Scanner: Buying Guide

Scanner: Buying Guide

What to watch out for and which type is right for you?

Reasons to Buy a Scanner

  • If you need to scan a large number of documents in a short period of time.
  • It is very easy to use.
  • If you want high-quality photos on your computer, a scanner is an excellent investment.
  • Scanners offer a wide color depth, vibrant colors up to 48-bit.
Scanner: Buying Guide

What are the types of Scanners?

Not all Scanners are the same and each one is designed for specific circumstances. Let's analyze their types, advantages and disadvantages, and which type would best suit your needs.

Sheetfed Scanners

In Sheetfed Scanners, the paper enters through a special slot at the top of the device.

They have several advantages such as:

  • They are faster than Flatbed Scanners and can scan a large volume of documents in a short period of time
  • They are portable and lightweight compared to Flatbed Scanners, making them suitable for use with mobile devices
  • They offer high scanning resolution and are ideal for scanning high-quality documents
  • They can scan long documents such as contracts and receipts
  • They can scan documents of various sizes and shapes, such as business cards and receipts

Disadvantages

  • They are not ideal for scanning objects that are not flat, such as books, objects with surface irregularities, or photos.

If you want to easily and quickly scan your documents, then Sheetfed Scanners are the right solution for you. These scanners are designed to work in professional environments or spaces that require frequent scanning of medium-sized documents. They are ideal for offices, businesses, administrative services, law firms, and other organizations that want to keep their documents organized and archived.

But even if you want to scan medium-sized documents at home or in a small business, Sheetfed Scanners are also very useful. They can serve you if you don't need continuous scanning of large or unusual objects, but want to quickly and easily scan your documents in sheet format.

Scanner: Buying Guide

Flatbed Scanners

On the Flatbed Scanners page, you enter the level of the device.

Flatbed Scanners can scan a wide range of documents, from large documents to photos and receipts.

Some of the advantages of Flatbed Scanners:

  • They offer high scanning and resolution quality. They are a good solution for scanning high-quality documents and photos 
  • They are ideal for scanning large documents, such as contracts and tables 
  • They are more flexible than Sheetfed Scanners and can scan documents of various sizes and shapes 
  • They are more durable than Sheetfed Scanners and do not require maintenance or replacement often 
  • They offer the ability to scan slides and film negatives.

Disadvantages

  • Slow Scanning Speed: Typically, flatbed scanners are slower compared to other types of scanners, as scanning an object takes more time.
  • Space Usage: Flatbed scanners are usually larger in size compared to other types of scanners, which can take up more space on the desk or in the workspace.

They are mainly ideal for the following:

Scanning Photos, Documents, etc.: Flatbed Scanners are useful at home if you want to scan photos, documents, drawings, and other items that have emotional value to you. 

If you are a creator, artist, or photographer, Flatbed Scanners allow you to digitize your creations, including drawings, images, and other artistic works. You can have digital copies of your works or share them with others.

Scanner: Buying Guide

Handheld Scanners

If you want to scan documents wherever you are, then Handheld Scanners are the solution you are looking for. These devices are small, lightweight, and portable and allow you to convert physical documents into digital format.

These portable scanners are ideal for you if you need to scan documents while on the move, during travels, conferences, outdoor locations, or even at home.

They are aimed at users who work outside the office, entrepreneurs, researchers, or even individuals who want to scan documents on the go.

Their advantages are obvious, such as the ease of portability and the fact that they do not require power.

Their disadvantages are mainly that they have low scanning quality. Handheld scanners cannot scan with the same accuracy and detail as stationary scanners. They may also present distortions or blurriness due to hand movement. Finally, they use batteries, increasing the cost.


Scanner: Buying Guide

Film Scanners

If you have photos on film and want to transfer them to the digital world, then you need a film scanner. A film scanner is a magical machine that can read the images hidden in negatives or slides and convert them into digital files. This way, you can enjoy your photos in high resolution and detail, enhance them with editing, and share them with your friends online.

A film scanner is ideal for photographers, whether professionals or amateurs, who want to breathe new life into their film photo collections. With a film scanner, you can discover the beauty and art hidden in films and bring them into the digital era.

Scanner: Buying Guide

Main features:

  • Resolution 

Measured in DPI, the higher the resolution, the more detailed the result.

  • Scanning speed

Indicates how many sheets can be scanned per minute.

  • Connectivity 

 USB/WiFI/Bluetooth/Ethernet.

  • Color depth 

Color depth is important mainly for reproducing rich colors and details in photos or graphics. However, for simple document scanning, such as text, documents, or prints, the highest color depth may not be necessary.

  • Duplex scanning

A scanner with duplex capability allows for automatic scanning of both sides of the document in a single pass.

  • Automatic document feeder

The scanning system can accept and scan multiple documents or sheets without the need to manually place them one by one on the scanner.

Smartphone instead of Scanner?

The truth is that Scanners used to be very necessary. However, the technology in Smartphones and the applications that have been developed do a really good job. But can they truly replace a separate Scanner device?

Taking documents only with the camera of a phone may not be efficient for the following reasons:

  • Quality

The image quality of a Scanner is generally superior. You can compare it with a test.

  • File size

The file size of the Scanner's photo is much smaller than that of the camera's photo.

  • Lighting

The light reflects on the lens of the phone's camera, resulting in hot spots on the page, glare on glossy images, etc.

  • Focusing

Trying to frame the document, the camera's capture is sometimes out of focus.

  • Angle

The camera is rarely at the ideal angle from top to bottom, but the scanner places the paper completely flat and at the right angle.

  • Cropping

With a Scanner, documents of any size are automatically cropped, whether it's a business card or an A4 page.

The only reason for a mobile phone to serve you in relation to a Scanner device is if you are considered an occasional user of the scanning function and for personal - not professional - use.

You can also see our best recommendations for Scanners!

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