Best value in scanners?
October 26, 2005 2:00 PM   Subscribe

What's the best value in flatbed scanners these days?

I've got a box full of photos that I'd like to have digital copies of, burn to CD, send to family, etc. It's been a long time since I've even touched a scanner. What should I look for, what are some best bets?

I'm not opposed to spending a little cash on this, but I don't want to drop a huge wad either. Just something easy to use with good resolution that isn't going to crap out on me within six months. Thanks!
posted by FlamingBore to Technology (4 answers total)
 
Find an Epson CX 5200 with clogged nozzles. Free scanner.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 2:11 PM on October 26, 2005


I've had good results with the Canon brands of scanner, though I haven't put any of them to heavy use so I can't speak to how likely they are to crap out. From what others here have said the bigger payoff you can get is using better software than comes with it - this thread mentions Vuescan which people rave about.
posted by phearlez at 2:38 PM on October 26, 2005


Best answer: An online subscription to Consumer Reports is a good thing. This is from May 2005:

Fine, economical choices for photos and text:
Canon CanoScan LiDE 80, $130.
Canon CanoScan 4200F, $100, CR Best Buy.
Epson Perfection 2480 Photo, $100, CR Best Buy.
Not all of these models would do full justice to film or slide scanning, but all three produce fast, very good scans of printed originals and would suffice for everyday tasks. The 3,200-dpi Canon 4200F is the best choice if you expect to do enlargements. The Canon LiDE 80 and Epson 2480 have a lower resolution of 2,400 dpi.

Fine choices for enlargements, negatives, slides, and line art:
Epson Perfection 4180 Photo, $200
Microtek ScanMaker s400, $145
Both the Epson and Microtek have 4,800-dpi scanning with the 48-bit-color depth that captures ample detail from negatives and slides. For the higher price, the Epson consistently offers very good performance and a host of features. The Microtek, also full-featured, costs much less but is particularly slow.

posted by neuron at 5:37 PM on October 26, 2005


Response by poster: Thanks neuron. My subscription lapsed last month and I decided not to renew cause I hadn't used it in months... of course it was the first thing I thought of when I realized I wanted to do this. Much obliged.
posted by FlamingBore at 10:32 PM on October 26, 2005


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