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Motion Computing J3500 Tablet - Digital sketchbook

2011-08-25T17:28:00.001-07:00

And now for something completely different.

My photoblog has been a little dry lately, for that I apologize. My photographic inspiration ebbs and flows and lately it's more ebb than flow. :) For those faithful few who visit my website, I thank you for checking in regularly. This latest post may not be all glitz and glamor, but it should offer some helpful insight for people looking to invest in a Motion Computing J3500 Tablet PC.

When I was shopping for a digital sketchbook a little over a year ago, the Motion Computing J3500 was just coming onto the market. Reviews were sparse and typically from the perspective of a medical care worker or oil rig technician, and with good reason. The J3500 was designed primarily for mobile operations, military and industrial professions. It is ruggedized to military specification, features capacative multi-touch and desktop-grade CPUs. Now if you've found this post it's because you're looking for a product review. I'm not going to fill my blog with photos of the unit and all the associated accessories, you've probably drooled over them enough already. :)

My review will not question the durability of this product, whether I can pour my beer out on top of it or if it can withstand a class-4 tornado, naturally it can do all these things. This review will focus on the J3500 as a digital sketchbook, how well it performs in apps like Photoshop, ArtRage, Sketchbook Pro and the like. I'll discuss how it feels as a drawing platform and how comfortable it is to use.

Let's get started.

My wants:

My biggest "must-have" in a digital sketchbook was processing power. Nothing is more frustrating when digital painting than having your ink fall behind your brushstrokes in Photoshop. Waiting for lines to catch up with your pen when wildly sketching out a concept can really take you out of the zone and cause you to lose focus on where your illustration is going.

Wacom penabled technology was a given "must-have". This basically means that you get 512 levels of pressure sensitivity as you draw directly on the screen itself. You can use any Wacom Penabled compatible pen, even those with two buttons, another must-have for anyone with Intuos experience.

My last big "want" was a BRIGHT display. I wanted to be able to go to the park, sit under a tree and still be able to see my work as I draw. The J3500 did not disappoint in this regard.

Cost:

The J3500 is no budget piece of kit. If you're reading this review, you know what it costs and you're willing to spend a little extra on a capable tablet. When I was shopping for my J3500, there weren't many other Slate PC's on the market that catered to all my "wants". The J3500 has a good deal of expense simply due to the ruggedized state of the hardware. The year is now 2011 and there are a lot more tablets available on the market, so shop around and see if there's anything else out there that suits your needs without being ruggedized/expensive. If you're still interested in the J3500 as a digital sketchbook then read on!

Performance:

You'll have a choice between the intel Core i5 and i7 processors. I ordered the higher-performing i7 unit because I wanted to future-proof my tablet as much as possible. SSD Harddrive should be a given. I bought the 60gig configuration and it has suited my needs nicely. HDD Performance is fast and boot times are almost nil. At the time of ordering, I inquired as to whether I can get the j3500 without hdd (hoping I could buy my own at a nearby computer shop for cheaper) but this was not possible. Motion Computing installed Windows 7 along with all the drivers needed for the j3500's bells and whistles to operate properly.

The j3500 keeps up with my most demanding brushstrokes. High step-frequency brushes (even dual brushes) are no problem for the i7 processor. Complex plugins like VanDerLee's Halftone are pretty demanding on the processor, but the j3500 seems to do these operations with ease. The j3500 is no slouch when it comes to basic speed performance. I can't speak in terms of 3D rendering/performance because I do most of that work on my workstation, but it's capable enough to do some basic recreational 3D gaming with conservative graphics settings enabled.

Display brightness it definitely a non-issue when it comes to the j3500. I generally keep the display brightness at 3/4 power in order to keep heat issues under control. When the sun hits the display I can max out the brightness setting and laugh in the face of that raging ball of fire in the sky. My screen is always perfectly visible in any condition.

As previously stated, heat is an issue with this tablet, but only when running the display at full brightness. At 3/4 brightness, heat is well controlled and vented through a grille on the top left corner of the unit. Since i'm right handed, I work with my j3500 display rotated 180. This means that the hardware buttons are accessible on the left side while I hold my pen in the right. This also means that at 180 degree rotation, the heat exhaust vent is on the bottom right of the unit, which basically cooks your crotch if you're actually using this device on your lap. Even at 3/4 brightness, the heat exiting the unit along with the weight of the device is enough that I rarely use the device freehand or resting on my lap. If i want to work this way, I typically kill the brightness down to 1/4 power.

