How can I scan both sides of rigid postcards without bending them?
Asked 4/5/2016
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I need to digitize hundreds of postcards and would like to save time when scanning both sides. The cards cannot be bent, so a scanner with rollers or a feeder that forces bending is not suitable. Ideally I’d like a scanner that can capture both sides, or at least let me scan each side and save the results as JPG or PDF with automatic sequential filenames. Is there a practical scanner or workflow for this on a modest budget?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
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I've successfully scanned batches of postcards, photos, and even entire thick old photo album pages with a 600dpi Canon P-208ii document scanner. It scans both sides at once, outputs to a range of formats including JPG and PDF, can do automatic image corrections and alignment on the fly, and works pretty fast. Pricewise, it's currently available from online retailers for less than $200. Just my personal experience, not affiliated with Canon in any way.
Originally by user50108. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user50108
10y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—there are workable options, but the key constraint is that rigid postcards should not be forced through a scanner that bends them.
From the answers, two practical approaches stand out:
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Duplex document scanner: A compact duplex scanner such as the Canon P-208ii was reported to scan both sides at once, save to JPG or PDF, and handle batches quickly. This can save a lot of time if your postcards are stiff enough to feed safely.
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Flatbed scanner + software: If bending is not acceptable, a flatbed scanner is the safer choice. One answer mentions using VueScan with an Epson Perfection flatbed to scan pages one side at a time and save them as a multipage PDF. Software like this can also help with file naming and batch workflow.
If you need truly no-bend handling, a flatbed is the safer recommendation. If speed matters most and the cards can pass through safely, a duplex document scanner may work. As a practical alternative, if you already have access to a suitable Xerox duplex scanner at work, using that may be the easiest solution.
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