We are looking for a (New) replacement scanner. We are looking for a flatbed, USB,8.5 x 11 or 11 x 13, in the less than $200 range. We don't do much scanning for our design business, no slides etc, just documents and whatever else for the design process. We are on an iMac 2.8, 24", Leopard. we used to have a UMAX 6450 firewire but it sounds like gravel in a blender now, and the Silverfast software requires an $80 upgrade for Leopard. Hate to put that 80 bucks into an old dog. Any recommendations?

If you can live with 8.5x11, almost any of the Canon scanners look good.

My experience with the LiDE 600F makes me think that the LiDE 700F would work well for you. It includes the ability to scan film and negatives and is a fairly compact package. It's USB powered so no power adapter is needed.

I have a very very very lightly used UMAX 6450 Firewire scanner without the Blender option.

How light do you ask? How about once?

I believe it has a larger bed than 8.5 x 11.

But you would know that.

If you are interested ....

Oh yeah --- Still in the Original Box too.

No special recommendation. However if you want to see "in person" a LOT of dedicated scanners in every consumer-level price range (not all-in-ones) in stock, MicroCenter in Madison Hgts is the place to go. Their prices may not be the best you can do, but as I recall they had a Canon in the $199 price range that I've considered before. It may include bells & whistles software that you don't need for that price.

At least you can look them over & compare specs. Everything from $49 up, several brands.

Not easy to find such a collection in one store, as the AIO's are so popular in office stores.

Haven't looked at Best Buy.

Low end scanners, like the Canon LiDE 70, may cause moiré artifacts that cannot be removed by descreening software. However, it may be all you need. [The LiDE 70 has been supplanted by the LiDE 100 & 200, but they're essentially the same products as the 70.]

SilverFast is essentially not writing software for new scanners. It's time to switch to VueScan software in all likelihood. VueScan Pro software offers ICC profile compatibility, but not ICE^4 compatibility, for color control.

There are very few "old school" scanner companies, so you're probably going to be looking at Canon and Epson products. Umax, Polaroid, Apple, Howtek, HP, Linotype, LaCie, Minolta, PIE, etc. are all pretty much defunct in the consumer business.

• Photos require a different scanner (or software) than text.
  
• Reflective photos are different than transparencies.
  
• Transparencies require ICE^4 software, and it's also highly recommended for reflective scans - depending how faded the photos are. ICE^4 requires a 4th color channel, in hardware, in addition to the typical RGB channels. Canon doesn't offer ICE^4 software/hardware; Epson does.
  
• Some scanners for text minimize bleed-through, perform some despeckling, and straighten the image.
  
• Some OEM software & some aftermarket software performs descreening on halftone prints.
  
• Scanning speed is a difficult issue to research. Firewire may be faster than USB 2.0, but it's dying a slow death. I think speed is also driver dependent.
  
• Canon's low end scanners are nice to have at libraries when doing research, since they are powered off a USB connection, and you don't need a wall power supply.
  
• Nikon slide scanners with the slide feeder option are probably more ergonomic for batch slide scanning, if such a job comes across your desk. I think they do a much better job with initial color accuracy, and they're are easier to profile.
  
• Nikon tech support is very good and lasts a long time. Canon and Epson tech support lasts for year, then you pay I believe.

Thanks to everyone for your excellent input. MacGroup D. is the best.

To Calvin: thanks on your offer, our 6450 still works (noisily and technically) just not on Leopard, and the software upgrade is $80. Ouch.

To Mary Jo: I will definitely make a trip to MicroCenter in MH. Well worth the trip for research purposes.

To James: Canon seems to get good reviews everywhere. Thank you. I also noticed that nobody recommended Microtek! I seem to recall reading they don't support Leopard well if at all.

And to Chuck: Wow. I didn't know about SilverFast not supporting new scanners, they sure don't make that clear on their incomprehensible website. Never have been all that impressed by their product. I will look into VueScan promptly. Thanks for all the valuable info on scanner technology.

Off to the store!