Choosing a scanner for work is not the easiest and most primitive process, as many people think. In fact, an incorrectly selected scanner will either stand idle, or break down quickly, or will not cope with the amount of work assigned to it.
Now there are only three types, and they differ only in design:
- Flatbed scanner. The biggest advantage of these scanners lies in the presence of a glass substrate on which the object to be scanned is placed. And when the scanning process begins, the original that lies there does not move. Instead, the beam itself travels over the entire surface of the original. These scanners are the most common, in most cases they are bought at home or in the office.
- Broaching scanners. The device of these scanners allows you to scan only sheets of paper, but a magazine will not work, let alone a book. They are very similar to printers, where paper is inserted on one side and exits on the other. Only in the printer it is needed for printing, but here for scanning.
- Slide scanner. Their name speaks for itself. These scanners are used to scan film and save photographs on a computer. Some models of flatbed scanners already have this feature.
Scanner sensor type
- Contact Image Sensor, which means - contact image sensor. The main advantage of this type of sensor is its design simplicity. This reduces the weight and thickness of the scanner and reduces the cost of the scanner. But there is also a drawback. This sensor has a shallow depth of field. That is, if the scanned original is wrinkled or the book is bent closer to the root, then the scanned image on the computer will be indistinct.
- Charge-Coupled Device is a charge coupled device. This sensor has much better depth of field and excellent color reproduction. On a scanner with such a sensor, you can scan virtually any document and the result of the resulting image will be great. But, accordingly, it will be an expensive and large scanner.
The need for automatic sheet feeding
First of all, this function will be necessary if you intend to scan not books and magazines, but a large number of separate sheets. In fact, sheets are loaded as into a printer, only in the scanner there is an alternate feed of sheets with subsequent scanning. This function is possessed by flatbed and broaching scanners.
Maximum scannable format
Usually a scanner that works with A4 format is enough. And if you need a scanner for large sheets A2, A1 or A0, then you can find it in an online store, because such scanners are unlikely to be sold in a simple computer store.
The scanner is needed for home or professional work
It depends on the resolution of the scanner. The most common scanners have a resolution in the range of 600-1200 DPI. This should be sufficient for home use. For professional work, you will need a scanner with a high resolution of 2000 DPI or more.
Color depth
For normal scanner use, a 24-bit color rendition is suitable. But if after scanning with the image you plan to work on a computer, then you need a scanner with a greater color depth, 48 bits is the limit.
The scanner must have a USB interface
Although most scanners already have this interface, you need to be careful not to miss it. The USB connector is very convenient, with its help the scanner can be connected to both a stationary PC and a laptop. Therefore, when choosing a scanner for yourself, you need to take into account the presence of a USB connector.
Powered by USB or mains
You can buy a scanner that works via a USB port to save energy and keep the workplace less cluttered. This scanner eliminates the wire plugged into the outlet.
Operating system support
The scanner must be multisystem. This means that it should work on any operating system (Windows, Mac OS, Linux). These scanners are available from HP, Epson, Lexmark, Plustek.
