You do not have digital cameras to leverage the capabilities of your computer to edit photos. Further improve scanner is cheaper and easier photos into digital images, which in turn can improve, scale, and to share. And flatbed scanners are no longer limited to printed materials. Our tests show that the best platforms for a game now expensive film scanner, when it comes to scan slides and negatives. This is no small matter, whatImprovements to the resolution that new scanners and better accessories to hold film strips or slides securely for the quick, accurate scans.
What is available
A series of scanners from companies, including Microtek and Visioneer, his name in scanning technology that has to come. Other brands include computer makers and specialists in pictures such as Canon, Epson, Hewlett-Packard, and Nikon.
What kind of scanner you should consider - flatbed, sheet-or film - depends largely onhow to use it. If you have limited space, consider a multifunction device.
Flatbed scanner. More than 90 percent of the flatbed scanner on the market. They work well for text, graphics, photos, and everything is flat, even the more recent design is a kindergarten teacher. The platforms include optical character recognition (OCR), which converts the words on a printed page into a word processing file on your computer. This includes basic image editing software.Some stores may specially in a flatbed scanner for the free throw, or a few dollars if you buy a desktop computer.
An important specification for maximum optical resolution of a scanner, measured in dots per inch (dpi). They are more to pay for a higher resolution.
Price: less than $ 100 for 600x1, 200 dpi $ 100 to $ 500 for models with higher resolution.
Spreadsheet models. Spreadsheet models can automatically scan a stack of loose pages, but sometimes the sites givethrough their courage. And they can not scan anything much thicker than a sheet of paper (which is an old photo might be too thick). This type of scanner is often the one who sent as part of a multifunction device can print that too, and receive faxes. A growing proportion of multi-function devices, but includes a flatbed scanner. Sheet scanners, OCR software.
Price: $ 100 to $ 600
Film scanners. Professional photographers want a movie onlyScanner scan directly from an original slide (transparency) or negative. Some can accept small prints as well.
Price: $ 400 to $ 800.
IMPORTANT
While the quality of images a scanner produces depends in part on the software that came with it, there are several hardware features to consider.
It starts scanning from the driver software supplied with the scanner or by pressing a preprogrammed button. The models with buttons automate routine tasks, leavingOperating the scanner, and other office equipment. With some models you can customize the button functions. Each of these tasks can be performed by the scanner, software without using buttons. A copy / print button starts the scan and sends a command to print the results on the printer, which actually serve the two units as a copier. Find other key functions of some models to scan a file to a fax modem, scan, scan to e-mail, Scan to Web, scan to OCR,cancel the operation to save power, starting the scanning software, and Power On / Off
You can also use the driver software from an application like a word processor, that adheres to a standard known as TWAIN. A scanner driver software lets you crop a scan and preview screen, or adjust contrast and brightness. When you are satisfied with the edited image, you can give the final scan and the image of a running program or save it on your computer. You canLarge changes in an image with image editing software specialist. And to scan text from a book or a letter in a word processing file on your computer, run the OCR software.
Many documents combine text with graphics such as photographs and drawings. A handy software feature found on many scanners, called multi-scan mode, these hybrids are able to penetrate into different sections that can be treated separately in a single scan. You can decide forExample, that sections of a newspaper article, the text of the OCR software to go regardless of the graphics product. Other scanners would be a separate scan for each section of the document.
Some flatbed models are developed with film adapter for scanning film or slides, but if you scan film or slides is often better off getting a separate scanner film.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Consider how much resolution you need. If you have aOnly scanner for originals printed, especially for models that look like 1200 points per inch (dpi) to deliver, they are usually less expensive models. It is always possible a scanner to operate at less than maximum resolution. In fact, most scans of photos, graphics and text are only 150 to 300 dpi. (For the images are displayed on the screen are enough dpi to 75). High resolution scans take longer and create larger files, but usually add little.
For film and negatives, you want toResolution of 2,400 dpi. Such a high rate is necessary in order to capture enough detail so that an image created from an original 35 mm can be enlarged.
When comparing the specific focus on the native resolution optics. And 'more important than the "interpolated" resolution and "enhanced", which is useful only when scanning line art.
Consider color-bit depth for the film. If you want to make enlargements of prints or negatives or slides to scan, look for oneAs a specific bit color depth is unknown. The higher the bit-bit color depth (24-bit is easy, 48-bit is great), the better the scanner can differentiate among subtle gradations of light and darkness.
Consider a multifunction device. If you do not place high demands on a scanner (for example, you can not scan film or slides) and you have a general use printer, especially for a small space, can serve a multifunction printer / scanner / copier.
Do not sweat the quality and speed. MostThe scanners we tested recently and play according to their ability to provide a color photo at maximum optical resolution. The rest were judged to be good, which means that the scans were less clear with less accurate color.
Speed matters if you expect to scan regularly. In our recent tests the fastest took about 10 seconds to scan a 8x10-inch image at 300 dpi, while the slowest takes about 40 seconds.
Do not sweat the software. All the scanners we tested recentlysupplied with software for scanning, image processing and optical character recognition (which you can scan text directly into a word processing program). Some had the software for creating digital photo albums or other projects. All models are also included software, often integrated into the hardware capable of image defects to repair the damage caused by damaged originals.
Copyright © 2002-2006 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.
For the latest information on this and many other services, products, visithttp://www.ConsumerReports.org
