Scanners

Scanner resolution is specified in dots-per-inch (dpi) or pixels-per-inch (ppi). For most home uses, PC World found that settings of 100 to 300 dpi produced good results when scanning photos, graphics or text. It's worth noting that if you are planning to post your scans online, web browsers only support a maximum resolution of 96 dpi. When printing images, 300 dpi is an often-recommended resolution. However, if you plan on cropping, enlarging, and editing photos, more resolution will help you do that without a loss in image quality. In general, if you want to scan and manipulate photos, slides and negatives, look for a 3,200 to 4,800-dpi scanner -- that's more dpi than you'll need, but you'll be able to scan a small snapshot, edit the image and blow it up to an 8x10 without loss of detail. That said, manufacturers have upgraded the dpi capacities of even the lowest priced scanners.

Experts stress that a scanner's native optical resolution is more important than either "interpolated" or "enhanced" resolution, both of which are derived via software. Some scanners are advertised with two dpi measurements -- a lower measurement for the optical resolution and a higher number for the software-enhanced resolution. Reviews say you should disregard the higher interpolated resolution.

Dedicated slide and film scanners start at 4000-dpi resolution and go as high as 4800 dpi, but at that end of the scale, optics quality takes precedence over dpi specifications. Consumer Reports also recommends considering the scanner's maximum color-bit depth, which is important for what the experts call "dynamic range", defined as the ability to capture subtleties within light and dark gradations. Virtually all scanners tested now support 48-bit color scans, and some low-cost scanners, such as HP's Scanjet G4050 (*est. $180) even support 96-bit color depth. That can be useful when scanning originals such as paintings or drawings, as those can have a color spectrum that exceeds what film -- or 48-bit scanners -- can accurately capture.

Nearly all scanners come with optical character recognition (OCR) software that transfers printed text into an editable digital document. Editors note that getting good results with OCR can be tricky, especially when enlarging small images. If OCR is important, consider the quality of the scanner's bundled OCR software, or budget extra for a good stand-alone OCR application. Some scanners also include some image-editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop Elements, that will provide all the editing power most users need (although not as much as the full version of Adobe Photoshop).

Additionally, most scanners ship with some form of software that repairs flaws and removes dust spots from old or dirty originals. Often this feature is integrated into the scanner hardware itself. The most often cited example is Kodak's Digital ICE Technology, in which the image is "cleaned" during the scanning process itself, not during later image editing. As you might expect, the capability and complexity of the software increases along with the sophistication and price of the scanner.

Best flatbed scanners for general use

Among less-expensive scanners, the Epson Perfection V350 Photo (*est. $145) gets generally good notices. It is one of the highest scoring scanners at Macworld, where editors say that the model is "pretty zippy" when scanning photos and documents, with most tasks taking around a minute to complete. The V350 Photo scanner has a 4800-dpi maximum resolution and 48-bit color depth, so you should get good results with transparencies, and its built-in auto-film loader can scan two to six images from 35mm filmstrips at one time.

The Epson V350 Photo scanner includes a decent, but not best-in-class, software bundle, which includes ArcSoft PhotoImpression for editing, ABBYY FineReader Sprint OCR and Epson Easy Photo Fix for repairing dusty or damaged originals. PC World also likes the Epson's image quality and its ability to produce "colorful scans that contained sharp and accurate details," but finds a few more quibbles. in a head-to-head match up, PC World gives a slight edge to the Canon Canoscan 8600F (*est. $165), which is discussed below.

If you are on a tight budget, the Epson Perfection V100 Photo flatbed scanner (*est. $95) gets a few recommendations. This is a no-frills scanner that lacks some of the niceties of the Epson V350, such as the auto film loader, and it has a lower resolution (3600 vs. 4800 dpi). But reviews say that it’s a good low-cost scanner for those with less-demanding needs. Other models often mentioned in this price range are the flatbed scanners in the Canon CanoScan LiDE line. The primary draw here is these scanners' lightweight minimalist design, which allows them to be considered portable. However, the 1200 dpi Canon CanoScan LiDE 25 (*est. $50) and 2400 dpi LiDE 70 (*est. $80) will not scan film at all, and some owners take issue with their limited depth of field. This issue is common with scanners that use a CIS (contact image sensor) scanner element, as is the case with all models in the LiDE line. In addition, the Canon CanoScan LiDE 25 uses USB 1.1, which limits the scanning speed. Still, both of these compact scanners are easy to use and are decent choices for those who only need occasional, non-critical scanning.

