Scanner Selection Guide for Home and Office - Part 1


    A new, updated and improved version of the post is available here .

    Our technical support service quite often ask for help in choosing a scanner for documents . You can find a variety of types of scanners on the market: an image scanner, barcode, film strip, biometric scanner of the retina or fingerprints, etc. ... We decided to shed light on this issue and in the first post on this topic we will briefly tell you how they differ document scanners, which, in particular, Epson offers for home and  office , and what technologies are used in them.

    A printer with a scanner or a separate scanner?


    You can translate a document into electronic form using a scanner installed in the MFP (multifunction printing device with an integrated scanner and copier) or a separate device - a tablet or streaming.

    With a limited budget, it is more convenient to consider the option of buying an MFP . Scanners in such devices lose a little in scanning speed and image quality for individual scanners.

    If you plan to transfer large volumes of documents to the archive (for example, in the office or accounting department) or you are extremely interested in the high quality of scanned materials (for converting analog photos and films to electronic format), we recommend that you pay attention to a separate scanning device. Consider why this is so.

    Scanning technology


    The difference between scanners is largely due to the features of the scanning technologies that are used in them. Epson devices use 2 technologies - CCD and CIS.

    CCD  - data reading technology based on CCD sensors (charge-coupled device). During the scanning process, the light from the source enters the image, after which it is reflected (refracted) and, using the optical system of mirrors, it is sent to a line of photosensitive elements (CCD sensors), and then it is converted into a digital signal using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The CCD sensor guarantees good depth of field and excellent color reproduction, which is why most professional scanners are made using CCD technology.

    CIS - technology using contact image sensors (CIS). This technology is often used in low-cost scanners. Instead of a complex optical system of CCD scanners, several rows of red, green and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are used here, which sequentially illuminate the scanned image. Reflected light is incident on contact image sensors located across the entire width of the scanning area, very close to the surface of a glass tablet or document. Then, using the ADC, the signal from the sensors is converted into a digital code.

    In short, Sklifosovsky!


    Scanners based on CCD technology allow you to get an image of higher quality and resolution, and also allow you to scan the "bas-reliefs" due to the lack of the need to focus the scanning beam (see. "Scanning").

    Scanners based on CIS technology, as a rule, are more compact, cheaper to manufacture, and therefore have found application in universal or inexpensive devices.

    Type of scanner - flatbed or streaming


    A distinctive feature of the flatbed scanner is a flat glass on which the scanned object is placed - a page with text or image. The inside of the scanner cover is solid and serves as a universal backdrop for reading the size of the scanned document. For scanning voluminous objects such as books, the lid can be removed. Tablet devices are divided into scanners for home and business.

    The Epson Perfection Series flatbed home scanners allow you to scan documents, brochures and magazines, digitize and process photographs, slides and transparencies, removing damage from them and restoring color (using the supplied software).

    Younger model line - Epson Perfection V19 scanner(based on CIS technology) can be connected to a computer with a single micro-USB cable, the device does not require autonomous power supply from the mains. At the same time, it scans in resolutions up to 4800dpi and provides additional opportunities for improving images using Epson Easy Photo Fix software. Using the software, you can remove dust particles from the scanned image, restore color and correct background illumination. If you are looking for an inexpensive but “angry” flatbed scanner, with a high degree of probability the Epson V19 is perfect for you.

    The flagship home scanner line - Epson Perfection V850 (based on CCD technology) created for professional processing of photographs, films and slides(35 mm, medium format and 9 × 12 cm format). In the scanner, you can adjust the height of the film holder to adjust the position of the focus point, which helps to achieve greater clarity during scanning. Special holder plates press the film against the glass, which avoids the appearance of Newton's rings during scanning.

    Two built-in lenses scan originals with high optical resolution - 6400dpi for film and 4800dpi for photos. The high optical density of 4.0 DMax allows the scanner to accurately reproduce a wide range of shades, especially in darkened areas of the image. High Pass Optics anti-reflective coating for lenses and mirrors provides the best quality images.

    Stream scanners


    Streaming, lingering, roller, or, as they are sometimes called, “document scanners” are designed for fast multi-page processing of documents. A stack of materials is loaded into the automatic feeder and is paged through the fixed CCD matrix. Originals should be opaque (translucent), because the method of reflection of light from the surface is used. By the way, fax is one of the types of streaming scanner combined in one housing with a printer.

    Despite their compact size (usually small desktop devices), they can work with almost any material, from business cards and plastic cards, to special forms and materials up to 1.5 mm thick and up to A3 size.

    About which streaming scanners offers Epson, and how they differ, will be discussed in the next post on the topic.

    Compromise



    If you don’t need to buy a separate scanning device, you can buy any Epson MFP and limit yourself to the CIS scanner built into it. In this case, we recommend that you pay attention to the Epson Printing Factory line of devices.". The novelties of the series not only provide record savings in printing, but also caught up with the functionality of cartridge models of Epson devices. For example - 4-color MFP Epson L555 or 6-color Epson L850. Thus, you can not only make copies of documents without allocating space on the table for a separate device, but also do this without thinking about replacing consumables in the printer, because from the starting set of the Printing Factory you can print up to 11,000 documents! So you “kill two birds with one stone”: get a device for scanning, as well as cost-effective photocopying and printing of documents.

    To be continued


    In the next post, we’ll talk about tablet scanners for business and mobile scanners. We will be happy to help you choose a scanner for your tasks and answer any questions.

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