[novus82x]

I am a graphic design student... willing to spend up to 200$ if its worth it, but am assuming that i can get a good one for 100-150

What company makes the best scanners?

I just want a simple color scanner, not all in one stuff...

A main concern is one that will look good next to my powerbook, G5, and cinema display and is fairly sleek and compact (no bulky spaceship looking ones)...

[zigzag]

If you're just scanning printed materials, any of the brand names with an optical resolution of 1200 or more should do a fine job. Canon makes some decent-looking slim ones, but because they're USB-powered, they're relatively slow. Apart from that, visit a store and get one that looks good to you.

[tooki]

The slim Canon scanners are great. And sure, there are faster scanners, but they're by no means slow. And they are so light, they can travel with your PowerBook if need be -- they fit in a bag easily, and as zigzag said, no power brick!

I also prefer Canon's support to HP's -- HP doesn't let you download drivers for free on many models.

Epson's scanners aren't as compact, but have superb quality and great drivers. Canon makes some non-slim scanners that are equally good.

tooki

[Chito]

Canon LiDe 80. I got mine from NewEgg for $89.00 and it's been great for me. The silver finish looks great next to a PowerBook and my G5.

[indigoimac]

I went for the Epson 2480, 100 bux at Apple Store, very nice, a little big, but otherwise no complaints!

[RiSE]

epson 3170.

[Freeflyer]

If you're just scanning pages/pictures etc, then the cheapest flatbed is all you need. You can get them for about $30, keep an eye on techbargains.com, they tend to mention the specials that various stores offer.

If you're wanting to do slides, get a dedicated slide scanner.

As you're a student, don't spend $200 if you can spend $30 instead. that's an exxtra $170 for beer.

J.

[f1000]

The Best Scanner



Jennifer O'Neill

[jcarr]

Do either the Epson Perfection or CanoScan LiDE scanners work w/o drivers? I'd like to use a scanner that worked out of the box w/ the Image Capture app.

Perhaps something from the Built-in Support section of Apple's devices page. It seems this page has not been updated in a while.

For instance, Apple lists the Perfection 2450 (discontined). Does the 2480 work the same way?

Thanks!

[tooki]

Very few scanners are supported by Image Capture. But both Canon and Epson provide good drivers, and are also supported by VueScan, should either vendor ever discontinue support for future OSes (not likely based on their track records for standalone scanners).

tooki

[t500]

I have a a Cannon Canoscan LiDe 80. Very clean looking. Software work well. I usually just use the Twian driver in photoshop.

Best of all. 1 cable. It powered Via USB....

[Namorado]

Define your scanner need... 14" input size?
...for example, I have an old Umax Astra 1200S bought for c.$150
just before Apple abandoned SCSI connections; I bought this size
(14" window) because I wanted to do OCR scans of legal-length paper
or scan larger-than-8.5"x11" images for web-use.
Unfortunetly, if I'm not mistaken (feedback appreciated) Umax
abandoned driver support for OS9+ Macs (I have 9.2.2 and 10.3.9).
If needed I have an Orange Converter SCSI>FW cable connector
to my G3 iMac DV400 (I bought scanner for use with a "Wallstreet"
Powerbook c.1998).
Reply if you will as to whether this 14" scanner can be "rescued"
for further duty (I'm poorer than the average college student),
can't afford to buy much of anything new now).
Al�n Al�n Apurim [email protected]

[SVass]

HP makes good scanners also. I have a scanjet 5470 that I got for slides and negatives as well as regular stuff. Just make sure that whatever comes with "twain" software to support import into Graphic Converter, Photoshop etc. sam