Canon CanoScan LiDE 500F Color Image Scanner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Summary
+ Very mobile (no power cord uses USB connection for power)
+ Good quality
+ Plenty of useful software to get you started
+ Good resolution
+ IR image correction
+ Scans negatives (a 6 frame strip at once)
+ Small footprint, and 3 ways to setup the scanner on your desk.
+ Good match with the i950 printer.
+ No waiting for warm-up, just scan away.
(...)
+ Well matched with my I950 printer

- Slower than some of the $90 bulky scanners.
- Lower resolution than some of the bulky scanners.

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I purchased this scanner the day it came out (Jan 31 2005).(...)

There were more features, it was a newer product.So I gambled with the 500f and returned the LiDE80.
The reviews were mixed for the LiDE 80 to begin with.It seems that it's biggest asset was the slim profile.This attribute is compounded in the 500f since it can be setup "vertically".The footprint is minimized on the desktop.

The LiDE technology allows the use of LEDs to illuminate the object being scanned.Other technology uses a cathode/fluorescent tube.The advantages of the LEDs are that there is no warm up and thus no waiting.The life span is much greater for LEDs, and they are not damaged by movement or vibration.Though most cathode/fluorescent tubes can produce just as good a sometimes much better image quality, their lifespan can be shorter and power requirements are much greater.This technology is best realized if you will be moving the scanner, using it adhoc, or if you don't want to wait for a warm-up.LiDE is also what allows Canon to make the thing so thin (1").

The 500f scanner is rather slow at higher resolutions 2-3 sec preview and 30 - 40 seconds full scan.Other tube type scanners offer higher resolution with faster scan speeds for less money.These scanners are fine if you are not interested in the space saving aspect, and don't mind an initial warm-up.

The scanner does a good job at correcting minor scratches and dust on slides and photos.I think the over all quality is fantastic, not to mention the price.

The unit operates pretty quietly and is a good match with my printer (Canon i950 - which is incredible by the way).

The software offered is complete and allows you to really use the scanner.There is a simple tool which scans and saves - a tool for photo editing (feature rich I might add)- a tool for assigning actions to the 4 buttons (mail, pdf, copy, scan).The copy is pretty cool if you want the image to scan and go right to the printer to be printed.You also get a program which scans and converts image to text.If you were to scan the pages of a book the scan would be converted to text.I have not used this text recognition software yet, but it could be useful at some point.

A nice feature of the 500f over the 80 is the fact that you can scan a 6 frame strip of negatives at once.The 80 requires you to manually advance 1 frame at a time.If you're looking to archive negatives, or perhaps make reprints of your negatives, this is a really cool feature simply made better on the 500f.Other scanners offer the 35mm negative functionality as well...

I'm very happy with the purchase of this scanner.People that may feel it is lacking is those who are not in the market for a $109 scanner.If you want a really high end scanner you're going to be paying more than 2 times that amount.However; there are some scanners for less money that produce scans just as good but lack the features.

The scanner is only going to be as good as your printer; and for what I do, its a real bargain.

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Product Description:
CanoScan LiDE 500F Flatbed Scanner

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Canon LiDE200 Color Image Scanner (2924B002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I decided to replace my old "all in one" printer which I was using as a scanner and a photocopying with the Canon LIDE200. I liked the specification: 4800x4800 dpi and a claimed 11 second scan rate.

The first thing I noticed as I was unpacking the scanner from the box was a mysterious WARNING about unlocking the lid of the scanner. The scanner was packed with the lid unlocked (as I found out later), and the instructions mentioned to keep the lid locked for travel or extensive handling.Fair enough, but it made me wonder if I had already done something bad to my scanner (I hadn't).

I then installed the software.I expected big things from Canon here, because generally they are pretty smart about software. The software, in terms of use, is much better than the software I had for scanning with my old scanner.The scanner has an "easy" setting that basically just scans at 300DPI without a fuss.If you want to scan at full resolution, you have to open the "driver" that exposes a page with all the bells and whistles to let you really fine tune your scan and set the highest resolutions.

All this was fair enough, however I found a few minor disturbing problems with the software. Firstly, once you've opened the "driver", it's not intuitive to figure out how to get back to the "no brainer" mode. Also, when you want to save your scan, it always seems to default to the scanning library it sets up.If you override it, it doesn't stay "changed". This is a slight pain.I always wonder who they hire to test and give feedback, because I always feel like I'm pointing out what should be the "obvious" to large companies like Canon (actually I really love Canon - so take no offense!).

