Not every scanner is a great one if you're thinking about going paperless. Five Best Document Scanners for Going Paperless. 4/07/13 11:00am. The iX500 extends support to Mac. For jobs like these, a sheet-fed document scanner is a better option. A sheet-fed scanner lets you insert pages one by one, without the extra step of lifting and lowering the lid. Many have the convenience of a built in automatic document feeder (ADF), which can churn through an entire stack of paper without user intervention.
How to Buy the Right Scanner
Settling on a scanner that meets your specific needs can be challenging. Most scanners on the market today can handle everyday office tasks, but they come in a wide variety of types and sizes that are fine-tuned for different purposes. Here are the key questions to ask before you buy. We'll also take a look at the different kinds of scanners and their features.
What Kind of Media Will You Scan?
Scanner For Mac
Knowing what and how often you expect to scan will tell you everything you need to know about the features you'll need. The two most common classes of things that get scanned are photos and documents (that is, unbound pages), but plenty of other media are common scan targets, such as bound books, business cards, film (slides and negatives), magazines, and easily damaged originals like postage stamps. Somewhat less common are 3D objects, such as coins or flowers. You should also consider details like the maximum size of the originals (more on that in a moment) and whether you'll need to scan both sides of document pages.
Do You Need a Flatbed?
For photos or other easily damaged originals, bound material, and 3D objects, you need a flatbed scanner, which has a large glass platen on which you place the documents, books, or items. (When we talk about scanning objects, here we're talking about scanning 3D objects to two-dimensional images; 3D scanners—for scanning objects to 3D files for display or printing on a 3D printer—are a different beast entirely.)
Originals like photos and stamps can go through a sheet feeder, but you risk damaging them. If you need to scan this sort of original only once in a while, you may be able to get by with a sheet-fed scanner that comes with a plastic carrier to protect the originals. Keep in mind, however, that even brand-new, unscratched plastic carriers can degrade scan quality.
Scanner models tend to stay on the market for a long time between iterations, and this is especially true of flatbed photo scanners. Not only do they often remain on sale for years, but also, few new models are introduced. We regularly update our Best Scanners roundup, so should you encounter an 'oldie but goodie,' it simply means that no similar model that we've reviewed has yet surpassed it.
Do You Need a Sheet Feeder?
Best Scanner For Mac
If you plan to scan documents on a regular basis—particularly those longer than one or two pages—you almost certainly want a sheet feeder. Having to open a flatbed lid and set a page in place is a minor chore, but having to repeat the process 10 times for a 10-page document is a tiresome annoyance. Some sheet-fed scanners can also handle thick originals, such as health-insurance ID cards.
If you'll primarily be scanning one or two pages at a time, a manual sheet feeder is probably all you need. If you'll be scanning longer documents on a regular basis, however, you'll want an automatic document feeder (ADF) that will scan an entire stack of pages unattended. Pick an ADF capacity based on the number of pages in the typical document you expect to scan. If you occasionally have a document that is more pages than the ADF capacity, you can add more pages during the scan as the feeder processes them. Some ADFs can also handle stacks of business cards well.
How About Duplexing?
'Duplex scanning' means scanning both sides of a page at once. If you need a sheet feeder or ADF, and if on a regular basis you expect to scan documents that are printed on both sides, you'll want a duplexing scanner, a duplexing ADF, or a scanner with a driver that includes a manual-duplex feature.
The best, swiftest duplexing scanners have two scan elements, so that they can scan both sides of a page at the same time. https://keenun.weebly.com/best-music-mix-software-mac.html. A design like this will be faster than a scanner with a simple duplexing ADF, but it will likely also cost more. A duplexing ADF will just scan one side, turn the page over, and only then scan the other.
In contrast, a scanner with a driver that supports manual duplexing will let you scan one side of a stack and then prompt you to flip and re-feed the stack to scan the other side, with the scanner driver automatically interfiling the pages. Manual duplexing in the driver is the most economical alternative, and it is a good choice if you don't scan two-sided documents very often, or you are on a tight budget.
See How We Test Scanners
What Resolution Do You Need?
