Just to add my personal experience:
Since 1998 for anything that requires drawing precision I still use my trusty Wacom intuos 12x12 & I3 wide, of course in Pen mode mapped to the display.
This way it is more natural and precise for drawing and one can use large strokes.
I also use Wacoms tablet ExpressKeys function buttons all the time configured for each application separately.
But in 2007  I discovered trackball mice, and since then I've been a dedicated user for anything but drawing. First with the wired Logitech TrackMan wheel, now with the wireless M570.
I like the fact that it does not require much space, essentially just its footprint, especially handy for when working on confined spaces or presentation demos and is super fast to navigate in multi monitor situations apart from being very easy on the wrists. I now find conventional mice, too cumbersome and slow to work with every time one has to pick them up and readjust position..
This combo wacom & trackball is ideal to me in a desktop setup. For tablet devices of course the pen is king but not always.

about the reliability of a wacom, then i can only agree with Byron. I can't count the times i have spilled a full cop of coffee over my wacoms, and after a day of drying it will work as good as ever, although with a new fresh odor :-)

Robert

2017-09-18 18:10 GMT+02:00 Byron Nash <AE-List@media-motion.tv>:

I've used a Wacom almost solely since the 90's. If I use a mouse too long, my hand cramps, but it feels ok with the tablet. I'm a fan of proportional mapping and not mouse mode. I think there is benefit to muscle memory because the spot on your tablet will always go to the same spot on the screen. I do wish Wacom made a really long and wide tablet for dual screen use. I have to sacrifice some of my tablet real estate when I switch to dual monitors because I want proportional mapping on  all the time. For the pen, I've always preferred to have right-click the top and middle-click the bottom. I have worked a lot in 3D animation and middle click is essential. It also is convenient that the middle click when held acts like a scroll wheel in web browsers and file explorers. I use my thumb on the button. I have also known some folks who have mapped keyboard or tablet buttons to the main click so they can be precise on the clicks. 

I've always wanted to be on a Cintiq, but the price tag has always kept my employers from purchasing. My only complaint about the Cintiq is the apps aren't really designed for  you to have your arm on the screen. Sometimes your hand is in the way. I feel like there could be some UI tweaks to make that interaction better. 

One thing I like about Wacom is they last forever. I'm not sure I have ever seen one go out. Even one I dropped off a loading dock once. 

Good luck finding something that works for you!

On Mon, Sep 18, 2017 at 9:16 AM mike cardeiro <AE-List@media-motion.tv> wrote:

I think I'd just bring my own mouse to work.  Seriously, I think it would take years to retrain myself to using anything but a mouse.

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From: Roei Tzoref <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
To: After Effects Mail List <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
Sent: Saturday, September 16, 2017 6:50 AM
Subject: [AE] Wacom vs Mouse

Hi, just bought the intuos pro medium. Trying to get into the habit of working soley with a Wacom Tablet. I don't paint, but I composite, animate, roto and track. Rarely used it before, but have been freelancing in a place that doesn't even have a mouse, so I want to make a smooth transition.

I find it a struggle using the pen buttons. I set them to right click (the button near the tip) and scroll/pan (the other one). It's makes me move my hand slightly (and the cursor as a result) when I want to use them. 

Scrolling with the mouse wheel is a feature I use in Ae all the time. I am missing finer control there. Right click is also used a lot. Do any of you have a recommendation for a pen setup?maybe pen holding posture that could help make this easier? Or is it just something to bare through for a while? What do you use? What is your tablet position setup?