Scanners Buying Guide

Written by ujjawal Friday, 25 April 2008 17:13

Purchasing a scanner used to be a fairly simple undertaking. There weren't many models to choose from, and prices were consistently expensive. Today, scanners are much more accessible to the average computer user, and the variety has greatly increased. Bottom line: You don't need to be a graphics professional to benefit from a scanner, and you don't need to be a technology wizard to use one. Think about all the various uses for a scanner, from collecting business contacts to reproducing and retouching old photos—and then find a model that best suits your personal projects and/or business requirements.

What are the different types of scanners?

There are five different types of scanners: flatbed, sheetfed, photo, film, and handheld. The five kinds differ greatly, so choosing the type you need is simply a matter of asking yourself a few questions about how you will primarily use the scanner. Will you usually be scanning text documents? Will you need to scan odd-sized pages? Do you only need it for scanning pictures of the kids to your mother-in-law? Start with these questions, and look at they types below.

Flatbed: The most popular type of scanner, because it comes in a wide range of prices for an equally wide range of uses. Generally, flatbed scanners are best for scanning regular-sized documents or photos. The only possible downside to the versatile flatbed is size: if you are very limited when it comes to desk space, or if you will need to scan legal-size documents or newspaper clippings (flat bed scanners don't always have legal or tabloid settings), a sheetfed scanner may be a better choice.

Sheetfed: A generally inexpensive scanner, but as the prices drop on the faster flatbed scanners, so does the demand for sheetfed models. Sheetfeds are unique in their compact size and ability to accommodate larger, more irregular-sized documents, such as legal papers and newspaper clippings. If you aren't concerned with speed or volume, but your priority is scanning basic text documents that won't fit the confines of a flatbed, this may be the scanner for you.

Photo: For those consumers strictly scanning photographs, a photo scanner may be a good option. Also, if you aren't sure about making the leap from your old 35-mm to a digital camera, photo scanners allow you to stick with your old favorite and still take advantage of high technology. Photo scanners tend to be very compact in size, which is good for those with limited desk space; however, the size of the scanner also limits the size of photographs you are able to scan. (Most photo scanners limit size to 5"x7" photos.)

Film: If you are obsessed with having crisp photographic quality, a film scanner may be what you're looking for. Most film scanners rival digital cameras not only in price (film scanners are less expensive overall) but also in image quality (higher resolution). Because film scanners scan the negative itself rather than the photo, they can scan at outrageously high resolutions, making images cleaner and sharper. The main downside ? you can only scan film or slides, not paper or photos. If you will need to scan more than just film, you may want to consider a flatbed scanner with a transparency attachment that supports 35-mm film and slides. (It may be a more economical choice as well.)

Handheld: As the name implies, handheld scanners are best if you're constantly on the go. While portability is a plus, the downside to most handheld scanners is that they can only scan a few lines at a time, and only in grayscale. Some higher-end handheld scanners include special software that enables the user to straighten out and connect the scanned lines of the document, but for some consumers, this may seem like more of a hassle than a convenience. Akin to the handheld is the business card scanner.

What features should I be looking for in a scanner?

If you've already narrowed down your search on what type of scanner to buy ? or even if you haven't ? consider these features:

Resolution: The number of sensors across the scanning head. The more sensors, the more bits of detail the scanner can read. It's possibly the one feature that most consumers associate with quality when purchasing a scanner. A lower dpi doesn't necessarily mean bad quality—pictures that appear on some high-end professional web sites are scanned in at a mere 150 dpi. So you may ask, if 150-dpi works for the professionals, why would you need a 600-dpi scanner? The main reason is that you'll be less likely to have to deal with image degradation if you go with a higher dpi. Bottom line: if you can get a higher-resolution scanner for a few bucks more, go for it. It's better to have more than you need if it will save you money and time down the road. (Note: If a scanner boasts a high interpolated resolution, such as 9,600 x 9,600, watch out. That is a signal that the scanner uses its software to fill detail in images, and that can adversely affect the image's integrity.)

Color Depth: Color depth is measured in bits. The higher the number of bits, the more detail the scanner can recognize between colors. However, it isn't necessarily true that you'll get better quality images with a higher-bit scanner. However, if you're a graphics professional or if you're into scanning slides or negatives, be sure to look for 30-bit or more. Color depth can range up to 42-bit and beyond, but keep in mind that most eyes cannot distinguish between, for instance, 30-bit and 36-bit scanned images. New scanners being introduced are up to 48-bit.

