X-post replacement flatbed scanner?

[John Rumm]

and outside of professional repro work, what use do you have for 140M pixel scans? ;-)

[dennis]

Scanners are much easier to use than setting up a camera, lighting, changing pages, converting the files, etc. You just shove 50 sheets in the feeder and press go, comeback a few minutes later and there is a pdf waiting for you. I don't even need to turn the PC on as the Brother AIO will do it to a USB stick. However I do use the PC as it will create searchable PDFs which the printer doesn't.

[The Natural Philosopher]

not in daylight

and a full-colour image which is awkward to convert to 2-level

You never take text to black and white. Greyscale yes.

The gimp can resolve all those issues. up the gamma.

they don't though.

probably.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Speak for yourself.

What feeder?

There you go.

[dennis]

The one on top of the A3 printer that cost £99.

I realise that for someone running linux, trying to use that appalling scanner software, that it may be easier to use a camera but for most its not. Why the linux software is so cr@p I don't know, the printer runs linux and it works fine.

PS I have an app on the phone that will do PDFs if I am out and about and feel the need to scan a document. I have never used it in anger.

[BartC]

For printing on a 140MP laser printer? Ie. also 1200dpi (although mine only does 1200x600).

We're talking about scanning 'line-art' and text, which have sharply defined edges, and half-tone illustrations, not continuous-tone photographic images. It's possible also that a detail of a scan needs to be enlarged.

[Lobster]

Actually I'm still looking for a scanner (for paperwork) with a sheet feeder; stand-alone models seem very expensive and someone here pointed me in the direction of all-in-one machines, well below 100 quid, essentially subsidised by the hugely expensive inkjet ink. That's my plan - buy one of these and just use it for scanning - however I am having zero luck in finding one where I can be 100% certain that it will still scan when the ink cartridge is missing/empty/clogged up (as it always would be!) Not something they tell you in the sales blurb, and not really a valid reason for returning to the seller as "unfit for purpose!" :)

(If anyone has a recent all-in-one which definitely does this, I'd love to know about it!)

David

[jkn]

FWIW I have an epson 1640SU (SCSI, USB) which also has an ADF (Automatic Document Feed) mechanism. The ADF mechanism is not super- robust but works well enough; I'm certainnly pleased I bought it. the ensemble was an eBay buy, bought some years ago relatively cheap because the scanner was a 110V model. I reackoned that I'd be able to use a cheap 110V transformer for other purposes, justifying the extra < =A320, and that has proved to be the case...

As with others in this thread, I avoid all-in-ones and use a laser printer for printing.

Jon N

[Rick Hughes]

Just gave away a new boxed Canon flatbed scanner on Free Cycle ... could try there .. be surprised what turns up

[Rob]

The V33 is an excellent scanner (and the bundled OCR is great), but no transparency adapter. Photos, text, yes. Negatives, no.

[John Rumm]

If you can find one second hand, the Epson expression 1680 Pro is well worth getting for transparency work. It has a full bed transparency hood, plus a selection of transparency holders that do anything from full format (4 up) to 35mm slides (21 up) and negative strips to make for very easy bulk transparency scanning.

[David WE Roberts]

Yep - have to go to the V330 to get the transparency carrier. All on hold at the moment because I have XP running under VMWare Player and it is driving my original scanner.