Cheaper units don't really do a good enough job for high-quality 'archival' scans, but if it's just preserving happy snaps for posterity they may be good enough for your needs. It depends on the quality of the slide scanner too. But if their default sharpening functions are left on, they may produce acceptable images. The other important factors are sharpness, quality of the colour reproduction and the ability to deal with lots of shades of grey (from almost pure white to almost black).Ĭheaper flatbed models may produce images that aren't as sharp as dedicated slide scanners when their sharpening function is turned off.

Until recent years, consumer-level flatbeds didn't provide the same high resolution as a dedicated consumer-level slide scanner, but printing up to A3 size from a slide is possible without having to worry about a degraded image.īut size of image is only one factor to consider. Flatbeds usually come in two sizes, able to handle A4/US-letter size or A3 size material, whereas a dedicated slide scanner can only cope with negatives and slides. These models have a light source built into the lid and usually come with several frames for holding different sized film. Flatbed scannersįlatbed scanners come in models that just scan reflective material such as photos and artwork, as well as models that can scan transparency material such as film slides and negatives. We take a look at three different kinds of scanners – flatbed, slide and portable document scanners – to help you decide which one you need. Flatbed scanner vs slide scanner vs portable scanner But buy the wrong scanner for your needs, and you could end up with a very expensive paperweight. Using the right scanner for the job – like a specialised slide scanner if you have boxes and boxes of Kodachrome – will make the task of preserving your captured memories that much easier too. Scanning will help you preserve these forever, if that's what you need. Photos and receipts will fade over time, and even bills and other paper documents can decay if not stored well.

Converting the physical into digital will not only help you clear out space at home, it's a great way to protect your personal treasures and important documents.

Best portable scanner for mac 2017