For most scanning, resolution isn't an issue. For, say, tax documents, even a 200-pixel-per-inch (ppi) scan will give you good enough quality for most purposes, 300ppi is almost always sufficient, and it's hard to find a scanner today that supports less than 600ppi. Similarly for photos, unless you plan to crop in on a small part of the photo or print the photo at a larger size than the original, 600ppi is more than enough.
Some kinds of originals, however, require higher resolution. If you're scanning 35mm slides or negatives, for example, you'll probably want to print them at a much larger size than the original, which means you'll need to scan them at a high resolution. Similarly, if you want to see the fine detail in an original, like a stamp, you'll need to scan it at a high resolution. In these cases, you'll want a scanner that claims an optical resolution of at least 4,800ppi.
How Big Are Your Originals?
Picking a scanner that can handle the size of the originals you need to scan seems like an obvious point, but it's easy to overlook. For example, most flatbeds have a letter-size platen, which will be a problem if you occasionally need to scan legal-size pages. Most flatbeds with ADFs will scan legal-size pages via the ADF, but not all do, so be sure to check. You can also find scanners with larger flatbeds, but they will, of course, take up more desk space.
What Software Will You Need?
Most scanners will work with just about any scan-related program, but if the software you need already comes with the scanner, you won't have to pay extra for it. Depending on what you plan to scan, some of the software features you may want to look for include photo editing, optical character recognition (OCR), text indexing, the ability to create searchable PDF documents, and a business-card archiving or management program.
Do You Need a Special-Purpose Scanner?
Finally, consider whether you need a special-purpose, rather than general-purpose, scanner. Among the most common special-purpose choices are scanners for business cards (small and highly portable), books (designed to let pages lie flat), and slides (smaller than flatbed scanners, but no better at scanning slides than flatbed scanners with equivalent features).
Two other possibilities are portable scanners (general-purpose sheet-fed scanners small enough to fit in your laptop bag) and pen scanners (which you hold and trace over text). Some of the latest portable models can operate without a computer attached, scanning to a memory card or even to a smartphone. You can also find some that function as both portable and desktop document scanners by combining a portable scanner with a docking station that includes an ADF. Depending on what you need to scan, any one of these may be a good choice, either as your only scanner or as a supplement to a general-purpose scanner.
Let's Get Down to Scanner Shopping..
Multifunction printers (MFPs) have built-in scanners, nearly all with flatbeds and many with sheet feeders and ADFs. To get the most out of your scanning, however, you'll probably want to get a single-function scanner. Fortunately, there are many models to choose from, and the 10 below are among the best we've tested. For more advice, check out our roundup of the top scanners for photos, or our list of the best all-in-one printers, if having a scanner attached to your printer is more appealing.
And finally, after you've digitized all that paper, take a look at the best shredders we've tested.
Best Scanners Featured in This Roundup:
Visioneer Patriot H60 Review
MSRP: $1095.00Pros: Exceptional optical character recognition (OCR) accuracy. Feature-rich, easy-to-deploy software. Very fast scanning and saving to PDF. 10,000-page daily duty cycle.Cons: Would be more competitive at a lower price.Bottom Line: The Visioneer Patriot H60 scans quickly and accurately, and it has a huge daily duty cycle and a comprehensive software bundle.Read ReviewAlaris S2060w Scanner by Kodak Alaris Review
MSRP: $1295.00Pros: Fast scanning. Reasonably speedy when saving to searchable PDF. Onboard CPU allows for quicker, more accurate processing. Terrific OCR accuracy.Cons: Somewhat pricey. Expensive accessories.Bottom Line: The Alaris S2060w Scanner is reasonably fast and highly accurate, and it comes with an impressive software bundle, making it a good fit for medium- to heavy-volume workloads.Read ReviewCanon CanoScan LiDE 400 Review
