Message-Id: <200208231618.g7NFt5jf003981@sitelicense.arizona.edu> Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2002 10:17:04 -0600 From: Tim Au Yeung <mailto:ytau@UCALGARY.CA> Subject: Re: HP Scanners To: mailto:IMAGELIB@listserv.arizona.edu
<pre>
The key is that for business (office) scanning, HP produces a good
combination of hardware and software bundle for meeting those
requirements. They look to integrate functions like faxing and OCR into
a single workflow which for a business user, is the type of operation
they're likely to run into. However, for imaging and graphics arts,
these are non-essential features.
Having used almost all of the makes of scanners at one point or another,
I would rate them fairly low as far as imaging needs go. The scanner
driver they provide only gives you minimal control over colour and scan
quality and the hardware is designed more around business functions so
they tend not to capture detail or colour as well as other models with
the exact same specifications where models are aimed specifically for
imaging. However, compared to other business scanners, they do produce a
good scanner.
One thing to consider in terms hardware specifications is that while
scanners may be rated to a certain resolution and colour depth, you have
to look at how its produced. In many cases, the highest optical
resolution is only good over a certain portion of the bed rather than
the whole bed. When looking to colour depth and fidelity, the hardware
side is only half of the equation. Capturing 48 bits of colour is fine
but when it comes into your imaging program, you'll be left with 24 bits
of colour as a general rule and it's up to either the hardware or the
software (in the form of the driver) to sample down. This is where the
importance of the scanner driver comes in. Even in terms of HP's
printers, I've never found the colour quality to be at the top of the
pack -- again, they produce a pleasing blend of features and
specifications in one package that suit most of the intended market.
In terms of overall quality, I've been very satisfied with the Agfa line
of scanners (although they are quite pricey) for specific imaging
requirements. If you're looking at the very high end, the Linotype-Hell
(or whatever they're calling themselves these days) are excellent. For
more general use, Epson produces a good line of scanners aimed at the
graphics arts industry but even their business scanners are relatively
good for imaging purposes.
Tim
---------------------------------
Tim Au Yeung
Manager, Digitization Initiatives
Information Resources
University of Calgary
Contact Information:
Phone: (403) 220-8975
Mailing Address:
Mackimmie Library Tower
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, Alberta, CA
T2N 1N4
> -----Original Message-----
> From: IMAGELIB [mailto:mailto:IMAGELIB@listserv.arizona.edu] On
> Behalf Of Sonny Carter
> Sent: Friday, August 23, 2002 9:42 AM
> To: mailto:IMAGELIB@listserv.arizona.edu
> Subject: Re: HP Scanners
>
>
>
> The thread criticized the 6000 series, particularly the
> document feeder arrangement, which is jam-prone, noisy and
> slow. Outside of a innocuous chassis color, I don't have
> much good to say about those scanners for most library
> scanning tasks. As a Scanner maker, H-P does a great job on printers.
>
> Regards,
>
> Sonny Carter
> Digital Imaging Specialist
> Cammie G. Henry Research Center
> Northwestern State University of Louisiana
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "LAVINA VELASCO" <mailto:LVELASCO@JHUCCP.ORG>
> To: <mailto:IMAGELIB@listserv.arizona.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 12:20 PM
> Subject: Re: HP Scanners
>
>
> > We have used an HP6390, HP7400 and an Epson 1680 Expression
> > (Professional), and compared with the Epson, we were not at all
> > impressed with the HP scanners.
> >
> > Lavina Velasco, Photoshare Librarian www.jhuccp.org/mmc/photoshare
> > 410-659-6280
> > mailto:lvelasco@jhuccp.org
> >
> > >>> mailto:rabaron@PIPELINE.COM 08/22/02 01:13PM >>>
> > A thread on this topic several months ago rather roundly criticized
> HP
> > scanners. Recent reviews (I read PC Mag) seem to suggest that they
> are
> > quite good -- at least for every-day business functions -- and went
> out
> > of
> > their way to commend the HP color fidelity. They were reviewing the
> > 5400 series. Does anyone have any experience with the HP
> 7400 series?
> These
> > are
> > all 2400dpi 48bit devices. The 7400 scanners include an SCSI
> > connection.
> >
> > Robert Baron
> > mailto:mailto:robert@studiolo.org
>
</pre>
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