Scanner

Don't know whether to put this here or in the photography forum, BUT, i got tons of pics from before the digital age that my wonderful wife wants to scan and put on the computer. Suggestions, advice, brands, horror stories all appreciated.
Remember, cost IS a major consideratiom. Thanks, folks.

I have a Canon flatbed scanner that has worked flawlessly for years. It was about $100. I decided to get separate components because inevitably one part of the combo units breaks down leaving you needing two or three devices anyway. Which ever way you go get high resolution for your old film pics.

I currently have an HP wireless all-in-one (scanner/copier/printer), and really like it. I got it specifically for printing photos. The one thing to check for is to be sure that whatever printer/scanner you get is that it is compatible with the computer operating system you use. I previously had a Lexmark that was not compatible with Windows Vista, and that's was caused me to go with the HP. The HP is better on ink useage than the Lexmark I had also.

We got the epson v500,just for that.The older your pics get they get lost,damaged,and discolored.
I can tell you that it works alot better than our all in one.
You can scann them in as a TIFF. which you get better resoultion.
It is made for Photo's.

NOW the bad cost about 180.00
6400x9600 dpi
mike

bobberboy said:

I have a Canon flatbed scanner that has worked flawlessly for years. It was about $100. I decided to get separate components because inevitably one part of the combo units breaks down leaving you needing two or three devices anyway. Which ever way you go get high resolution for your old film pics.

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Yep this is the way to go. Get the Canon LiDE series scanners. Cheap, and reliable, and they make good quality scans.

Not pushing any particular brand, as there are some good ones out there. One aspect that I consider when thinking about a scanner/printer, is the ink consumption versus costs, ie., how many copies (quality a factor also) will I get from a set of catridges, especially if doing a lot of printing when it comes to ink jet printers. Another factor is the type of ink you'll be using and the [photo] paper used. I'm a stickler, and only use HP cartridges (60 series), and the HP Premium Plus Photo Paper (8.5 x 11 soft gloss), costing about $20 for a 25 sheet pack, but I don't do a lot of printing. I have some 4x6 gloss paper made by Kodak, and the quality of the prints seriously lacks compared to the HP 4x6 gloss paper I've used. In other words, I like to keep the ink brand matched to the photo paper brand. As with all things, in the end, it boils down to what you personally desire in the finished product, and budget of course. I have the HP PhotoSmart Wireless C4780, and am fairly pleased with it so far.

The printer I have now does well enough for the few that I (my wife) print. Just looking to get the old pics out of the trunk and on the screen where we'll actually get to see them once in a while. Thanks for the input.

If you're not looking to print them out then the highest resolution you would need to scan at would be 200 dpi. Anything more than that produces HUGE files. Higher resolution is good for getting better prints and if you want to crop out one small area of a photo and have the resulting smaller image be clear and still in "focus".

The hardware is only as good as the software that comes with it. The software will either "do it all" automatically or allow you to select the setting for each individual scan. For most people, the automatic scan is just fine.

HTH

My girlfriend has just purchased a VuPoint Magic Wand Scanner. It works like a charm for as much as I have used it. You can scan items and then install them to your computer via Micro SD card. It also comes with a USB cable to connect to your computer that way if you wish. It is real simple to operate and the 4GB card holds a lot of pictures on it. You can even scan pictures on the wall if there is room to get the scanner flat on the glass.

https://www.vupoint-magic-wand.com/viewitem.php?groupid=0&productid=0

Been in the business as a professional photographer since the middle 1980s. The best "personal scanner" I've ever had is the one I'm using now and it's a few years old.

Epson Perfection V750 PRO. Wasn't real cheap when I bought it, but I'm sure the price has dropped in the past years.

I chose this one after personally testing the sharpness and features of about a dozen scanners.