Scanning a document may be required for various reasons. For example, a payment system may require a digital copy of your passport. Or you will want to digitize your lines recorded in a children's notebook. Another reason for scanning is time. After all, paper photos and film slides gradually deteriorate. The best way to save them is to translate into digital form. In short, a scanner can be quite useful. It remains to understand how to choose the appropriate model.
Scanner type
First you need to choose a type of scanner. In total there are four types of them:
Tablet scanner is a device of small height, equipped with a glass substrate. A light beam moves under it with a photocell fixing everything that lies on the glass. Such a scanner is useful for digitizing books, magazines and even solid objects. After all, everyone remembers the famous joke with the scanned fifth point?
Long scanner works on a different principle. He is able to pass through only individual paper sheets. The fact is that such a device consists of a special roller endowed with photocells. The main advantage of such a scanner is the possibility of two-sided digitization, the two-page document does not need to be turned over. Also, the device will enjoy the minimum size - it can easily be transferred to another room or office. Unfortunately, such scanners are not suitable for digitizing magazines or books, unless you razderbanivat them on separate leaves.
Slide scanner only required by photo labs. Such a device is not capable of digitizing paper documents - it only scans slides and film. No matter how many of them you have survived, it makes no sense to spend a large amount on the acquisition of such a scanner. It is much easier to buy a tablet model equipped with a slide adapter. The quality of the result will be slightly worse, but after scanning the films, you do not have to look for a buyer for the device that has become unnecessary.
Portable scanners appeared very recently. This is usually a very small device that captures the document on which you spend them. The result leaves much to be desired, but it is achieved instantly. Often, these scanners work in cooperative with a smartphone or tablet based on a mobile operating system. Sometimes this type of camera is called.
Scan speed and resolution
The scanner may contain a CIS or CCD sensor type. The second version should be familiar to you from budget compact cameras. Of course, such a sensor works much better, but its cost is higher, so only expensive tablet scanners are equipped with a CCD sensor.
Still different devices differ in scanning speed. As a rule, any device rather quickly digitizes at a rough resolution, while increasing this parameter causes problems. If you have a lot of two-page materials, then it is recommended to buy a model equipped with a two-sided automatic sheet feeder. Unfortunately, finding them now is more difficult. Usually only MFPs have such a useful addition.
If we talk about the resolution already mentioned, the quality of the scan depends on it. If you digitize the most important waste paper, even a scanner with a resolution of 1200 x 1200 DPI (dots per square inch) will fit for these purposes. In the case of digitization of photos and, especially, slides, look towards the scanner with a resolution of 2400 x 2400 DPI.
Most Popular Manufacturers
A scanner is a highly specialized device that is able to search for its buyer for months, gathering dust on the store counter. Therefore, not every major manufacturer wants to invest in this area of funds. It turns out that the creators of scanners can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
Mustek working on budget tablet and camera scanners. There is an expensive model in the assortment of this company, the main difference of which is the support of the A3 format. Of course, and its dimensions are appropriate. Excellent quality to price ratio have scanners from the series HP ScanJet. Be careful not to buy outdated models! They may not have full support for Windows 10, which is why the functionality will be limited. Epson and Canon offer a variety of scanners, they threw only the budget segment.
Common Customer Mistakes
- Some people acquire a scanner to digitize a huge amount of waste paper. At the same time, they save money by buying a device that is not equipped with automatic sheet feeding. What is their surprise when it turns out that scanning a hundred sheets is not the easiest task! Business goes quickly, but it is necessary to constantly be at the scanner, shifting documents. The back is numb, the head refuses to work - after that you quickly begin to regret that you decided to save.
- Other people may have a scanner at all. They acquire a device for digitizing old photographs, after which they forget about its existence. If you need such a device for the same purpose, then think ten times. Is it cheaper to go to a photo lab?
