Scanning your images and documentation in high resolution shouldn't be a problem when having a good colour image scanner. One of the most commonly used models over the past few years is the flatbed scanner for a reason. A scanner of this kind has become a common household appliance not only for its size, but also for its convenience, ease of use and design.
Generally speaking, flatbed scanners are a type of optical scanners that use a flat surface to scan photos and documents. With the help of a shining light, this scanner can scan and capture the reflected light with a lens system, after which the scanner's software processes the image. That way, a digital version of the original image/document is created.
Benefits of Having a Scanner of This Kind
First things first, flatbed scanners are valuable assets for companies and those of you who are required to handle fragile and important documentation and images. Thanks to their structure, nature and type of work, it seems that they minimise the chances of damaging the actual document/object while producing a high-quality image.
Convenient to Use
Practice shows that these scanners are easy to use and you don't need to have any special skills or even training in order to use them.
Versatile
Aside from the primary thought of scanning documents only, this scanner seems great for scanning other files and documents like photos and images.
High-Quality Scans
Even though not designed for scanning some bulky and 3D types of objects, these scanners do an excellent job by scanning documents in high resolution and colour accuracy.
Affordable Option
The last but not least thing to know about them is that they are a cost-effective option for obtaining your documents and images in digital format.
How Does It Work?
The scanning process should start by placing the document/image on the scanner's flat surface after which the lid should be closed. Once done and turned on, a light is shone over the document and onto the sensor that can be found on the bottom of the flatbed. This sensor captures the light that is reflected off the document and sends information to the scanner's software which accepts the information and creates a digital version of the document/image.
Features To Look For
An important thing to know about these amazing tools is that they come in a large selection of sizes and types which gives you the freedom to pick the ones you need the most. That being said, the maximum size of the document that you can scan depends mainly on the size of the flatbed surface. So, make sure to take into account your needs before choosing any scanner.
Size
Understanding their sizes will help you make the right choice. Even though most of the scanners support standard documents of A4 letter size, an 11x17 scanner can also fit an entire A3 document. So, before making any decision, make sure to consider the typical size of documents you plan to scan and digitise. Then and only then you'll be able to make the right choice.
Scan Resolution
Another important feature to look for is the scan resolution. Generally speaking, it's said that these scanners have different resolutions ranging from 50 DPI (dots per inch) to 4800 DPI. An important thing to know about these scanners is that a lower optical DPI doesn't mean that the scanner is of lower quality. In fact, the higher the resolution the scanner has, the reduced the scanner's scanning speed. So, while it is true that a scanner with high DPI will give you better image quality when using the scanner only for scanning documents, you really don't need anything higher than 300 DPI.
Colour Quality
Those of you who plan on scanning documents only probably wouldn't have to worry about capturing their true colour. However, if you plan on scanning everything from documents and magazines to images and artistic prints, then you should certainly choose a scanner that captures true-to-life colour images.
Speed
When searching for the right scanner, make sure to choose one that can scan a standard document sheet in half a second in landscape mode.
Coverless Scanning
Quite often, the scanning in these scanners is done by placing the document and lowering the cover over it in order to hold the document in place and minimise dust and contamination from entering the scanning area. However, some models don't contain any cover and they seem to be perfect for speeding up the process and for scanning the surface of bulkier documents that won't fit under the cover of any regular flatbed scanner.
Connectivity
The last but not least thing you should have in mind is to consider whether you need a scanner with USB, Ethernet or WiFi connectivity. All of these choices work great so it is up to you which one you'll choose.