Because I was buying a fully-pimped version of this tablet, I also opted for the multi-touch feature. The multi-touch on the j3500 works as you'd expect. If you're comfortable working with an iphone, then the j3500 isn't much different. Although they advertise intelligent pen-recognition that disables the multi-touch when the wacom is detected, generally speaking I just keep the multi-touch feature of the unit disabled. The multi-touch is handy to have for extended periods of web browsing (windows7 has great touch compatability) but it's definitely not a must-have and would be a great feature to cut out if you're looking to save some coin.

Hardware:
The unit itself is sexy as hell. It feels like a solid slab of tech and functions like one too. This unit is not particularly light when compared to an ipad or Asus ep121 but the performance and ruggedization are two good reasons to have to lift a little bit more weight. In my experience, while it's nice to have the freedom to take this unit to life-drawing class or the local park, it's really being used 90% of the time at home on a solid surface so weight isn't a deal-breaker.

The buttons on the unit are completely customizable so you can have them perform whatever action you desire. Typically I have "Step-backwards" and "Alt" as my most used hardware buttons. Unfortunately, since the buttons are designed not to be pressed accidentally this also makes them a little harder to press intentionally. With a little practice you can get the hang of using these buttons without actually having to look at them, but the directional rocker-button is a little mushy and sometimes clicks in two directions at once. The pill shaped buttons below the directional button are great for customizing, unfortunately one of the buttons on my unit got suck down UNDER the main chassis of the unit, meaning the button didn't pop back up into original position. This button is now basically broken and I've disabled it from use. It's a pity the hardware buttons weren't better designed and it's a wonder how a fat-fingered oil worker or engineer could ever find these buttons useful in an industrial setting.

Using a keyboard with Photoshop offers a HUGE speed advantage, and given that the mobile keyboard that Motion Computing offers added more bulk than I wanted to deal with, I opted for a wireless bluetooth keyboard similar to this one. It fits great in my laptop bag, syncs perfectly with my j3500 and gets the job done faster than chicken-pecking with the on-screen keyboard that windows 7 provides.

The pen that comes with the j3500 is suitable for when you forgot your good pen at home. It's only got one button on it, so if you're interested in replicating the two-button functionality of the Intuos tablet you're used to, you'll want to get an "Axiotron Digitizer Pen". The Axiotron modbook pen can be found on ebay for about $40. This is pretty much a must-have for any Intuos user stepping up to a j3500... you'll feel right at home. :)

To sum up, here's a hit-list of my thoughts on the j3500.

- Great all around digital sketchbook with lots of processing power to keep up with your demanding brush strokes.

- Similarly priced but way more flexible than a Wacom Cintiq. Consider this unit as an alternative to a Cintiq.

- Crappy hardware buttons can be frustrating to use, but there are plenty to go around.

- Stock pen will need a replacement for seasoned Wacom users.

I hope this review helps out those who are considering this unit. There seems to be a lot of competition out there for tablets these days, but few of them are catering to the digital artist. A friend of mine has the aformentioned Asus EP121 and is quite pleased, but his brushes lag behind in Photoshop sometimes, so weigh your options carefully before you buy anything.

Thanks for stopping by, feel free to drop some questions in the comments section if you have any. Or write a little note if you found this review helpful. :)

BC Hydro VCCT Project

2011-05-28T01:15:00.000-07:00

BC Hydro is building the Vancouver City Central Transmission Project which includes work in my neighbourhood. Naturally, this was a perfect opportunity to get out there and shoot big elaborate machines doing big elaborate things! When I actually do bring my tripod, the results are always so pleasing. Enjoy!

A few lapse with the Canon ts-e 90mm

2011-01-26T02:48:00.000-08:00

I recently had another opportunity to shoot with this razor sharp tilt-shift lens. This time around I set up for sequences about 1-4 mins long, shooting at 1 second intervals. The shutter was tweaked to provide various amounts of motion blur depending on the effect I intended to create. The images were then post-processed in LightRoom and finally rendered to video using Sony Vegas. This is the same lens used in my Shifted Weekend post, so if you want to see some stills check them out here.