MSRP: $89.99Pros: Vibrant photo scans. Excellent software bundle. Comes with kickstand for upright positioning. Very simple to use.Cons: Lacks mobile device and wireless support. Could be more accurate when scanning serif fonts.Bottom Line: The entry-level Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 is a software-rich flatbed photo scanner that also handles text documents with ease.Read ReviewEpson DS-870 Review
MSRP: $799.00Pros: Fast scanning and saving to searchable PDF. Huge volume and capacity for the price. Highly accurate.Cons: Networking is an add-on. No wireless or mobile connectivity.Bottom Line: The highly capable Epson WorkForce DS-870 is a fast, no frills high-volume scanner ideal for heavy-duty scanning and document-archiving environments.Read ReviewEpson WorkForce ES-60W Wireless Portable Document Scanner Review
MSRP: $159.99Pros: Fast. Robust software. Accurate OCR. Built-in battery. Wi-Fi and USB connectivity.Cons: Lacks memory card support. No automatic document feeder.Bottom Line: The Epson ES-60W is a fast, accurate, and lightweight portable document scanner designed for one- and two-page scan jobs.Read ReviewHP ScanJet Pro 3000 s3 Sheet-Feed Scanner Review
MSRP: $429.99Pros: Excellent speed and accuracy for the price. Well-rounded software bundle, including document and business-card archiving software. High daily duty cycle.Cons: Primary scanning utility is slow.Bottom Line: The moderately priced HP ScanJet Pro 3000 delivers excellent speed and respectable accuracy, as well as an inclusive software bundle, making it a good value.Read ReviewKodak i3300 Scanner Review
MSRP: $4495.00Pros: Fast scanning. Excellent OCR accuracy. Massive input capacity. Supports tabloid-size and larger pages. Robust, easy-to-use software.Cons: Slow at saving to searchable PDF.Bottom Line: The Kodak i3300 is a fast, high-volume document scanner, and it comes with excellent full-featured scanning and processing software at a competitive price.Read ReviewBrother ADS-1700W Review
MSRP: $269.99Pros: Fast scanning and text recognition. Accurate OCR. Strong software bundle. Supports scanning to USB drives. Color touch screen.Cons: No battery. Heavier than other portable scanners.Bottom Line: The Brother ADS-1700W is a fast and accurate portable document scanner that offers a slew of features that will be attractive to road warriors.Read ReviewFujitsu ScanSnap iX100 (2019) Review
MSRP: $229.00Pros: Accurate OCR. Fast. Robust software bundle. Versatile connectivity options, including mobile. Reasonable price.Cons: Lacks single-pass auto-duplexing.Bottom Line: The Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 is a fast and feature-packed manual-feed document scanner designed for light-duty data capture on the road.Read ReviewPanasonic KV-N1028X Review
MSRP: $1495.00Pros: Superb OCR accuracy. Customizable touch screen. Comprehensive software. Competitive speed when scanning to image files and searchable PDF. Wired and wireless networking, including Wi-Fi Direct. Three-year warranty.Cons: Individual workstation licenses sold separately. A bit pricey.Bottom Line: The Panasonic KV-N1028X is a snappy and exceptionally accurate networkable document scanner, designed primarily for enterprise environments.Read Review
The piles of documents make it difficult to navigate the room? Need to find the necessary one to quickly check some info? Here we offer you 5 best document scanners to digitize all the paper-based information around you. Make your choice!..Read more..Read less
This Fujitsu high-speed document scanner is capable of scanning to Android and iOS devices.
No TWAIN/ISIS drivers for this network document scanner.
If you need a reliable office document scanner to scan scores of documents, Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 wireless document scanner is exactly what you need. It makes high-quality document scans with ease.
detailed parameters A3, A4, business cards, receipts, irregularly shaped docs
Two-sided scanning, sheet-fed
Wi-Fi, USB 3.0
25 ppm
50-sheet tray
600 dpi
48 bits
Advanced paper detection, Scanning to Cloud, Scan crop/aligning/rotation, Convert to CSV/Excel/PDF/Word
A really compact Canon document scanner, you can set it against the wall to save your desk space.
Despite all the high-end features, the absence of Wi-Fi connectivity (and the consequent necessity of using the cable), is rather disappointing.