As far as scanning speed is concerned, the scanner does indeed scan a 300 dpi page in about 11 seconds (that's pretty fast folks).However, the estimate does not include the 3 seconds the software takes to respond to the command to begin scanning (I'm running a duo core processor - no slouch) and the few seconds it takes to save the image. All in all, speed is impressive.

Now on to document quality.I tried scanning a few brochures and to be honest, at 300 DPI I wasn't super impressed with the result. So I went into the "driver" at set the scanning at maximum resolution (4800 x 4800). You get a pretty good result at that resolution, but by no means was I blown away. Perhaps more "tweaks" of the driver is needed. I noticed that the scanner attempts to "improve" the picture (which it does) but some of the detail of the text was a little off (brochure had images and text).I wondered if the lid of the scanner was making really good contact.Next time I will add a few pages of plain white paper behind the image and see if it makes a difference.

I tried scanning a printed document, and compared it to a printed document I scanned using my old scanner. I scanned the image to a PDF and low and behold, a major, major improvement (at 300 DPI).

So, I gave the scanner four "stars".Why not five? Well, the software is much easier to use than my old scanner, but still not without a few minor "quirks".This is a great scanner for scanning documents.How well it will actually scan and reproduce a photo is still in question, and perhaps I need to learn how to use the driver software better.I don't think I could scan an original photo without seeing some degradation in quality.

I'd be interested to hear other people's experiences regarding copying photos. I hope I'm wrong in my assessment, because I really expected a 4800x4800 scanner to reproduce "dead on" copies of a photo.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon LiDE200 Color Image Scanner (2924B002)

Product Description:
Canon LiDE200 color image scanner has convenient features for easy scanning up to 4800 dpi.

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Canon CanoScan N650U USB Flatbed Scanner Review

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(More customer reviews)I am very impressed with this scanner. It is my first, so I don't have much to compare it to, but it worked extremely well once I figured a few things out. One thing you should be aware of; since this unit is powered only through the USB cable, Canon strongly recommends that you do not use a longer cable than the one supplied with the scanner. It's about 5' long, which should be long enough for most. Also, as others have stated, it should only be connected to a direct USB port on your computer.(not a hub, or "daisy chained" with other USB devices). Instalation was easy. Just follow the instructions in order. The software is easy to learn if you have the time to play with it. I didn't, so I went to Arcsoft's web site and downloaded the manual. My first scan was a 3.5" x 5" color photo. I set the res at 600 dpi. It took a LONG time. Then I realized I had the scan size set at 8.5" X 11" (duh). It was scanning the entire flatbed. Once I adjusted the scan size, it scanned the same photo, at the same res, in only about 20 seconds. And it's whisper quiet. I have read others complain that that it won't scan 3-D objects well at all. It probably wont. It uses entirely different technology than older "brighter" scanners which need a separate power cord. I don't see this as a problem for me, as 99% of my scans will be photos or text pages. I would recomed this product to anyone.

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Product Description:
This CanoScan flatbed scanner delivers 600 x 1,200 resolution in a slim package, just over 1 inch high. It uses a single USB cable for both power and data from any compatible Mac or PC. This scanner offers 42-bit scanning with more than four trillion possible colors. It also has an external programmable button for fast, one-touch scanning.
Another handy feature is Canon's exclusive Z-Lid expansion top, which allows you to scan bulky items, such as books and magazines. Many other scanner covers lift only at an angle and become uneven and awkward when scanning anything that isn't completely flat; the N650U scanner cover includes a special expansion hinge that lifts up to 1 inch vertically and lies flat to create extra space.

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Epson Perfection V30 Color Scanner Review

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(More customer reviews)I just got this and have been trying it out. As I surmised, it is identical to the V300 except there is no negative holder in the box. The driver CDROM and all documentation lists both models. I'm using this with Photoshop and Indesign to make personal studies for portrait drawing practice, using art book and magazine images for source material. I was holding my breath to make sure the TIFF file type is included with this version, and it is (in the professional scan mode.) Fabulously smooth images made from ordinary newspaper color ad inserts using only 800 dpi. You can select various destination image types, including up to 48-bit color and up to 12,800 dpi (in professional mode). TIFF files are rather large, but I plan to dump them as soon as I print the cropped images. (After I draw, I no longer need the images.) Of course, also does jpeg format (default) and has a tremendous range of custom formatting before saving, as well as ultra simple 'point and shoot' scanning. Also has customizable presets for home mode (email scanning, etc.) and office mode (RGB value settings, for example). I haven't tried this yet, but it makes PDF files in all but full auto mode, without purchasing Adobe Acrobat, unbelievable. (I have a Fujitsu document scanner that outputs to PDF, but it cost several times more.)

