3D Connexion VS Griffin Powermate

[ahd]

Hi Everyone,

I'm using C4D & Vectorworks with Wacom Intuos Pro Medium

And I'm thinking about getting the Powermate.

 

I'm not really sure about it as I've seen many topics about the 3D Connexion.

 

So far and from what l've read online; Powermate is better in terms of usage on many softwares [Adobe, Vectorworks, editing .. Etc]

 

But the 3D Connexion is more advanced on 3D softwares.

 

So any advice?

 

Thanks in Advanced

[CRD]

They are very different in their uses. The powermate is only a knob that spins and clicks while the 3dconnexion tilts along 6 axis to rotate your view/object. I have a spacemouse and I think its a great way to navigate in 3D space and find the best camera angles. I have never used a powermate but it looks like the only function in a 3d program you could map to it would be straight zoom, like the middle mouse wheel.

 

What are you hoping to do with it? Is there a certain action that you are hoping one of these devices will do well that you can't do now? For me it was navigate 3D space smoothly. If you want to edit movies with a shuttle wheel, then the powermate is for you.

[ahd]

I understand the SN advanced features in the 3D softwares, but my grey area is the usage amongst the other softwares (Vectorworks, Photoshop, illustrator ... etc)

[CRD]

I only occasionally use it in Photoshop. Mainly when I move the keyboard and I'm in heavy Wacom mode, it can be easier to zoom/pan and use the extra buttons for some often used shortcuts. But it's not as much of a shocking experience as using it to navigate 3d. On the other hand, I'm not sure I would use the Powermate in PS either if it was only going to control brush size or zoom. The Spacemouse does nothing in Illustrator, Premeire, or After Effects and I've never used Vectorworks.

 

To throw another option at you, I knew a guy who works with video and he had a Contour ShuttlePro that he liked. Seems similar to Powermate with extra buttons. Can't go wrong with extra buttons.