Unlike the budget Canon flatbed scanners above, the 4800-dpi CanoScan LiDE 600F (*est. $135) , can scan film. In addition, it can scan most items -- though not film or slides -- in an upright position. It receives excellent reviews from owners who say that it’s a good value and easy to use.

Higher up the Canon line of flatbed scanners, the CanoScan 8600F (*est. $165) gets solid praise in recent professional and user reviews. Experts rate the Canon CanoScan 8600F's color and clarity as very good. PC World's Richard Jantz praises its 4800-dpi, 48-bit color depth that produced high quality 35mm film and photo scans in testing. Testers also like the software suite, which includes Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 and ArcSoft PhotoStudio for image editing and the Presto PageManager 7 document manager, as well as dust and scratch removal tools. Dust and scratch removal are handled by Canon's proprietary FARE technology. This flatbed scanner is both PC and Mac compatible.

Another flatbed scanner cited in this price range is the HP Scanjet G4010 Photo scanner (*est. $125) . Professional reviews say that this scanner has six-color scanning technology that sets it apart from others. However, Macworld testers were disappointed with the resolution, saying that the "slide scans lack detail," and some reviewers also disliked the HP Scanjet's sluggish speed.

Best professional flatbed scanners

At a street price of under $200, it is really unfair to call the Epson Perfection 4490 Photo (*est. $190) a "professional" scanner, but reviews at PC World, PC Magazine and elsewhere say that this flatbed scanner is a strong performer that's packed with features. Reviews praise the Epson scanner's fast speed and ability to capture fine details from both reflective and transparent media. A built in transparency unit holds 35mm negatives, four 35mm slides or medium-format film. The Epson 4490 flatbed scanner is equipped with Kodak Digital ICE (Image Correction and Enhancement), an efficient hardware-based technology that repairs image defects such as dust and scratches, reducing the need for manual corrections in an image editor. However, as PC Magazine notes, the feature works for slides and film only.

However, that's about the only drawback the editors found. With its resolution of 4800 dpi, the Epson Perfection 4490 is a good choice for all but the most demanding photo applications. And this is no one-trick-pony, since reviews say the Epson 4490 is a pretty decent all-purpose scanner as well. Still, the Epson 4490 is primarily a photo scanner, and its great photo-centric image-enhancing features might be overkill if all you plan to do with it is scan documents. The Epson scanner is both PC and Mac compatible (OS X only).

While the Epson 4490 flatbed scanner is a great tool for the amateur photographer, even more advanced -- and more expensive -- scanners are available for photo pros. For example, the Epson Perfection V700 Photo (*est. $500) is highly rated in a number of scanner reviews. The Epson V700 comes with a dual lens system -- one scans at 4800dpi, but the other scans up to 6,400 dpi for larger files. It's also fast, says PC World's James Galbraith, especially when scanning transparencies. However, he adds that while colors are pleasing, they skew toward red. That's a finding that's somewhat at odds with the results at CNet.com, which says that scans show "decent" color accuracy. Reviewer Lori Grunin adds that, overall, scan quality is excellent.

Some critics also like the Microtek ScanMaker i900 (*est. $505) , saying that it does a great job with slides and film and handles reflective items such as photographs with aplomb. In fact, Imaging-Resource.com, a very highly regarded digital-camera review site, says that the Microtek ScanMaker i900 handles slides nearly as well as any dedicated film scanner they had tested to date. CNet.com's editors were so taken with the i900 that they gave it one of their rare Editors' Choice awards, saying it produces some of the best film scans they had seen from a flatbed scanner. Interestingly, reader reviews at CNet.com are not nearly as complimentary.