This video was built with HD in mind, so enjoy the full resolution version.

Italy - Rome

2010-12-08T23:08:00.002-08:00

At long last, the final entry in my 2010 Italy tour, Rome. Here are a couple of my favorites, follow the link below to see the complete set! Some of my italy photos among others, are for sale on the Fine Art America website. Or click here to see only the photos I have for sale.

Italy - Tuscany

2010-10-26T19:30:00.002-07:00

Ahhhhh Tuscany! A beautiful land of a rolling patchwork terrain, dappled with trees and twisting roads. The most memorable aspect of this region is not even pictured within this album. The food in Tuscany is incredible! Basic pastas with locally grown ingredients and hand-made dough delight the taste buds and fill us with a deep sense of comfort. After coffee, a stroll through villages and landscapes like these provide a feast for the eyes and a workout for my camera.

Lamborghini has been making tractors a lot longer than they've been making sports cars. I was more excited about seeing this, than the Gallardo we saw in Florence!

Italy - Florence

2010-10-22T12:56:00.001-07:00

Florence was one of my favorite Italian destinations! The city is abuzz with activity and has great markets for shooting and shopping. I'm keen on this first photo simply because of the mood involved. This shot is actually a flash mis-fire, but in the end I liked it better than the artificially illuminated shot. The low-key lighting is quite different than my usual works and looks a lot like the environment concept-paintings I deal with in my video-game day job.

Italy - Cinque Terre

2010-10-22T12:42:00.001-07:00

The weather did not co-operate during our stay in Cinque Terre and along the way I lost a good piece of gear. I left my trusty Rapid Strap on the hiking trail between Corniglia and Vernazza. This thing has always been extremely comfortable and easy to use, I'll be replacing it immediately. All this aside, we mounted our polarizing filters to bump up the colours and did the best we could, given the overcast skies. Enjoy a couple days in Cinque Terre!

Four wheels in Florence!

2010-10-14T01:12:00.000-07:00

Finding this Lamborghini parked on the streets of Florence at night was a great stroke of luck! Thankfully my brother and I were prepared. He lit the car from various angles using the remote flash while I snapped away. The awestruck tourists add levity to the whole thing. :)

Italy - Venice

2010-10-12T18:59:00.000-07:00

We're home from a whirlwind tour of Italy with 4000+ photos to process. Loads of video and timelapse footage captured. Insane amounts of pasta and wine consumed. As my jet-lag subsides, I'll add new Italian vistas and photo albums to the blog.

Our journey starts in Venice, where wet socks and tourists are a given. This city is full of texture, colour and movement. Here are a couple of my favorite images out of Venice, find more in the photo album.

Canyon Fodder Video

2010-09-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

We're gearing up for a trip to Italy in the coming weeks. As such, there hasn't been much new content added to this blog in the last few days. For this I apologize. Until my return from the land of gnocci and vino, this video ought to keep you entertained. All footage was gathered during our trip to Utah Canyonlands National Park for Brian's stag.

DSLR VIDEO!

2010-09-07T14:24:00.002-07:00

Today is a little different...

Amy was gracious enough to let me practice shooting video using her new DSLR, the Canon Rebel T2i.
Finally, I can take the investment I've made in camera lenses and apply it properly to the video medium. Most of these shots were carefully choreographed, tripod mounted and manual focused.

Shooting video with a DSLR is certainly a challenge, but the end results can be stupendous. While the 24-70 gave me some flexibility, I'm excited to start shooting with my long and ultra-wide lenses for added effect.

Here's a second, more relaxed take on the same footage. Which do you like better?

Some details:

Captured with the Canon Rebel T2i, Canon 24-70f2.8L 720p @ 60fps.

Final output: 720p @ 24fps.

Beach and white

2010-08-27T10:48:00.002-07:00

These shots aren't quite recent, but they're good fuel for the blog. Taken at Iona beach in Richmond using a canon 24-105mm F4L.

B&W Shooting seems to have really taken a kick in the nuts since digital came on the scene. Seems no one values it like they used to. Do you like black and white or are you not a fan? Why? Have your say in the comments section or post some examples of B&W shots that have really made an impression on you.

