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The Wacom Intuos Pro drawing tablets get their biggest update since 2013
| Photo: Wacom |
The most obvious change is the updated button structure. On past Intuos Pro tablets, the buttons and touch-sensitive wheel were on the side of the device, which could lead to accidental button presses. It also meant left-handed folks had to adjust settings. Now, Wacom has moved those buttons to the top of the tablet, putting them out of the way and making it easier for left-handed and ambidextrous users.
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| Photo: Wacom |
Wacom also did away with the touch wheel, replacing it with mechanical dials. The medium and large sizes provide two dials, while the small size features one. These dials offer tactile control, which means greater precision when scrolling through tools and actions. Like the buttons, they are customizable, so you can set them to whatever settings or tools you use most frequently. The buttons also got a refreshed look with a round design.
The rearrangement of physical controls allowed Wacom to increase the active drawing area and adjust to a 16:9 aspect ratio. On the medium size, the active area is increased from 224 x 148 mm (8.7 x 5.8 in) on the 2017 model to 263 x 148 mm (10.4 x 5.8) on the 2025 version.
Despite the increased drawing area, all three sizes are smaller and slimmer than past models. For comparison, the 2017 medium measures 338 x 219 x 8 mm (13.2 x 8.5 x 0.3 in), while the 2025 medium is 291 x 206 x 4-7 mm (11.5 x 8.1 x 0.16-0.28 in). The new model features a sloping design (hence the range provided for thickness), which is intended to provide be more ergonomic.
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| Photo: Wacom |
Finally, Wacom updated the included stylus, moving to the Wacom Pro Pen 3. This is the same stylus that ships with the Wacom Cintiq Pro and Movink display tablets. It is a highly customizable option, thanks to the inclusion of different grip and button configurations and adjustable weight. Should the Stylus Pen 3 not be to your liking, this is the first time Wacom has used “dual pen technology.” That means users can utilize older Wacom Pro Pens (such as the Pro Pen 2) or a stylus that uses EMR technology from Pilot, Lamy or Staedtler.
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The Intuos Pro comes in three sizes.
Image: Wacom |
The new Intuos Pro tablets will be available sometime in the spring. Wacom didn’t provide a specific date, but they are available for pre-order now. They are priced at $250 for the small, $380 for the medium and $500 for the large.
Pre-order now:
Wacom Redesigns its Flagship Intuos Pro Pen Tablet to Deliver an Exceptional Workflow
The new Intuos Pro brings Wacom’s most accurate pen performance and all new levels of efficiency to the latest creative workflows.
Portland, OR February 12, 2025 The premium digital tablet familiar to the desks of the world’s top illustrators, photo editors, videographers and 3D sculptors is now in perfect harmony with today’s high end creative applications thanks to its updated design featuring tactile controls and the industry defining Pro Pen 3.
Less Work, More Flow
Creative workflows are part work and part flow. The work requires a combination of operating complex software controls and processes. The flow is the act of creation. The new Intuos Pro is designed to help artists accomplish their work as quickly and intuitively as possible so they can immerse themselves in the creative flow. The newest Wacom Intuos Pro remains true to its heritage as the preeminent tablet for anyone accustomed to professional workflows. In fact, it has been the industry standard for so long, its precursor, the Intuos 3, was sent to space to support astronauts on the space station as they adjusted to microgravity.
The new Intuos Pro integrates Wacom’s exceptional Pro Pen 3 technology, the same technology in the Cintiq Pro displays. Because each artist’s workflow is as unique as their style, the Pro Pen 3 is designed to be customizable to each artist’s preferences from the grip with programmable buttons for shortcuts, and, because this is Wacom’s pro line of products, it includes interchangeable grips and buttons that can be reconfigured depending on the user’s ergonomic needs. Like all Wacom pens, the Pro Pen 3 needs no charging or batteries. Featuring two different nibs, including a rubber nib which is slip-resistant to optimize precision and, when combined with the improved textured surface, decreases wear.
“As software evolves, the need for precision increases. When we started to redesign our flagship product, we began with the foundation of precision,” said Koji Yano, Senior Vice President, Wacom Branded Business. A new chip set boosts performance while slimming down its form factor. To satisfy the precision needs of 3D sculptors, photo and video editors, and ensure accuracy in the work by minimizing the chance for unintentional movements and input, Wacom moved the ExpressKeys and touch buttons to the top of the tablet and added two dials to the medium and large Intuos Pro, and one dial to the small size. These dials offer artists tactile feedback and can be used by left-handed and right-handed people without adjustment. The tablet’s dials and ExpressKeys come pre-configured and are easily customized to the preferred shortcuts specific to the creative applications in each artist’s workflow. This new form factor has been designed to better facilitate flow while ensuring accuracy in the work.