While most photo scanners sport 48-bit color, some scanners, including some inexpensive options, go as high as 96 bits. That can be useful when scanning originals such as paintings or drawings, since those items can have a color spectrum that exceeds what film -- or 48-bit scanners -- can accurately capture. Among inexpensive 96-bit scanners, the HP Scanjet G4050 (*est. $180) has received some positive recognition. A brief review at Popular Photography & Imaging magazine gives the HP an edge over the Epson Perfection 4490 Photo scanner for its increased color depth. The HP Scanjet G4050 also scores well at PC Magazine, where tests show that the color fidelity is better than with most other scanners. However, the scanner is a bit of a slow poke, with the software sometimes taking a long time to respond.

Best document scanners

If you have lots of documents to scan, buying a document scanner makes lots of sense. Though pricey, they come equipped with software or modules that can send files to your word processing program. Most are sheet-fed (instead of flatbed) and come equipped with an automatic document feeder (ADF). Here, say experts, speed matters. However, comparing speed among document scanners isn't easy according to PC Magazine's M. David Stone. The reason, he says, is that scan speed varies with resolution. Speed is also affected when text recognition is added, such as searchable PDFs. Still, if you need to batch scan hundreds of text pages, a document scanner with an ADF is a huge time-saver.

The Xerox Documate 152 (*est. $460) gets a thumbs-up in several professional reviews. It's an Editors' Choice at PC Magazine, where it’s called a "well-thought-out package.” PC World does not rate it as highly, but still thinks enough of the scanner to place it on its latest list of Top 5 Document Scanners. Both publications commend the Xerox Documate 152 for its solid software package, which includes ScanSoft PaperPort 10 for document management and ScanSoft OmniPage Pro14 for OCR. PC World says that the image quality is mediocre and that it's also slow, but PC Magazine found no issues with the output and says that the hardware is "relatively fast."

There's less of a difference of opinion when it comes to the Fujitsu ScanSnap S500 (*est. $445) , which reviews say is one of the better choices in the document scanner category. The ScanSnap has 600-dpi resolution and isn't meant for mixed media. However, with its 50-sheet automatic document feeder and 18-ppm scan speed, the Fujitsu is the ticket for offices with lots of text scanning. The ScanSnap can also scan both sides of a page simultaneously, further speeding scanning times. Included is the full version of Adobe Acrobat, so you can scan documents directly into PDF format. The Fujitsu scanner is available in two versions, one for PC and one for Mac OS X.

In tests at Small Business Computing.com, the Fujitsu ScanSnap S500 document scanner is found to be a fast performer with a great software bundle. PC Magazine reports that the Fujitsu S500 is the "best business card scanner available" and adds that it’s also a great scanner for other types of documents. Speed tests reveal that the S500 is blazing fast when scanning single-sided documents -- even faster than promised by the Fujitsu -- but things slow down considerably for duplex scanning. The review also laments the lack of generic TWAIN and WIA drivers, which means that you can't simply activate the scanner from within any program with a scan command.

Slide and film scanners

If you have a lot of 35mm film you'd like to convert to digital, you might be interested in a dedicated slide scanner, which also scans film negatives. While buying a separate piece of equipment might seem like overkill, it could ultimately be cheaper than paying a photo lab to convert years of 35mm film and slides.

The Nikon Coolscan V ED film scanner (*est. $580) is a clear choice among dedicated film and slide scanners. CNet.com's editors are among those giving the Nikon V ED high grades. Because the Nikon V ED supports multi-pass scanning, pros can better control grain and other image fine-tuning. Experts say color fidelity is great, and the V ED slide and film scanner is easy-to-use, with straightforward setup and well-placed controls. The V ED uses a special glass lens (Nikkor ED), which in combination with high optical density gives it the power to handle "extreme contrast in both slides and negatives," according to CNet.com's Jeff Dorgay. The included software is powerful enough to take the place of a standalone image-editor and offers advanced options for the expert user. The Nikon Coolscan V ED is both PC and Mac compatible.