Iona beach is a great peaceful place to shoot. Lots of interesting sea-vessels, lumber works and construction equipment are scattered about, mixed into the natural setting of the inlet. Watch your step, there's wood with nails and other hazards abound. One of my favorite shots was taken here.

Zombiewalk 2010

2010-08-22T22:02:00.001-07:00

As a favor to a friend, I brought my camera to the Vancouver Zombie Walk this year. I got loads of amazing expressions and great close-ups of some extremely ghoulish zombies. I'll certainly be in attendance next year! I never seem to do enough portraiture, so this session ought to make up for it :)

The weather was excellent and everyone seemed to have a good time. At least those of us who weren't stuck in zombie-infested traffic.

These shots were taken to help promote ZOMBIESDRULE.COM The ultimate resource for zombie-related movie reviews, pictures, paraphernalia and more.

Click here for the full gallery.

Gastown Choppers

2010-08-18T19:11:00.002-07:00

A motorcycle show in gastown you say? Count me in.

Motorcycle shows are as much about the people as they are about the bikes. I was bound by the unyeilding reach of a 100-400mm lens during this outing, hence the closely cropped engines and faces.

Abbotsford International Airshow 2010

2010-08-16T10:04:00.003-07:00

We hit up the airshow this weekend under blazing 35 degree heat.

Heat distortion was clearly visible and complimented these awe-inspiring vehicles. Most of these photos were taken with a rented Canon 100-400mm zoom, however my new favorite (24-70 f2.8 L) helped me out while climbing in and out of the heavy cargo planes.

After the rain

2010-08-09T02:11:00.001-07:00

We finally got some rain in Vancouver! A great opportunity to get out there and shoot droplets and bugs. :)

All these shots were taken with my Canon 24-70 f2.8

Up up and away!

2010-07-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

To celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary, Amy and I took to the skies in a hot air balloon, with special thanks to Natia for such a generous gift! Pro-Tip: Never forget your camera-strap when traveling by hot air balloon. I had a death-grip on my 50D, paired with a 70-200 f4L for most of these shots. The aircraft is extremely smooth and a great platform for photography. Next time, i'll fly with an 800mm lens. : )

Shifted Weekend

2010-07-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

I rented a 90mm TS-E so that I could get all the tilt-shift shots out of my system once and for all. Now that i've had a chance to play with it extensively, I'm truly enamoured by the level of control available. Having no auto-focus makes it an even more entertaining challenge!

Click here for the full gallery.

Petal power.

2010-07-02T18:48:00.003-07:00

After years of being satisfied but never blown away by canon's 24-105, I've traded it in for a 24-70.

The results are stunning. I'm delighted to have the faster aperture even though it's a beast to carry around.

Marc and Francesca

2010-06-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

Marc and Francesca were nice enough to pose for me, while I had some studio gear in house. Thanks guys! Great smiles!

I used a 3 point lighting system. Two in front on either side and one extremely bright one in the back to get some nice hair and rim lighting.

Canyon Fodder

2010-06-07T11:34:00.003-07:00

We rode our bikes through Utah Canyonlands National Park and experienced some of the most awe inspiring geological structures. As part of a guided tour of the White Rim Trail, we joined Holiday Expeditions and set off into the arid wilderness.

Full gallery here.

Autumn glow.

2010-05-18T13:48:00.001-07:00

Canon 24-105

The trees and fences offered a natural framing...The lighting coming from behind the trees cast an amber glow that I couldn't resist.

Bird watching

2010-05-10T01:07:00.002-07:00

Canon 70-200mm f4L

Special thanks go to Amy for finding a great shooting location at the end of a Vancouver runway! A big 747 was just taking off as we arrived. Enjoy the set!

Glamour portraits

2010-05-01T17:10:00.001-07:00

I took a few moments out of a weekend to do a portrait shoot of my dog Huxley. Seems I had the shutter speed set a little too slowly for this shot, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this stunning gaze. Enjoy the full set.

No photography goes unrewarded! All these shots were taken with my Canon 24-105, using one flash/umbrella and available light. Next time I'll use two flashes for added fill (I had to go and buy a dark-coloured dog) and position myself to better take advantage of the available light.

woodly

2010-04-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

Going for an abstract feel with this tight-cropped photo of driftwood in Tofino BC. I punched up the contrast to get some pop out of the image. I find the grain leads the eye from the bottom right, up into the center of the image.