Wacom Import

[e-freak]

so... I'm going to buy me a new Wacom and migrate to PS CS3 finally. While I already have a good offer for CS3 the Wacom is still expenssive as hell. Buuuut... my sister is currently living in Japan and I asked her to see the prizes for Wacoms over there. To my surprise Japan is not cheaper but hell lot cheaper. I'd pay 220€ for an Intuos3 A4! Another 30€ for Toll here in Germany but that's acceptable as this is 250€ in opposite to 480€ (400€ with student-pricing) I'd have to pay here for the very same product!

So my question is: Has anyone experience with importing Wacoms/Electronical Devices and warranties? Because as much as I hope the Wacom will never fail I'd still like to have a year or two of warranty and many companies allow international warranty nowadays (e.g. I have full warranty for my notebook for 1 year around the world) and has anyone experience with different wacom pens? because at this price I'd love to order a paintbrush pen and some additional mines

[Sentura]

damn, i should have checked the prices when i was over there ;(

i found some info when searching their site:

Wacom warrants the product, to the original consumer purchaser, except for the Software and consumable items such as the pen nibs, to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of two (2) years, from the date of original retail purchase, as evidenced by a copy of the receipt and registration with Wacom by mail or online within 30 days of purchase.

additionally they have a pdf for each product describing the full warranty.

http://www.wacom.com/productsupport/warranty.cfm

and while we're at it, care to order an extra one?

[e-freak]

the problem with extra ordering is that she has limited lugage of 20 kilograms and is coming to germany only once this year I'd love to order a whole pallette of wacoms ^^

Price examples (Yen2euro http://www.oanda.com/converter/classic ):

http://www.amazon.co.jp/WACOM-Intuos3-% ... B0002ZCK4M

http://www.coneco.net/PriceList.asp?COM_ID=1040922007

http://kakaku.ecnavi.jp/item_info/20475461950058.html

[e-freak]

Sooooo... wacom just informed me that European and American Wacom will not take warranty as "Wacom Japan and Wacom Europe are two different companies with different pricing- and warranty-policy."

Anyone here with a wacom had any problems ever? Because I'd be willing to risk not having warranty on the product if I knew that no one has any problems with it

[Psy]

No problems here. Had a Bamboo since Christmas.

[e-freak]

Another question: If i buy my wacom in europe I'd consider going for a cintiq. The Intuos A4 is pretty nice for 400 bucks but I also love the cintiqs and the small one (12") is at 1200€ (maybe 1000 with student pricing). Has anyone any experience/direct comparsion of these two? I know I can work precise with an Intuos but with the Cintiq it feels further way more direct...

[PhilipK]

Got my home one imported from US a loong time ago.

But yeah. Never had any problems with any of the Wacom's I've been using (I've only been using the Intous series tho). They seem to be quite robust.

I've only very briefly tested a Cintiq. I guess the choise is very much up to what you will be using the Wacom for mostly.

If you're gonna do a lot of big scale scetch concepting and design I guess you'd want quite a big one and preferably a Cintiq maybe.

But if you're gonna have quite a mixed usage of it (i.e. making a lot of texture work and zbrush/mudbox modelling) I have no problem doing those with a regular Intous. And scetching/concepting isn't bad with it either.

I guess as most things it all comes down to what you're used with in the end. But unless you're really gonna paint a lot I guess I would have bought the Intous.

Also heard complaints on the Cintiq's (at least older versions, new ones are probably a lot better) contrast and colours considering the price. But yeah since I haven't really used one maybe you shouldn't listen much to me

[hessi]

e-freak: if you are interested: i consider selling my Intuos 3 A4. i bought it for 400Euro in the summer of 2005. i had no problems with it and its condition is still pretty good. if this would be an alternative to you, then we could possibly make a good deal.

btw: at the office someone got the 21UX cintiq today. i am so jealous!

[e-freak]

yes I think i'll go for the intuos. hessi I'll contact you within the next days - maybe we can make a good deal

on the cintiqs - i used the 21ux at last Games Convention alot and it really feels great! It's by far the best damn thing I've ever used. The hotkeys and the usage is damn ace and I couldn't see any problems with contrast or colors... but the pricing is pretty much off my pocket...