Today’s Question: Which stylus and tablet do you recommend for working in Photoshop CC?
Tim’s Quick Answer: Personally I recommend the Wacom Intuos Pro in the medium size (https://amzn.to/2MmOmw8) as an excellent tablet. Another option worth considering is the Wacom Cintiq (https://amzn.to/2Mr6ogD), which is a monitor display with integrated stylus support.
More Detail: There are a variety of different tablet and stylus options available, but I have long considered Wacom to offer the best. The Intuos Pro line of tablets are standalone tablets that enable you to use a stylus to “write” directly on the tablet. This is somewhat similar to using a mouse on a mousepad, but with the additional benefit of working with a “pen” rather than a mouse.
There are several sizes of tablet available, but I find the medium size works best for me. The small size tends to feel a little cramped, and with the large size I find it often feels a bit too sprawling. That said, different photographers will prefer a different size, so I recommend testing out the various options before making a purchase decision.
In addition to the tablets, there are monitor displays that have integrated stylus support. These are somewhat similar to the use of a touch-enabled display, such as you may be familiar with on a smartphone or a variety of laptops and other devices. The difference is that with the Wacom Cintiq display, you can use a stylus with a variety of customization options to draw directly on the display.
It can certainly take a little bit of time to get accustomed to using a stylus. That said, I feel the time is worthwhile, as using a pen to write on a tablet (or display) provides you with much greater control and accuracy. This is especially helpful when you need to paint or draw with precision, such as when creating selections or painting on a layer mask for targeted adjustments or when creating composite images.