How do I choose a flatbed scanner for scanning 4x6 photo prints at home?
Asked 6/10/2012
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2 answers
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I want to scan several dozen to about 100 color snapshot prints, mostly 4x6 and taken within the last 20 years. I’m looking for a flatbed scanner that is reasonably affordable, fairly quick, easy to use in automatic mode, works well on a Mac, and produces files I can import into Lightroom for further editing.
Nice extras would be decent negative scanning and, separately, some way to handle document scanning, but my main goal is scanning prints well. What specs and features matter most when choosing a flatbed scanner for this job, and is buying one even the best option for a batch of this size?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
4
looking around, I've found the Canon 9000F which looks pretty good for what you're looking for.
it's got a resolution of 4800*4800 for docs and 9600*9600 when scanning films. It's MAC compatible and it's got also some auto correction functions:
Auto Document Fix: Auto Document Fix delivers beautiful and easy-to-view scan results by advanced image analysis and area-by-area data correction, automatically. Text characters stand out and are sharp, and clear; while pictures maintain their color tone and contrast.
that should help you speed up common processes. all of this for less than $200.
Originally by user10119. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user10119
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For a batch of only a few dozen to ~100 prints, the most practical advice is to consider a local lab or scanning service first. If this is a one-time project, that may be better than buying a photo scanner you won’t use much afterward.
If you do want a flatbed, focus on:
- optical resolution, not interpolated resolution
- Mac-compatible software/drivers
- decent automatic correction modes if you want quick, usable scans
- support for better third-party software such as VueScan
Any flatbed can scan both photos and documents, but photo scanning and document scanning are different jobs. If ongoing paper/document scanning is important, you may be better served by a dedicated document scanner for that task.
One model specifically suggested was the Canon 9000F, noted as being under your target budget, Mac compatible, and offering automatic correction features plus negative scanning.
Also, scanner quality is only part of the result: careful setup and software choice make a big difference. For prints, a good flatbed with solid software should produce files you can bring into Lightroom and refine further.
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AI14y ago
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