Scanning: What scanner would you recommend

[timmy1729]

I am thinking about putting a scanner on my xmas list for this year and wanted to get some recommendations.

I need one that is relatively cheap. I'm not a pro so I don't need anything extravagant. What gives the most bang for the buck? My mother has a big box stuffed to the brim with old pics. I want to scan them before they start to deteriorate any more. The oldest of them is the mid-60's, but they are already fading.

[Jerryb]

hi a lot of the name brands name are good... the canon, epson , hp , microtec, etc...

myself i always like hp..... gave me good quality scans and it was fast....
the only thing about it i didn't like is the software...

something you may want to think about..... and that is getting a scanner that also has a slide and film (negative) adapter.... your mom maybe also has slides and negatives...!! most slide/film adapters scanners ... only do 35 mm... if she has any oddball sizes that maybe another criteria to think about..

Originally Posted by timmy1729

I am thinking about putting a scanner on my xmas list for this year and wanted to get some recommendations.

I need one that is relatively cheap. I'm not a pro so I don't need anything extravagant. What gives the most bang for the buck? My mother has a big box stuffed to the brim with old pics. I want to scan them before they start to deteriorate any more. The oldest of them is the mid-60's, but they are already fading.

[TommyO]

Timmy,
Another thing to consider... only scan the ones you believe to be unique or special in some way. All the others, simply photograph them with a digital camera. With the current technologies in cameras, even consumer level cameras, you can quickly obtain an image that is perfectly acceptable and will preserve the image for a lifetime. In fact, many cameras will produce an image of equal quality to the lower end scanners.

The setup for the camera can be very simple. While there are fancy stands that are for this type thing, you don't have to use one. Just use a tripod and ensure the lighting is very even and produces no reflections. The images can be placed on a white background. You can build a simple rest for the images that is on an angle, which lines up better with the tripod. Line everything up, take a few samples and examine them.... then adjust, etc. You can compensate for lighting with small exposure compensations most cameras have, or move closer to a large window. Change the focus setting to center, or spot. And, be sure to shoot in color, even if the images are black & whites.

Again, this works great for those hundreds of images you just want to capture for the future. Once you get it set up, you can average about one image every few seconds, or about 15-20 a minute. Even at a lower rate, you'll be through the majority in no time. Future advances in Photoshop technologies will make correcting small issues with them a snap. So, don't worry if a few are at an angle, slightly curved, or not at a perfect exposure. The main thing is to capture them in color, in focus, at a high resolution.

If you later decide you would like a better stand and lighting setup, visit the site in the link below !
Copy stands & lighting

[rogleale]

Hi Timmy,
If you will not want to scan negs or slides (Which will up the cost a lot) the biggest bang for the buck is probably one of the Canon LIDE scanners, USB powered, but slower in operation.

Roger

[Liz]

Keep your eye out for a second hand Epson 4990. A very popular model which has since been superceded. Has all the slide/negative attachments plus will auto straighten and colour/density correct as you scan. User friendly software plus it has the option of switching from auto scanning to a professional one in case you want to capture some of the photos at high resolution and 48 bit. In any second hand model, though, just check that the scanner light is still in good condition.
The 4990 can batch scan 4x6x4 or six of the little ones. I have 2 of these. Found a second one for home use on the Epson seconds site. Have also seen them on E-Bay. It's plugged into my laptop, and at night while watching tv, I'm working my way through a 60 year collection of family pics. I upgraded to the V700 at work but still prefer the 4990. Don't know about the 4490.

I have seen the cheaper scanners in operation and the results just don't seem worth the effort of batch scanning for hours and not getting the best archival quality that you can, as quickly and easily as you can.

[retouch1108]

Any suggestions- for portable scanners- that I could carry with me to work with my laptop.

Thanks