What scanners have worked well for you or that you like using?
So unfortunately I didn’t fully understand the capability range of the lid camera when I bought my Pro, and realize now that I need to invest in a scanner to create some of my wild ideas. Since I never liked/had luck with multifunction printers, I do not have a scanner on any of the printers I own. I’m not ruling out a new multifunction as they have grown leaps and bounds, plus my color printer is a Canon Pro 100 which eats expensive ink.
I’m looking for something that will possibly handle maybe more than legal tablet paper size, and does well with objects that arent always flat or reflective, ie police shields. I can always set up a photo box and use my camera, but it would be nice to “set it and forget it”.
I just usually set the item on the floor and stand over it and take a photo. It’s always worked really well. The basic idea is to get fairly far away (helps reduce distortion from the phone camera lens) and straight on to the item.
As for odd sized items in scanners… most scanners are called flatbed scanners for a reason, they’re really only great at scanning flat materials. For scanning flat materials, I use a dell multifunction color laser printer, and I’ve had really good luck with it. Unlike inkjets the laser doesn’t get clogged and toner doesn’t dry out and go bad. I can go months without printing and it fires right back up with no issues.
The evanses agree here, if you have an ongoing use for a larger flatbed go for it but for ocasanal use if it is too large for my smaller one in one of my printers I use the photo trick. There is a learning curve to scaling but after you master that you are good to go.
For “scaling” a photo after import into your favorite drawing program, put a ruler in the frame of the photo next to the object being “scanned”. Easy peasy.
I learned a scaling trick working in the graphics shop, and use a series of square registration points and an evidence scale ruler when I take photos. Worked great for scaling cars to cut the vinyl design I would work up in AI.
Yeah that’s why I love my Brother. Lasers are great for those that don’t print on a constant basis, (points thumbs to self) for that reason. I have my Canon just for photos and hi def design work.
for reference to anyone who doesn’t know what an evidence scale looks like. They help with scaling in large photos because you can easily see the alternating inch marks.