This ultra-thin document image scanner is perfect for small offices. It is easy to set and operate, and you will get awesome results digitizing your documents.
detailed parameters A4, business cards, long documents up to 118”
Two-sided scanning, sheet-fed
USB 2.0
Up to 25 ppm / 50 ipm
30-sheet tray
600 dpi
24 bits
Double feed detection, Skipping empty sheets, Deskewing scanned images, Size and color detection, Auto resolution setting, Scanning to Cloud, file archiving/retrieval/sharing
Brother DS-620 is a handheld document scanner that charges via USB, so you won't need to connect it to the mains.
This document imaging scanner does not scan both sides at the same time.
A portable document scanner, perfect to take with you on a business meeting or a trip. This compact handheld device will fit into any bag and provide you with convenient digital document management wherever you are.
detailed parameters A4, receipts, photos, recipes, business cards
One-sided scanning, sheet-fed
USB 2.0
A4 in 7.5 sec
N/A
600 dpi
24 bits
Scanning to Cloud, Scanning to destination (File, Image, E-mail, FTP, Shared Folder, Print)
You will easily scan even A3 sheets with this Epson document scanner.
The software of this wireless document scanner may seem a bit challenging at first, but you will get used to it eventually.
Epson network document scanner manages a great number of paper documents and enhances work efficiency. Leave manual document processing in the past!
detailed parameters A3, A4, business cards, rigid ID cards
Two-sided scanning, sheet-fed
Wi-Fi, USB 2.0
Up to 26 ppm / 52 ipm
50-sheet tray
600 dpi
48 bits
Double feed detection, Auto format detection, Auto aligning, Skipping empty sheets, Scanning to Cloud, Supports TWAIN and ISIS
The Doxie DX300 is an automatic wireless document scanner with a rechargeable battery, automatic document feeder (ADF) and integrated Wi-Fi. Works without any special driver.
Isn't able to scan while the battery is charging.
This model features a compact design which will be great for busy people spending most of their time on the way. Rechargeable battery and wireless connection allow you to scan documents wherever you are.
detailed parameters Scan any page size up to 8.5 x 30', business cards, ID cards, letters
One-sided scanning, ADF Sibelius 7.5 download mac crack.
Wi-Fi, USB
A4 in 7.5 sec
8-page collapsible automatic document feeder
600 dpi
24 bits
Works with Dropbox, Evernote, OneNote, and iCloud Drive, Different cards scanning, Scanning to destination, Scanning to Cloud, Mac and PC apps included
Fujitsu iX500
Type and Performance
The Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 is a sheet-fed office document scanner with an option to scan both sides of the sheet simultaneously. This network document scanner is of a desktop type, it needs the mains connection to operate, so you can set it at home or in your office. The connection to a computer is performed via either USB 3.0 interface or Wi-Fi 80.211 b/g/n, which makes it a wireless document scanner. This wonderful high-speed document scanner scans 25 pages per minute at 300 dpi in a standard mode. The auto feed sheet tray holds up to 50 sheets, and you can adjust it according to the size of paper you are currently scanning. The recommended maximum of scanning amounts to 2000 operations per day. Reduce the number of paper around you with the help of this awesome document imaging scanner. It works equally great with both Windows and Mac computers.
Scanning Quality
If you are looking for a device to make high-quality scans of both documents and images, then this Fujitsu wireless document scanner is what you need. You can set it to make scans at 600 dpi for further printing, and every thin line will be accurate and highly detailed, every character readable. The Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 is a document scanner, so color representation may be slightly lower than that of a flatbed scanner, but it will process a colored diagram no worse than its closest competitors. The embedded GI microprocessor performs smart image processing, providing excellent quality and significantly enhancing the speed.
Software and Functional Features
Setting this office document scanner is a piece of cake. Just start installing the drivers and follow the easy steps on your screen. This model of Fujitsu network document scanner comes with a powerful software to manage all your documents perfectly. It is compatible with both Mac and Windows-based PCs. A very flexible device. Owing to a Wi-Fi module, you will be able to place it anywhere in your room. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to scan directly to your smartphone or tablet based on iOS or Android. This document imaging scanner features an ultrasonic detector to avoid losing images and feeding two pages at a time. Also, it is possible to scan into Cloud services like Evernote, Dropbox, Google Docs, Salesforce, SugarSync, SharePoint.