Working Where the Creativity Leads
Because professional artists need flexibility, the new Intuos Pro is designed to be portable and work seamlessly with the software and operating system of individual artists. The Intuos Pro comes in three sizes, all of which have a larger drawing area at a 16:9 ratio to match today’s display sizes. Despite the increased active area, all three sizes are smaller and slimmer than past generations of the Intuos Pro, making it easy to bring along when traveling between remote work locations or offices, and taking up less desk space while the thinner profile enables the most fluid hand and wrist motions to date. The small size is perfect for the artist on-the-move, it weighs approximately 8 ounces (about 240 g) with a dimension of 215 mm (about 8.5 in) x 163 mm (about 6.4 in) and active area of 187mm (about 7.4 in) x 105 mm (about 4.1 in). The medium and large are designed for artists who enjoy a larger canvas or who manage workflows across several monitors.
All models are Bluetooth enabled with a wireless operating time of up to 16 hours. Artists can connect up to three devices, one wired device using a USB, and two wireless devices, and they can toggle between devices using a mechanical switch on the tablet. The Intuos Pro works with both Windows and Mac operating systems and with nearly all creative applications, so artists can both create their art, and navigate through their daily tasks. For those who prefer a pencil-like feel or thicker barrel, Wacom has partnered with several pen manufacturers, such as Staedtler, Lamy and Dr. Grip, for a broad range of styluses that will work without additional set up.
In addition to the Intuos Pro tablet and Pro Pen 3, artists will receive free trials of Clip Studio Paint, MASV and Capture One software. Wacom will also include access to Wacom’s own software Yuify, which is designed to secure authorship for artists. Yuify works with popular software, including Clip Studio Paint, Adobe Photoshop and Rebelle 7, and allows artists to embed a micromark in their work. This micromark is persistent through screenshotting or downloading, maintaining the link between the artist and their art. The Intuos Pro, like all of Wacom’s pro products, also grants access to Wacom Bridge, which facilitates pen and touch input between local and remote machines for improved professional collaboration.
The Intuos Pro will be available in spring of 2025 at the Wacom eStore, Amazon, Best Buy and B&H. The three sizes will cost $249.95 for the small, $379.95 for the medium and $499.95 for the large.
For more information and the full technical specifications, please visit wacom.com.
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While visiting Dry Tortugas National Park, located 109km west of Key West, Florida, I looked down from the top of Fort Jefferson and saw this group of snorkelers just off Garden Key. Moments after this photo was taken, one of the snorkelers had the bad luck of being stung by a Portuguese man o’ war.
Photo: Dale Baskin |
The theme for our March Editors’ challenge is ‘Water’.
Show us the essence of water in its many forms, from the roaring power of the ocean to a gentle rain, reflections on a lake, smooth waterfalls, frozen ice, or even fine art. The possibilities are endless, so let your creativity flow and show us your best photos that revolve around water. Our favorites will be featured on the DPReview homepage later this month.
This challenge is open to photos taken at any time.
Photos can be submitted between Sunday, March 16, and Saturday, March 22 (GMT).
Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. Viewers want to know the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!
Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens.
Visit the challenge page to see all the rules
| Images: Vanguard, Apple, Elinchrom |
CP+ may have ended last week, but that apparently hasn’t stopped the flood of accessory news. Today, we’ll look at a few lights, bags, computers and more, but first, let’s see what’s on sale.
Second-gen Goodness
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| Photo: Richard Butler |
Canon’s Stacked sensor flagship, the EOS R5 II, is currently on sale for $300 off MSRP. We reviewed it late last year, and came away very impressed – it’s a camera that excels at nearly everything.
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| Photo: Richard Butler |
Panasonic’s S5II isn’t quite as performant, but it’s still quite a good camera. It’s also substantially cheaper than the EOS R5 II, especially given the current sale that gets you $500 off.
Let there be lights
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| Image: Godox |
Godox’s latest light for videographers and photographers is the Litemons C30. It’s a tiny LED panel weighing 248g that packs an internal battery capable of putting out 30W of light for up to 45 minutes. A USB-C port lets you recharge the battery or run the light for an extended period of time.
There are two versions of the light – a bicolor model, which costs $59, and an RGB model that will run you $89.
