Canon 8400F: The scanner for the Average Joe when Slide Scanning
Written: Feb 26 '05
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Pros: > Great slide scans,easy to use software, fast and quite
Cons: > Hard to find at the local electronics stores
The Bottom Line: I've tried many scanners recently and the 8400F provides better ease of use and quality of scan than anything I've look at in the sub $200 range
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| megsfolks's Full Review: Canon CanoScan 8400F Film Scanner (35 mm), Flatbed... |
My search is over. For the last three months I've been searching for a scanner that is reasonably priced, simple to use, and will give decent reproductions of our family's old 1950s and 1960s 35mm slides. My standards are what I would guess as average; I'm not a photographer so much of the photography precision standards are not relevant to me... although photographic precision isn't required, I do want a decent representation (focus, general colors, etc) of the slide.
I started out on my mission to digitize our old slides with the Hewlett Packard 4070, a complete disappointment (see my review on epinions if interested HP 4070 Scanner ). I returned the unit and picked up a Microtek scanner that BestBuy had on the shelf. It was even worse...I learned with this unit that you need to have a secondary light source in the lid for best representation. The Microtek went back as it defocused all of my slide scans.
So, I started a more detailed search. Sure I could've gotten a professional grade scanner, but I didn't have the $$$ to spend on one. I ended up liking what I read about the Canon 8400F CanoScan. It seemed to have all the right features. After deciding to get it, I went on a several week casual excursion to find it in one of the many local electronics stores. Where I live, we have all of the national chains. No one carried it in stock. Bummer.
So, still interested in getting this unit, we ordered from Staples.com and received it in a couple days (side note; if you fall into the same dilemma we did, Staples did a great job in delivering--plus the added benefit of returning to the local Staples store if a problem). I hooked the scanner up this morning. All of my frustrations from earlier scanners were overcome and all of my expectations for this one were met! Within 30 minutes of hooking up the scanner, I scanned and digitized one box of slides.
Let me share the functionality of the unit and why I am so jazzed. The software that Canon provides to capture the scan is perfectly simple for me, my wife, or even my kid to use. Intuitive and obvious. Next, the software provided to 'touch up' the scan is equally easy to use and very very capable. For instance, when scanning these old slides where the color has faded, you can hit an icon that offers 9 different options for automatic adjustment of color; one is the suggested 'medium' level adjustment and then there are four variations on either side. Very cool. Very easy. I even played around with an endless list of special effects that can be applied.
How about scanning multiple slides? It seems to me that if the scanner has the ability to hold multiple slides, it should be able to distinguish them on the scan and provide automatic separation of files; one file for each slide. The HP wasn't able to do this...even with tons of customer service support. Fro the Canon, the slide holder holds 4 slides. During the preview, each individual slide is shown and the software allows you to simply check-mark select which of the four slides you want to scan. If you chose more than one, the scanner works logically with the software to give you different pictures. The user doesn't have to manually adjust scan zones or apply other intervention to get the multiple pictures. This is huge for us as we have boxes and boxes of slides to convert. And it simply works.
Again, as I stated earlier, I am not a photographic professional. I'm sure that there are detailed specs and photo-buzz that someone can apply to better assess this scanner. But, from my seat, looking for a simple to use scanner that can give me a decent realization of a slide or old photo, I give the Canoscan 8400F my highest rating.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 149
Interface: USB
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Epinions.com ID:
megsfolks
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Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 1 member
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