you're left-handed.) One could also use their non-Apple Pencil hand to work keyboard shortcuts at the same time as well.

    [quote="fatihayoglu" wrote:
    The only problem for me is, my iPad Pro is the small one, not 12.9 so since Astropad imitate the screen I cant use CO as full screen otherwise buttons get to small but otherwise it is good. Pencil pressure works perfectly. Usually I set up it as it covers the picture and the tools then it is good. To me it is much more intuative then looking to the iMac screen. Also similar Wacom tablets (where it imitates the screen of your computer) are really expensive.


    I could see how that could be an issue. If I go this route, I'm definitely going with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro for this very reason.

    I have a small conversation going on in the comments section of a Wacom Blog post made by David Grover (The Image Professor!) and a guy there named Steve reported experiencing enough lag to be bothersome when using Astropad and the Apple Pencil. Have any of you noticed this to be a problem?

    Cheers,
    Bryan
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  • photo by FA
    I use Astropad as connected, not on WiFi so I don't see any lag. Yes sometimes the image on iPad screen gets pixelated but it doesn't take more than a second to get refreshed. As I have had the iPad already, I don't have any reason to spend more money for a Wacom tablet.

    Yes you can use your keyboard, mouse without any problem.
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  • sky_guy
    [quote="fatihayoglu" wrote:
    I use Astropad as connected, not on WiFi so I don't see any lag. Yes sometimes the image on iPad screen gets pixelated but it doesn't take more than a second to get refreshed. As I have had the iPad already, I don't have any reason to spend more money for a Wacom tablet.

    Yes you can use your keyboard, mouse without any problem.


    Cool -- thank you for the feedback! Looks like I will head this direction. I think I'm going to wait for the next iteration of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and then I'm going to purchase one with an Apple Pencil.

    Cheers,
    Bryan
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