UMAX Astra 3450

Advantages: Good quality and a transparency adapter
Disadvantages: Poor handling of negatives

The Umax Astra 3450 is a mid-range consumer flatbed scanner. Launched this year (2001) it is one of a range of products that includes both consumer and professional standard equipment. I have owned and used flatbed scanners for about 6 years. I only decided to replace my previous model because it had a SCSI interface and I don’t have a SCSI card in my new PC. Having used a scanner for some time I had a pretty clear idea of what features I wanted, ...
...I decided to buy a Umax Astra 3450. The basic specification met my requirements and it was available at the right price for my budget. Specification ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ USB Interface 600 x 1200 dpi optical resolution A4 flatbed with 100 x 127mm transparency adapter in the lid 42 bit colour depth/14 bit monochrome (assuming your software supports it, otherwise 24/8 bit) Size: 460 x 295 x 87.8 (according to the spec. sheet – this means it is one of ... Read review

Advantages: Rather compact, excellent price, scanning positive image is very well
Disadvantages: Poor software, problems with USB, scanning of color negatives is bad

...of performance of the hardware Umax Astra 3450 have appeared much better on a comparison with the 2200 model. The scanner shown the excellent output results and good productivity. It is necessary to mark a high exactitude colors and balance on gray for scanning both in reflected, and in transparent light (for positive images). Essential defect of this model is the unsatisfactory quality of received images for scanning of color negatives owing to ... Read review

Advantages: Very Good photo reproduction
Disadvantages: Transparencies very poor

...versatile so I chose the UMAX Astra 3450. Retails for around £80 - £90 but I brought it from EBAY auction site, new, and for £46. I will keep my review brief as the previous report (pauljm) says it all and I don’t want to be repetitive. The scanner is a 600 X 1200dpi scanner with a built in transparency cover, 42 bit colour depth with USB interface. A4 is really the maximum size that can be scanned. Setting up was very easy, comes with drivers ...
...is good. Also with OCR software that worked very well. OCR is software that recognises typed documents that are scanned in and attempts to recognise each individual letter and place it into your word processor package so you can edit, add and the like. I didn’t have any trouble with the software, I use Windows ME. I scanned a 10 X 8 photograph (Take by a professional photographer) at 600 dpi (The higher the DPI the better the scan, however ... Read review