Additional Info
VIDEO
Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500 Review With iPad and Wifi Scanning Features
Key Specs
I have two flatbed scanners and this Fujitsu was pricey so I did a lot of research before I took the plunge and bought it. I am so glad I did.
The ScanSnap scanner was easy to install and very easy to use. It works great for all the items I need to scan.
Scanning
Oh and if you scan a document that the software app believes a problem exist, it provides you an option to keep it and continue scanning. I can't say enough positive about this scanner.
Canon DR-C225
Type and Performance
A sheet-fed Canon DR-C225 scanner allows you to scan both page sides at the same time. Its 'J' shape makes it a perfect buy for small desks. The tray can contain up to 30 sheets and the scanning speed comes up to 25 pages per minute in both monochrome and color modes (meaning, it will be 50 images per minute if you scan two sides at a time). The maximum paper size here is A4, and you can scan up to 1500 copies a day with no efforts at all. This Canon document scanner makes a perfect solution for digitizing all your documents and turning them into a convenient electronic library.
Scanning Quality
This USB document scanner scans at the resolution of up to 600 dpi. Such an outstanding scanning resolution offers extremely detailed images for not only documents but also photos that you later plan to zoom in and print. 24-bit color depth is absolutely perfect for almost any computer application that supports images. When you look at the images obtained by using this Canon document scanner, they will surely show you great color rendering and a lot of details.
Software and Functional Features
In order to optimize the operation and simplify document management, the manufacturer provided this network document scanner with a variety of useful features. By purchasing this Canon document scanner you will get automatic sheet size detection, the detection of present colors, the background smoothing feature, auto resolution setting, the capability for the document scanner to skip empty pages, and an ultrasonic sensor to avoid feeding two sheets that stick together. This high-speed document scanner works perfectly well with both Windows and Mac operating systems and is delivered with a multi-purpose software enhancing your work efficiency. The ISIS and TWAIN drivers allow this office document scanner to work with all the applications that support scanning. Although it also offers you several ready solutions in case you have none: Bizcard, OmniPage, PaperPort, eCopy PDF Pro Office and PageManager. They will enable you to create, edit, and convert PDF files.
Additional Info
VIDEO
Scanner imageFORMULA DR-C225W
Brother DS-620 Document Scanner
Best Sheetfed Scanner Reviews
Type and Performance
A portable document scanner Brother DS-620 is remarkably compact. The small size and light weight make it a perfect companion for those who work 'on the go' with no office desk, and for office workers during business trips or outside meetings with clients. An auto feed feature needs a tray, and for a handheld document scanner, a tray would be an inconvenience, so the number of sheets you will be able to scan per minute will depend on how fast you put them into this document scanner one by one. We will only say that scanning a single sheet will take mere 7.5–8 seconds at the 300 dpi resolution. It does not really matter if you are scanning a black-and-white image or a colored one. Also, you can scan an image of up to 32 inches long.
Scanning Quality
The Brother DS-620 Mobile Color Page Scanner shows that a portable device can still provide excellent scanning quality! This handheld document scanner has an optical resolution of 600 dpi and a 24-bit color depth, the latter being a benchmark for most computer applications. So, if you wish to scan a colored photo for further zooming and printing, fell free to do it with the Brother DS-620 USB document scanner. All the image quality will be present on the scan. A USB cord connects the portable document scanner to your PC and in mere moments, you will have the image ready for transferring or publishing.
Software and Functional Features
This marvelous handheld document scanner allows scanning a wide variety of document types, including plastic cards, ID cards, bills, and receipts. When scanning is done, you can save the files directly to the Cloud and have access to them using any kind of mobile device. The scope of supply includes the software to make document access and management several times faster and easier. A single click separates you from sending your documents to a printer, emailing, searching and sorting them. Take all the necessary features with you when you leave your home or office.