There is the same user selection option for film as a document type as on the V300 so I don't see why you can't scan slides and negatives, using a homemade holder or even just guessing where to position film in the center strip of the scanner bed. I don't plan to scan many film images or I would have gotten the V300, but it was not available for prime shipping. I do have some favorite Velvia slides I will eventually try to scan and see what happens. Will let you know how it goes when I get a chance. Superb scanner, incredible price, and arguably unbeatable Epson reliability, per my previous experience with color inkjets going back to windows 3.1 that just never stopped working well. I based my purchase on all the high praise for the V300/V200 and the assumption that this one uses the same scan engine and software, which it does, the only difference I can tell being the missing film holder. If anything, the V30 is more recent and probably has higher specs than the V300. If you don't need a film holder, or if you just need to update your flatbed scanner, this is a total no brainer. Forgot to mention, top is hinged and lifts/flips back out of the way.

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Product Description:
Scan photos and 3D objects with amazing clarity and detail. The value-priced Epson Perfection V30 makes it easier than ever with 4800 dpi optical resolution and a host of automatic features. With the scanner-s remarkable resolution, you can easily create extraordinary images. And, it offers easy setup plus one-touch scanning. So, whether you choose to archive important documents or your favorite photos, you can be up and running in no time. Bring those faded color photos back to life effortlessly with the Perfection V30. This versatile performer even includes a high-rise lid for scanning books and other 3D objects. With an innovative LED light source, the Perfection V30 provides fast scans with no warmup time.

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Canon LiDE100 Color Image Scanner (2923B002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Bought this scanner to replace my failed Epson Perfection 1650.I like its compact size and quietness, and find the operating speed close to that of the 1650.The software is ok, and scanner operation is as convenient as that of the 1650, but there is less flexibility to allow altering color satuation, hue, etc.I found image sharpness disappointingly soft, and color saturation less than that of the original photo being copied.The overall effect is a somewhat faded, hazy image.Tried downloading and installing a fresh driver, but that didn't change this characteristic.After selecting USE SCANNER DRIVER on the operating panel, I was able to make selections that improved the image quality somewhat, but it is still not up to the performance of my previous scanner.Turning off the softening mask makes very little improvement.For me this scanner does not live up to previous glowing user reviews that helped decide this purchase.

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Product Description:
This is simple, high-performance scanning at its best. Four easy buttons automate the entire process, and the new Auto Scan mode makes it even easier: It actually detects the type of original you're scanning - a photo, business card, notebook or form - automatically adjusts settings for the optimal results, then scans and saves the image.

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Canon CanoScan LiDE210 Color Image Scanner (4508B002) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm not an expert when it comes to judging image quality-so while I'm giving the LiDE210 a great score, I'm not 100% sure if it's image results are as good, worse, or better than comparable relatively high end consumer scanners.I can say the results look good, and so far look the same (to me) as a high end HP model from a few years ago that I use at work.

I was shocked by how small the scanner's box is-in fact I thought maybe I'd accidentally ordered something that would only scan photos.Amazed again when I pulled the scanner out of the box...although it accepts full size papers (and it looks like legal sized too, although I haven't tested any yet) it's easily less than half the size of my HP from work.While it still takes up a decent amount of space on a desk (since it has to be big enough for the scanner bed to accept full size papers), it still somehow feels like it fits in better than older scanners.

Also amazing...it doesn't use a power supply.It pulls all its power over the USB bus from the computer it's connected to...it apparently only draws 2.5 watts while in use, which to me is amazing.Not having a power brick helps make the unit feel smaller too (and means it isn't using power when the computer is off).

The small size and low power use are presumably the result of using LEDs (apparently tri-color) instead of florescent tubes like older scanners use.Another benefit-no mercury or UV radiation.

I was also pleased to discover that even on XP, I was able to use it out of the box without installing the included software.Windows Update found the driver for it, and it was working with Windows' built-in software within a few seconds.(Though I think it's probably better to install the included software to get access to all it's features.)

It's small, seems to give good results, and hardly uses any power...so far seems like a great choice!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon CanoScan LiDE210 Color Image Scanner (4508B002)

Product Description:
Ultra Compact Scanner with Vertical Scanning and Up to 2400 dpi

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