Advantages: Affordable, solid, good quality and you can rest cups of tea on top! Disadvantages: Sometimes slow to scan and other scanners do have better quality
We have had out Microtek Scanmaker 3600 for well over 5 years now and it is still going strong and doing the job for our entire family. I'm not sure how much we paid for it, but it was not a lot because we just wanted a basic scanner that could scan in documents. It is very reliable, easy to use, with a suitable range of features but has the tendency to be a bit slow occasionally.
1. Looks, Design and Size
The scanner is fairly good looking, quite elegant and fairly compact. It measures approximately 17" long, 10" across and 4" high so can fit into most desktop areas. It has a solid build to it and rather funky curve on the lid that gives it some added style. Furthermore, the main surface is flat and you can easily rest your cup of tea, lunch or bits of paper on top! The white colour is easy on the eye and fits in to most rooms ...
Advantages: Durable, Programmable, Easy to Set Disadvantages: Too Slow for Offices, Quality Pictures Require Changing Settings
The Microtec ScanMaker 4850 flatbed scanner might seem obsolete due to its quality, being half of what more modern scanners can offer, and the fact it is not a part of a multi-functional copier, but you should not be assumptuous about this device.
Instead of reviewing the mechanics and energy consumption of the scanner, this summary will provide you practical information about the technology in question.
The scanner came with an USB wire and power cord, instruction manual (it was unnecessary, as all you have to do is plug it in and install the software), installation CDs (multi-lingual, one for Max, one for Windows) with plenty of software including Microtek's scanner applications and an OCR application, which is gold, as it turns your scanned material available for editing in Word.
Value for Money
I've gotten this ...
Advantages: Spec for price Disadvantages: Its apparent design fault
Please note: I'm a Mac user so the software issues here are Mac-specific and I'm unable to comment on how the 5900 runs with a PC; however, the hardware issue is machine-non-specific!
I bought my first Scanmaker 5900 from GHQ Computers, a reputable store in Britain which specialises in Apple software and hardware. I'd tried several computer superstores locally to no avail. It cost £125 + VAT from GHQ (online) in May 2004.
My choice was governed by budget and special requirements, i.e. I needed 4"x5" transparency scanning. Many scanners provide 35mm film adaptation, but most of those that offer large format fall into the very expensive, 'arts professional' bracket. Up until that point, I'd had a Scanmaker X6 with Light Lid and been reasonably happy with it, though its output quality had certainly declined over the 4 year period. My ...
Product Information for "Microtek ScanMaker 4700" »
Scanner
Input Type
Colour
Grayscale Depth
14-bit grey
Colour Depth
42-bit colour
Optical Resolution
1200 dpi x 2400 dpi
Interpolated Resolution
9600 ppi x 9600 ppi
Scan Mode
Single-pass
Scan Element Type
CCD
Bulb / Light Source Type
Xe-gas cold cathode fluorescent lamp
Compliant Standards
TWAIN
Scan Speed
12 ms / line (colour)
Control Panel Buttons Functions
Scan, copy, email, cancel, setup
Scanner Speed Details
4 lines / sec - colour - 600 dpi
4 lines / sec - greyscale - 600 dpi
12 lines / sec - colour - 1200 dpi
12 lines / sec - greyscale - 1200 dpi
Manufacturer's product description
The ScanMaker 4700 is equipped with 5 smart buttons to help make your scanning easy! You can scan at the touch of a button, attach photos to your email in seconds and turn your printer into a copier! The buttons are also customizable to fit your needs. This scanner captures high-resolution 2400 dpi images in a single scanning pass to ensure accurate color registration. The true 42-bit Input and Output color information captures trillions of colors for the most accurate highlights and shadows, delivering the subtle differences in color that 36-bit scanners can't see. Connecting it to your system is quick and easy with the included USB connection. Set up is a snap whether you are using an iMac, Apple G3/G4 or a Windows 98 equipped PC. The ScanMaker 4700 is equipped with high-quality CCD sensors to ensure superior images. This scanner can capture 720, 000 pixels per square inch in a single pass. With this technology, you will be able to enlarge your photos to 8x10 size while maintaining the original image quality!