Additional Info
VIDEO
Brother™ DS-620 Mobile Scanner
Epson DS-510
Type and Performance
Epson is one of the most famous manufacturers of imaging-related devices in the world. And today it offers you a sheetfed dual-side wireless document scanner Epson DS-560. The device allows scanning 26 pages per minute at 300 dpi, for both black-and-white and color images. And it is when you scan only one side. The same speed is for dual-side scanning, making 52 images per minute (an image on each side of 26 pages). The pages are fed automatically, you only need to place all your documents (up to 50 sheets) into a tray and leave the rest to the device. This Epson document scanner scans not only standard paper, but also IDs, plastic cards, and folded A3 pages. And all this is done extremely fast, producing high-quality images. Although the size is fairly compact, the load this wireless document scanner can handle is rather large - up to 3000 pages a day.
Scanning Quality
This dual-side scanner is designed to manage large amounts of paper-based documentation. It has a CIS sensor and an LED lamp inside to scan images at the resolution of 600 dpi and maintain 48 bits of color depth. The above-mentioned resolution is not the highest one possible for scanners in general, but it is more than enough for an office document scanner. Even the smallest font sizes appear readable on the scan, and images, no matter monochrome or colored, look beautiful and keep their quality for later printing.
Software and Functional Features
The Epson WorkForce DS-560 Wireless Color Document Scanner is capable of defining the document format, recognizing the text, aligning the image if the document isn't placed right, and of skipping empty sheets. It has an ultrasonic sensor to determine the pages sticking together. All these features increase the efficiency of your work, which you need if you work with large amounts of paper files. In addition to scanning to PC, this wireless document scanner allows you to scan directly to your Android and iOS devices. TWAIN and ISIS support makes it so you are able to perform image preview, prescanning, parameters adjustment. A great device no matter how you look at it!
Additional Info
VIDEO
Epson DS-510 Workforce Document Scanner - Compared to Fujitsu Scansnap ix500
Features
The software works great the scanner is nice and fast. I use it to scan in invoices after they have been received so they can easily be found later.
Key Specs
Never thought of getting an Epson product before. All of that has changed. It really does do 25 ppm. Double-sided documents are also 25 ppm, so that's 50 ppm. If I want high resolution (600 ppi), that slows it down a little bit.
Scanning
Works great!! use it very day. easy to set up and use. you can adjust the image to your liking and save it in many formats. I even used it for photos.
Doxie DX300
Type and Performance
With the recent Doxie's document scanner, you can make this world paperless. This document scanner is designed to operate both with and without a computer or any other external device using Wi-Fi or USB and is best suited for digitizing files like cards, photos, receipts etc. Due to the Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) the Doxie Q scanner can create multi-page PDFs out of your documents. It's a one-sided type scanner, meaning you'll need to flip the page and scan each side of a doc if a double-sided copy is needed. One of the advantages of the Doxie Q scanner is a lightweight construction and portable design, providing the flexibility for users to scan anywhere. It features a collapsible 8-sheet ADF allowing for 8 ppm batch scanning of different size documents with the maximum possible page size being not bigger than 8.5 x 30” and it has a direct feed slot providing you with the option to scan delicate and thick items. Designed with a user's comfort in mind, the Doxie Q document scanner doesn't involve any difficulty and is very easy to use and set up with no drivers required. It's one of the first document scanners that features built-in Wi-Fi for synching with digital gadgets wirelessly.
Scanning Quality
When choosing a scanner, one of the most importation aspects customers usually pay close attention to is an image quality. In this respect, the Doxie DX300 is not inferior to other document scanners reviewed in here. Due to 600 dpi scanning resolution, excellent color balance, and the ability to boost contrast, Doxie yields clear and detailed images every time. Thanks to the ABBYY OCR technology, it is also able to provide you with PDFs instantly. Another feature that we find very convenient is an automatic paper feeder that allows for scanning up to 8 colour pages at once. Contrary to the common perception, this portable document scanner demonstrates great performance comparable to that of conventional stationary scanners and gives you the benefit of scanning documents anyplace whenever you need.
Software and Functional Features
This model features a rechargeable Li-ion battery that lasts up to 1000 scans on a single charge. Also, it allows for editing images as well as creating multi-page documents in a Doxie App specially designed for this scanner. All files and documents can be saved either to the included 8GB SD card or any of your devices. The best part is that the Doxie DX300 works with DropBox, Evernote, OneNote, Photoshop and many other similar software, making its use as convenient as possible. Taking into account all the specifications, this document scanner will be a perfect choice for all busy people that often, for one reason or another, need to do business on the go.