Keep in mind, however, that some flatbed scanners like the Canon CanoScan 8600F can batch-scan slides and negatives, while also providing higher resolution (4800 dpi for the 8600F vs. 4000 dpi for the Nikon V ED). In addition, some experts state that although the Canon CanoScan 8600F costs less than the V ED, the scans it produces will please many users -- especially amateur photographers -- just as much.

Important Features: Scanners

Here's what the experts say to look for when buying a scanner for your home or small business:

• Flatbed configurations are easier to use for the widest range of scanning. The Canon and Epson models in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers are flatbeds; experts recommend avoiding sheet-fed and handheld units for all-purpose scanning projects. The Fujitsu corporate scanner has an automatic document feeder rather than a flatbed, as this model is intended for high-volume scanning.

• In general, the higher the resolution the better, especially for detailed photo jobs or for enlargements. Scanner resolution is measured in dots-per-inch (dpi) or pixels-per-inch (ppi). The Epson Perfection V350 Photo, for example, has an optical resolution of 4800 x 9600 dpi, meaning it scans 4800 dots-per-inch horizontally and 9600 dots-per-inch vertically. Most manufacturers reference just the first number. Hence, the Epson is a 4800-dpi scanner. Since we last looked at scanners, manufacturers have upgraded resolutions across the board, and only the least expensive scanners offer less than 4800 dpi, such as the Canon CanoScan LiDE 25 (*est. $50) , whose resolution is 2400 dpi. Even these inexpensive scanners should be fine for most general-purpose document work or low-resolution photo scans destined for the Internet. Note that scanners intended solely for document work -- including high-end models -- usually have resolutions of 600 dpi -- all that's needed for document scanning.

• Nearly all scanners are equipped with 48-bit color depth. Bit depth refers to the number of colors that can be displayed. The higher the bit depth, the more colors used in the image, therefore, the larger the file size. For instance, 24-bit color corresponds to 16.7 million colors, and it's basic. But if you'll be enlarging prints or scanning negatives or slides, opt for 48-bit because it can differentiate between subtle gradations. Some scanners offer 96-bit color depth, and those can be a good choice if you scan original paintings or drawings, which have an even wider spectrum of colors than photographs or slides.

• Included software is standard, so look for a good package. Scanners typically come with image-editing software, plus an OCR (optical character recognition) package, which converts scanned text into an editable document. Photo scanners include software to edit and manage photos on your PC. Many also include a PDF converter. Even inexpensive models now include some form of image correction software for removing flaws from damaged or dirty originals. You can expect better results, however, from models with higher end solutions, such as Kodak's hardware-integrated Digital ICE Technology.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (with retailer links)	Details from Amazon.com
4	Epson Perfection V700 Photo (*est. $500)	details
3	Fujitsu ScanSnap S500 (*est. $445)	details
2	Microtek ScanMaker i900 (*est. $505)	details
2	Epson Perfection 4490 Photo (*est. $190)	details
2	Canon CanoScan 8600F (*est. $165)	-
2	Nikon Coolscan V ED (*est. $580)	details
2	Xerox DocuMate 152 (*est. $460)	details
2	Epson Perfection V100 Photo (*est. $95)	details
2	HP Scanjet G4050 (*est. $180)	details
1 each	Canon DR-2580C , Canon DR-2050C , Epson Perfection 4990, Epson Perfection V350 Photo , Epson Perfection V750-M Pro , Hewlett Packard Scanjet G3010 , HP Scanjet N6010 , Microtek ArtixScanDI 2020 , Plustek SmartOffice PS252 , Visioneer OneTouch 7300

With many buyers now opting for multifunction printers, stand-alone scanners have evolved to become more and more specialized. We found that the best recent reviews cover pricey professional photo scanners, including the Epson Perfection V700 and Microtek ScanMaker i900. However, both of these models are overkill for those who want a general-use scanner. For general use, budget Canon and Epson flatbed scanners get the best reviews. For batch-scanning text documents, the Fujitsu ScanSnap S500 gets the most consistent positive ratings.

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