My Scanner Stinks !!!

CoinOnTheCob

I bought these coins last weekend and I scanned them.
This one





And this one





My scanner sucks! I’m thing about getting a Kodak Z740. Anyone have this? It will have double as a family camera.

carl

Scanners are OK but just not intended for meticulous work. You could use your scanner as a camera but You would always have to have everyone push themselves against the screen. Makes it tuff for family photos. Scanning the family pet is also not a good idea.
Just about any digital camera is good enough for both coins and your family. The only thing to look for is that it has a thing called Macro. That is for closeups. There is lots of ads for cameras with high megapixels. No one really needs them. If you get a camera that takes 5, 6, etc Megapixels you'll end up reducing the photos anyway to post here. Regarless of what brand you buy just make sure if your family is not photo smart that you get one they can all use without classes in photography.
My suggestion is to just check that the camera has a built in flash, tripod mounting hole on the bottom, removable card, Macro settings and a decent price. Remember the prices of all digital cameras are dropping by the minute.

CoinOnTheCob

<< You could use your scanner as a camera but You would always have to have everyone push themselves against the screen. Makes it tuff for family photos. Scanning the family pet is also not a good idea. >>


Thanks, Carl.

Russ

Actually, for a scanner those images aren't bad. That last one is a little freaky, though.

Russ, NCNE

grip

Thats one "nose job"

CoinOnTheCob

Nothing in my nose.

lablover

I use an Epson Perfection 2450 Photo Scanner with great success. However, I will say it's very difficult to image a "proof" coin with a scanner. The mirrors on the coin create a reflection and just don't scan well. But, for uncirc it's very good at capturing the color although it will not reflect lustre.

Here's one I scanned and it's dead-on accurate:

NoGvmnt

Wow dude, I can see all the way to the back of your skull!

Jim

CoinOnTheCob

That one does look sharp. I am looking for a camera to use as a family camera. I might as well get one that is good with coins.

CoinOnTheCob

<< Wow dude, I can see all the way to the back of your skull! >>


It's a curse

Smitty79

Here's the best I can do with my HP scanner. Out of focus, but shows mirrors better than my old Lexmark scanner. This is the first time I've scanned coins on the HP. Yours turned out nicer than mine, though. Not bad at all.

CoinOnTheCob

Smitty, why would your scanner be out of focus? It just copies what it sees. Unless the plastic raises the coins too far off the glass. Hmmm.

LindeDad

Looks like they are all focused on the plastic and not the coins JMO.

CoinOnTheCob

That's what I was thinking. Well, focused on anything laying right against the glass. A scanner doesn't really focus I don't think.

grip

It copys what it sees,no focus.
Al

Conder101

Scanners are designed to image two dimensional objects such as paper documents to they are "focused" just at the top surface of the glass. Three dimensional objects don't do as well. Perversely enough, the better quality scanners that produce sharper images of documents would probably do a poorer job of scanning slabs since their optics are probably better, the focusing more precise, and the depth of field less.

carl

The worst part of using a scanner for coins is doing the reverse of a coin. You have to turn the scanner upside down.

CoinOnTheCob

<< You have to turn the scanner upside down. >>

I’m learning a lot from you, Carl.