Learn How to Choose the Right Photo Scanner
A photo scanner is a great way to take old photos, film and negatives and convert them into digital images. Digital images can then be shared online, via e-mail, manipulated to improve them, printed, or stored for safe keeping. What a great device!
This page will offer you some basic information on how to choose the right photo scanner based upon the type of work you want to do. Use the expandable Table of Contents below to quickly find the information or photo scanner you want on this page.
Contents at a Glance
What Do You Want to Scan?
The type of scanner you buy will be based on the type of work you want to do with it.Is It the Right Size?
Flatbed scanners are the most common type of photo scanner. If a flatbed scanner is chosen, then the bed size has to accomodate the items to be scanned. If the user will scan 12"x 17" documents, then the bedsize should be at least this large. Some scanners will produce enlargements of your photos. The bedsize on the scanner may be smaller than the enlargements you produce as the bedsize only needs to accommodate the size of your originals. It must however, be able to accomodate the paper size needed for the enlargment. Image Quality
The quality of the images a photo scanner can produce is determined primarily by color depth/bit depth and resolution. In general, 36 to 48 bit depth is more than enough for most purposes.A minimum resolution of 300dpi or 300spi is sufficient for text documents but 1200 dpi/spi is needed for photo reproduction. Film/negatives require at minmum of at least 2400dpi.
Looking for a "dynamic range" of at least 3.2 is also advised for the best quality.
Speed
If you have only an occasional need to scan and scan in small volumes, speed isn't so critical with the photo scanner you choose. However, if you have much to do speed becomes quite important.A good generally rule is that a photo scanner with an average speed of 10-20 seconds to scan an 8 x10" image is sufficient for most uses.
Other Functions
Photo scanners like other home electronics are cabable of multi-tasking.Can the scanner scan to print, scan to file, fax, or e-mail? Does it come with software to allow it to scan, edit and even take text to a word processing file or convert to a PDF file. Some scanners come with software that allows quite a lot of restoration and editing. Some also allow you to enlarge images.
Flatbed scanners are also available that can scan film or slides if shoppers check for such features.
Compatibility
Obviously any photo scanner should have compatible connections to existing devices; particularly your computer. USB 2.0 or Firewire connectivity are recommended for faster transfer. Epson - Perfection V500 Photo - Photo Scanner
Click on the image to learn more or to buy
Epson Perfection V700 Color Flatbed Photo Scanner
Epson Perfection V700 Photo Color Scanner
Amazon Price: $549.00 (as of 12/16/2009)
This Epson photo scanner is capable of scanning photos, documents, medium format film, slides and negatives. It provides 6400 dpi resolution for outstanding quality. It has 48-bit color and 16-bit grayscale and allows you to restore/fix photo color, scratches, and more.
HP Scanjet G4050 Photo Scanner
Click on the image for more information or to buy
Learn More about the HP Scanjet G4050 Photo Scanner
More About the HP G Series Scanners
It's pretty goofy but it's a valid review of the features
Hp Scanjet G Series Photo Scanners
Scan even more slides, negatives and photos with superior color accuracy. Capture the most realistic color with HP-exclusive 6-color, 96-bit scanning and high-definition detail at 4800 x 9600 dpi.1 Get built-in dust and scratch removal, too. Interested in this product? click on links below to be directly connected to our product pages. HP Scanjet G4050 Photo Scanner http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2835752&CatId=294 HP Scanjet G4010 Photo Scanner http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2929633&CatId=294 HP Scanjet G3010 Photo Scanner http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2835751&CatId=294
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Xeorx One Touch 7400
Epson Expression 10000 XL
Epson Perfection 4490
Epson Perfection V300
Canon Photo Scanners
Canon CanoScan 8800F Color Film/Negative/Photo Scanner (2168B002)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/16/2009)
Canon CanoScan 4400F Color Image Scanner (1306B002)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/16/2009)
Canon CanoScan LiDE 25 Color Image Scanner (0307B001)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/16/2009)
Canon CanoScan LiDE 600F scanner (0302B002)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/16/2009)
Canon CanoScan LiDE90 Color Image Scanner (2167B002)
Amazon Price: $91.11 (as of 12/16/2009)
If you didn't find what you want, look here for more photo scanners
More Helpful Information About Photo Scanners
- Care for a Photo Scanner
- Useful information about caring for a photo scanner and how to avoid damage.
- Choosing the Right Resolution
- Find out more about choosing the right resolution when scanning images.
- How Stuff Works
- Learn more about how a photo scanner works.
- Pop Photo
- The latest product reviews and tests.
Photo Scanners in the News
- Rollei PS100 – Fast, high resolution photo scanner - The Red ...
- Rollei PS100 ? Fast, high resolution photo scanner. Image. If you've got a few decades worth of photo prints and you want to digitise them, then check out this Rollei PS100 digital print scanner. The blurb reckons it will scan a photo ...
- FiveFWD - Rollei launches high-spec film scanner by The Gadget Show
- And it's that heritage it brings to the PS100 ? a standalone slide and photo scanner that can cast its eye over a pic in as little as half a second, and do so well enough to produce 5-megapixel digital shots on the other side. ...
- The Frugal Girls!: {Now Closed} 2-Day Giveaway: Epson Photo ...
- This is where the Epson Photo Scanner V300 steps in. Epson recently sent me this to put to the test. Not only does this scan photos with digital dust correction and one-touch photo restoration, it also scans large books and 3-D objects ...
- Pandigital One-Touch Photo Scanner Reviewed
- Pandigital One-Touch Photo Scanner The Pandigital Photolink One-Touch Photo Scanner is small, affordable, and did a decent job in scanning photos (and did it quickly too). It may not be the choice of professional photographers, ...
Photo Scanner: Did You Find the Scanner You Want? Let Us Know!
If you didn't find what you needed on this page, visit our full service home electronics store.
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- kiwisoutback kiwisoutback Nov 19, 2009 @ 7:47 am
- I need a scanner, I have thousands of photos from the pre-digital era awaiting to be turned into lenses. Great work!
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- AndyPo AndyPo Sep 24, 2009 @ 7:32 am
- Excellent information. I'm still working my way through a couple of decades worth of analogue photographs, so that I have them backed-up (I've got about 3,000 Gigabytes of photos so far)
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- jaye3000 jaye3000 May 7, 2009 @ 11:19 am
- Thanks for this lens! I'm looking to get an all-in one, and was leaning toward HP. I'm bookmarking this so my hubby can take a look ( I have no idea about this stuff :)
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- hoopahybrid hoopahybrid Dec 2, 2008 @ 9:48 am
- i have a h p deskjet f380 all in one need shortcut to learn how to put photos ,allready developed on my website
g
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- Lisa_Jo Lisa_Jo Aug 2, 2008 @ 8:06 pm
- This is a wonderful lens:)
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- bdkz bdkz Mar 20, 2008 @ 8:10 pm
- Great lens! I love my scanner.
by mulberry
Have old photos you want to manipulate, save, store, or share online? You can do all of this with the help of a photo scanner. (more)
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