Thinking about a new flatbed scanner?
An absolutely vital part of any home office or home computer configuration is a scanner. No longer a luxury, today we scan documents, images, photos, articles - you name it, into a digital format. Whether that is to simply email to another friend, archive digital documents, or convert physical pictures into digital images to work with in Photoshop. Today, a scanner is a vital part of any setup. Prices have never been lower, with basic scanners now selling for less than $50 depending on functions offered.
So what kind of scanner do you need? First, you need to think about how you will use it. Once you know what features and functions you need, you can then shop for the best scanner to meet those needs. Almost all scanners today will handle documents and photos just fine.
New scanners are easy to install and configure. In fact, its almost automatic on most new computers now - you simply run the installation software and follow the on-screen instructions. For most winodws computers, you will be prompted to plug in the scaner after the software has installed and then reboot. That’s it!
Compatibility used to be an issue, however, increasingly, you can find scanners that work with both the Mac and the PC. The three top manufactureres of scanners today are HP, Epson, and Cannon. There are lots of different types to choose from, so choose a scanner that meets your needs and functionality. The All-In-One scanner is becomoing more popular now, combining a printer, a scanner, and a fax. HP makes a popular line of all-in-one multi-function devices such as the Photosmart at around $120. It is an excellent scanner to send off to college with your college student.
Once you have determined the features you want, you can compare features at any online retailer to compare the differences between different scanners. Cannon makes a great CanoScan line of flatbed scanners which includes both hardware and software technology that automatically enhances and corrects common problems such as dust and scratches as well as retouching photo graininess and bad lighting. For a unit under $50, it is pretty affordable.
For more sophisticated photo needs, you should consider the Espon line of Perfection Photo Flatbed scanners, they are a little more pricey, typically coming in around $179, but they offer the Digital ICE technology which makes it easy to scan slides and negatives converting them into high quality images. No matter what the features are that you want, there is a perfect scanner out there for you.