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| Image: Elinchrom |
If you need something a little more powerful, there’s the recently released Elinchrom LED 100 C, a continuous RGB light with an integrated 72Wh battery that provides up to 40 minutes of power in the field. It comes with a diffusion dome and an adapter for Profoto light modifiers and can be charged via USB-C.
On the level
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| Image: Vanguard |
Ball-head tripods are great if you want to easily level your tripod without messing around with leg length, but what if you already have a tripod that you like? Vanguard’s LVL accessory might be for you. It’s designed to sit between your sticks and your tripod’s head, adding a bit of height and letting you level your tripod head in a matter of seconds.
Vanguard makes several sizes, so it should be compatible with a wide range of tripods. The smallest, the LVL 42, has a 42mm base and can support up to 20kg (44lb), while the LVL 75 can support up to 40kg (88lb) – just make sure the rest of your tripod can handle that much weight too.
In the bag
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| Image: Wandrd |
If you want to carry around some camera gear without using a massive backpack, Wandrd’s Stratus Photo 18L may be the bag for you. It’s relatively small and has built-in organization for your camera gear, as well as access hatches on both the right and left-hand side. It’s made of weather-resistant materials and has load-adjustment straps and a chest strap, which should let you carry it comfortably even if you’ve got it filled with gear.
New affordable iPads
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| Image: Apple |
People don’t always think of the iPad as a photographic tool, but nowadays Apple’s tablets have a lot of processing power and can run many of the apps photographers use on their desktops. The company’s entry-level models – the iPad Air and the plainly-named iPad – have just gotten updates that make them better than ever. The Air gets the laptop-class M3 chip, as well as a new, optional keyboard with a bigger trackpad, function row and aluminum design. The M3 iPad Air starts at $599, and the new keyboard costs $269.
The cheaper iPad, meanwhile, gets the A16 chip from the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro. While it’s not as powerful as the M-class chips and doesn’t support Apple’s suite of AI features, it should still be plenty for light photo editing and organization. Its base storage has also been doubled from 64GB to 128GB. It starts at $349, which is what its predecessor sold for ever since Apple cut the price by $100 in 2024.
That wasn’t all Apple announced this week, though…
Get caught up
Some accessory news is so big that it gets its own article during the week, but we’d feel remiss not also mentioning those products here.
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| Image: Apple |
As an example, Apple’s new computers. The company announced updates to its entry-level MacBook Air and top-of-the-line Mac Studio this week, adding its latest processors. The MacBook Air has enough processing power to handle the typical Photoshop and Lightroom tasks that most photographers need, all while being hyper-portable, while the Mac Studio can handle the highest-end photo and video editing tasks.
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| Image: Peak Design |
Also announced this week: Peak Design’s Roller Pro, the company’s first piece of roller luggage. It’s a bit of a hybrid between a hardshell case and a softshell one, with plenty of padding and a front sleeve that can hold a laptop and other everyday carry items. You can read our full coverage of it here.
It’s currently being sold via Kickstarter for a discount over its $599 MSRP, but the usual disclaimer applies: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.
| Photo: Richard Butler |
Sony has released a firmware update that brings its Content Authenticity Solution to the a7 IV. The company announced a similar update for the a1 II, a1 and a9 III in January. However, this is the first time the tool to authenticate images will be available on something other than high-end, professional-grade cameras.
Software Ver. 5.00 for the Sony a7 IV adds support for the “Write Digital Signature” function for still images. This function allows photographers to add an electronic signature to their images to prove that they were taken with that camera. Authenticity tools such as this are becoming increasingly important with the growing prevalence of generative AI-created imagery and, as a result, the spread of fake images.
Of course, as with the update for the three pro-grade cameras in January, there are some caveats involved. The Digital Signature function requires a paid license and is only available for certain media outlets, not the general public. Unfortunately, Sony still hasn’t provided any additional information on if or when it will be available for general consumers. On the firmware update page, Sony simply says that the “timing for the provision of paid licenses to customers other than certain media outlets is yet to be determined.”
Even though the current usability is limited, Sony rolling this out to consumer models is a step in the right direction. The Content Authenticity information page also says that “more camera models will be supported in due course,” so it sounds like we should see additional cameras with the tool at some point. If Sony makes the feature more widely available beyond media outlets, the Digital Signature feature will already be on cameras and ready for use.
If you want to be prepared, or happen to work for one of the select media outlets, the Sony a7 IV firmware update Ver. 5.00 is now available for download.
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