Gray Levels: If you plan on scanning black-and-white images, such as photographs or sketches that contain a wide range of gray shades, you should make a point of looking at the scanner's gray levels. Similar to color depth, gray levels indicate how your black-and-white image would be interpreted by the scanner. The standard is 256 gray levels, but if black-and-white image scanning is a priority, you may want to shoot higher. Some scanners can now boast up to 4,000 levels of gray.

Sensor Types: Not that long ago, the choice was simple when it came to sensor types in scanners, since there was only one type: CCD (Charge-Coupled Device). Recent advances in technology have yielded a second type, called CIS (Contact Image Sensor). Which one is better? Well, the old favorite, CCD, has enjoyed a reputation of quality over the years. The only downside to CCD applies if you were particularly concerned with saving space. CCD scanners tend to be bulkier and require more power. The new CIS scanners tend to be smaller and more lightweight, but the technology is still fairly new, and the scanning quality isn't as great as CCD ? yet. In the near future, CIS may become the contender.

Scanning Area: The size of scanning area you'll need depends wholly on the size of the documents you'll need to scan. Many affordable flatbeds max at 8.5"x11.7", so if you need to scan legal-size papers, you're out of luck. If longer documents are what you'll be handling, sheetfeds work better ? but keep in mind that the width of the feeder limits the width of the paper you'll be able to scan.

Paper Handling: Will you need to scan more than one page at a time? If you are in the practice of scanning multiple-page documents, paper handling is a feature you'll need to consider. Many sheetfeds can scan several pages at a time, but if you need to do high-volume scanning, you may want to look at flatbed scanners with an automatic document feeder (ADF), an optional attachment that can range from 10-page to 100-page capability. Note, however, that the price can range accordingly.

Speed: If you are concerned about scanning speed, the specifications on the product description of the scanner may lead you astray. This is not to say that the description lies, but you should realize that speed can vary depending on the document you are scanning. Overall speed performance is also affected by the interface your scanner uses.

Interface: The interface is how your scanner is connected to your computer. The most common is a parallel port connection. This setup often allows your printer to be simultaneously connected, and while it isn't necessarily the fastest, it is the most convenient and widely used interface. A faster option for most newer computers is USB (Universal Serial Bus), while the fastest interface is what most professionals use: the SCSI (Small Computer System Interface), also referred to as "scuzzy". Scanners using the SCSI interface usually come with their own controller card, which makes it easier if you don't have a computer with a built-in SCSI interface.

Application Software: Many scanners come packaged with software to allow you to get the most out of your scanner. Sheetfed scanners are generally marketed towards businesses or home offices, and often come with fax and copying utilities, as well as OCR software (OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition, which enables the user to convert scanned images into text documents). Photo editing software is often included with flatbeds and some sheetfeds. An exceptional software package can greatly enhance your scanning experience.

Driver Software: Having the right driver software can make scanning a breeze. There's a standard among drivers called TWAIN that smoothly bridges any gap between your scanner and the scanner-ready application you are using. Be sure to look for a driver that is flexible and easy to use. A nice plus offered by some drivers is a preview window, which shows you a view of the scanning area and enables you to specify the part of the area to be scanned. This feature allows you to save time by automatically adjusting the scan size to fit the image being scanned, thereby eliminating any extra white space surrounding the image. Some drivers also present options to adjust the settings for brightness, contrast, color levels, color depth, and resolution. Look for a driver that gives you more control.

What do I need to be able to hook up my scanner?

Many scanners include the cables needed to connect to the computer. Be sure to check the product description to see if the cables are included. If cables don't come pre-packaged, then you should check the specs to see what type of interface works best for the scanner (i.e. parallel, USB or SCSI). If you are still unsure about what you will need, contact Frys.com customer service and a representative can help you determine what would be best for your system.

Now that I know what different types of scanners there are and what features to look for, I have an idea of what I want -- but I'm still undecided. What can I do?

If you still need a little help deciding which scanner is the one for you, Frys.com customer service is very knowledgeable on the products offered on the web site. Taking a few minutes to let one of our representatives know what you're looking for can save you hours of research.