What Is a Document Scanner?
A rapid development of digital information, electronic documents, digital signatures, and digitized document flow do not free us from the need to scan paper documents. Purchasing a document scanner, you will be able to create your personal digital document library, work with photo materials, edit data. A good office document scanner will be of invaluable help in transferring images and text from paper to a computer media. If it weren't for document imaging scanners, you would need to manually type the text, make a photo of an image, save it to a USB or an HDD drive, combine them, and only then you would get the result. A lot of time spent, a lot of actions and all of them are unnecessary with a document scanner. In our review, we will tell you about sheetfed document scanners. These scanners digitize separate paper sheets using a system that drags the paper through the immovable scanning head. They look similar to your average printers and can process quite a few documents. The main scope of application for the document imaging scanners is in the office, where digitizing papers is an important part of the everyday processes.
And if you'd like to digitize books or magazines, we will be happy to introduce the best flatbed scanners to you.
What Features to Compare
Modern market offers several types of document scanners for home and office. And before you make your final decision, think about where you'll be using the device, evaluate the offered scanner's Type and Performance. We have selected to our list both desktop and portable sheetfed scanners. Desktop document imaging scanners are perfect for home and office as they provide somehow a wider variety of features. At the same time, if you are constantly on the go, meeting your clients outside your office, or if you often have business trips, then a portable document scanner will be a much more valuable purchase. You can shove it into your case and travel everywhere. When we say 'Performance', the first thing we mean by it is a tray capacity for auto feed. Most of the office document scanners usually have a tray for 30–75 sheets. The scanning speed under such conditions generally varies from 20 pages per minute for a one-sided scan. And if we are talking about two-sided scanning, it can amount to 50 images per minute, more or less. This way you nearly halve the scanning time. The scanning modes can also affect the time needed for completion of your task: the speed may be lower when scanning color images, although up-to-date document imaging scanners provide roughly the same speed for both black-and-white and color modes. Portable scanners lack auto feed trays, so the scanning speed will directly depend on you and the speed you add the sheets with. An average speed for handheld document scanners to scan an A4 paper sheet is 7–8 seconds. On knowing a document scanner format, you will also know the maximum sheet size to scan in one go. Basically, for home and office use, it is enough to have an A4-sized document imaging scanner, as it will scan smaller images like ID cards and postcards.
The Scanning Quality is essential not only for image digitizing but also for obtaining highly detailed text documents. Look at the optical resolution and once again think of what you are going to scan with this office document scanner. For example, text documents require a resolution of approximately 200–300 dpi and even the resolution of 100 dpi is enough to display the image on the computer screen. But if you are planning to magnify the scanned images and print them afterward, we recommend you to purchase a scanner capable of digitizing images at 600 dpi. A higher resolution is necessary for printing photos on paper of large sizes. The parameter called color depth shows the number of colors that a scanner is able to recognize, it is measured in bits. Most computer applications have the color depth of 24 bits. For document scanning, this parameter may be less important, it is mainly targeted for image digitizing.
Document scanners traditionally use either CCD or CIS sensors. The CCDs provide higher image quality thanks to a larger resolution but for the same reason, they are more expensive and need more time to start scanning. We selected for you the document scanners with CIS sensors. They are quicker at starting, cheaper, and more compact. They may be slightly inferior in terms of image quality, but as we are now looking at document scanners, CIS sensors are more than enough. Nowadays, they can provide good images too.
Any scanner is delivered with a powerful Software and has a range of Functional Features to help you create a perfect solution for document management and to improve the working process. The most popular document scanner drivers are TWAIN, WIA, and ISIS, and any scanner supporting application will be able to use the device that has these drivers. In addition to drivers, the office document scanners also come with the software for enhancing your work experience; for example, ABBYY Fine Reader, Document Capture, and others. Such features as, for example, double feed, color, and size detection, skipping empty sheets, scanning ID and plastic cards, scanning to a Cloud will greatly simplify and optimize your work. With a good document imaging scanner, you will find an absolutely perfect solution to manage your documentation.