What a difference a good scanner makes

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vandweller
vandweller Posts: 205 ✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
I took the recommendation of a few posts in the forum about a scanner, and picked up an Epson V600.



The difference between it and the scanner on my all-in-one printer/scanner/fax/microwave/etc is really staggering. Particularly for the back side of the slab, where I had once been resigned to blurriness and which is now crystal clear.



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I'm really looking forward now to upgrading all the images for my collection.



Thank you, forum!


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Comments

  • shagrotn77
    shagrotn77 Posts: 5,644 ✭✭✭✭
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    Wow, that's a huge difference. Can you post a side by side example of the front? I may want to get this scanner. Did you have to play with the settings at all?
    "My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. Our childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When we were insolent we were placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds - pretty standard really."
  • Stooge
    Stooge Posts: 4,700 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Does anyone here know if it is compatible with an Apple MacBook Pro?

    Later, Paul.
  • craig44
    craig44 Posts: 13,163 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Wow. Great improvement

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • cardbender
    cardbender Posts: 1,831 ✭✭
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    Cheaper scanners cannot scan thicker items well. They're out of focus a little.

    You want a scanner with a CCD, which stands for charged coupled device. That will allow for better
    definition on thicker items, like graded cards. I believe most stand alone scanners have the CCD, but check
    with the manufacturer to make sure.

    The all in one combo scanners/printers usually produce crappy scans.
  • PaulMaul
    PaulMaul Posts: 5,024 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    For 8 years I've used an all-in-one HP Photosmart C4480. It seems like it should not be great, but I've been happy with the quality for graded cards (see below). Unfortunately it's not compatible with the new MacBook Air I recently bought so I'm going to have to figure out a new one, which I hate.

    image
    My 1972 Baseball and Wacky Pack Registry Sets
  • Alride
    Alride Posts: 1 ✭
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    It is, I recently purchased this one.

  • WillBBC
    WillBBC Posts: 56 ✭✭
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    Couldn't you just scan to a flash drive then pull the file from there on any system? PC/Mac/Death Star/whatever?

  • Stone193
    Stone193 Posts: 24,831 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Originally posted by: Stooge

    Does anyone here know if it is compatible with an Apple MacBook Pro?




    I'm using an Epson V39 with my Mac book and PC - bought it for a quick fix - less than 90 bucks - it stinks.



    The V600 looks way better.



    Mike
  • vandweller
    vandweller Posts: 205 ✭
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    Originally posted by: shagrotn77

    Wow, that's a huge difference. Can you post a side by side example of the front? I may want to get this scanner. Did you have to play with the settings at all?




    Here's a side-by-side. I made a fresh scan of the front with each scanner. Epson V600 on the left, old all-in-one Brother on the right. Both are 24-bit color, 300dpi. All the rest are default settings.



    image


    image
  • yankeesman
    yankeesman Posts: 1,078 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I'm a believer in the V600 too. Bought one a couple of months ago and was amazed at the difference. I left mine on factory settings straight out of the box.
    Don Mattingly, Yogi Berra, Thurman Munson, Brian McCann and Topps Rookie Cup autograph collector
    www.questfortherookiecup.com
  • vandweller
    vandweller Posts: 205 ✭
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    One little hack: When I place PSA slabs right up against the edge of the bezel to keep it straight, it would overlap a little and then not scan a tiny sliver of the edge of the slab. Happened on my other scanner too.



    So I bought a couple of narrow clear rulers from Hobby Lobby, cut one to fit, and use them to keep the cards straight but completely visible.



    image


    image

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