 |
| The
e50 uses a USB port for hot-swappable connectivity
to PC or Mac computers. The
wire hanging down powers the transparency
adapter built into the center of the lid. |
SPECIFICATIONS: Price: $199(srp). Resolution: 1200x2400 ppi optical;
9600 ppi interpolated. Color bit depth: 42-bit
color. D-range limit: <1.9 D-max. Maximum scan
size: 8.5x11.7 in. Scan speed (8x10): 14 sec preview,
1min 26 sec for 300 ppi scan. Connector: USB.
Film adapter: Yes; built-in transparency module
w/two templates. Dimensions: 19.7x13.3x3.7 inches.
Compatibility: WIN 98, 2000, Mac OS 8.0 or later.
Bundled software: Agfa ScanWise, Corel PrintOffice
2000, ReadIris (OCR). Phone/web address: 800-TRY-AGFA/www.agfahome.com.
TEST
RESULTS: Color Accuracy: Excellent
(Overall Delta E: 7.2, best 90%: 5.4, worst
10%: 23.0). Shadow Detail: Below normal.
Highlight Detail: High. Image Quality
Rating: High. Speed: Fairly Slow.
FEATURES
& COMMENTS:
According to Agfa the reason this scanner
is called "e50" is that the "e"
stands for easy. That term definitely applies
to the set-up software, which features a multimedia
installation with sound effects. It features
a 42-bit color depth and high resolution, along
with a built-in transparency module and four
programmable buttons for ease-of-use. The SnapScan
e50 scans originals and automatically formats
them for the Internet, word processing, text
conversion (OCR), or image-manipulation programs.
The four quick-pick buttons are located at the
front of the scanner for easy access.
The
ScanWise software bundled with the scanner helps
simplify the scanning process. If you want,
it will automatically determine the optimum
settings for each application based on the photo
in the scanner and the button pushed. If the
user wants to attach a photograph to an e-mail,
they just have to select the e-mail application
as a final destination, and ScanWise will automatically
set the RGB color mode and screen resolution.
Then it opens the e-mail and pastes the image
directly into it. ScanWise does provide manual
override settings and actually offers some powerful
controls when the user delves deeper.
Advanced
features include compatibility with ColorSync
and ICM 2.0 color management systems, and the
choice of whether or not to embed scanner color
profiles in the image file. However, this scanner's
lower D-range limit its ability to capture maximum
detail in shadows.
CANON
N1220U
|
 |
| This
unique scanner uses a single USB port for
power and connectivity to PC and Mac computers.
USB is about 10X faster than older parallel
or serial connections. |
SPECIFICATIONS:
Price: $199(sp). Resolution: 1200x2400 ppi optical,
9600 ppi interpolated. Color bit depth: 42-bit
internal/24-bit external. D-range limit: NA.
Maximum scan size: 8.5x11.7 in. Scan speed (8x10):
15 sec preview, 53 sec for 300 ppi scan. Connector:
USB. Film adapter: none. Dimensions: 10x14.7x1.3
in. Compatibility: WIN 98, 2000, Mac OS 8.5
or later. Bundled software: Canon Creative Image,
includes Adobe PhotoShop 5.0 LE, Arcsoft PhotoStudio
2000, Caere OmniPage, ArcSoft PhotoBase, Acrobat
reader 4.0, ScanGear Toolbox, CanoScantoolbox.
Phone/web address: 800-OK-CANON/www.ccsi.canon.com.
TEST
RESULTS: Color
Accuracy: Extremely high (Overall Delta
E: 8.2, best 90%: 6.8, worst 10%: 20.5). Shadow
Detail: High. Highlight Detail: Normal.
Image Quality Rating: High. Speed:
Fast.
FEATURES
& COMMENTS: The CanoScan N1220U
is an ultra-slim (1.3-inch high) scanner with
a great set of features, including Z-lid technology,
which lets you raise the scan lid so that you
can easily fit thicker objects on the scan bed.
Its high-tech silver finish is sure to impress
anyone and looks incredibly stylish either sitting
on your desk, or stored away on its side in
between your monitor and computer. Weighing
in at only 3.3 lbs, this is the ideal traveling
companion for laptop users.
The
CanoScan's external one-touch button immediately
starts the scanning process in 42-bit color
mode (although it only saves image files in
24-bit color). We found the scanner to be extremely
accurate in its color reproduction, especially
when using the ColorSync mode (color accuracy
is lower in both standard color correction and
no correction modes). And the software bundle
that ships with the N1220U is a real value.
However, overall image quality suffered from
slightly blown?out highlights and moderately
high contrast, and the scanner was a bit noisier
than most of the units tested.
