I have three scanners, a HP 5300 and a Microtek E3, and the SnapScan will make the best scans of them all. The SnapScan easily has sharper detail, has better gamma and more contrast than the others. Using a dollar bill as a test the SnapScan detail was superior at 300 dpi. At 600 dpi the HP scanner matched the 300 dpi SnapScan. The Microtek scanner never had a chance to compete because the scanned image was outclassed.

Installation was as easy as just plugging it in. The software installation was a breeze.

The scanner does not look pretty and feels flimsy but it is the little scanner that could. The great scans easily make up for the ugly looking design.

I especially like the software. You can use the easy version that does most of the thinking for you but I go for the more complicated version called FotoLook. I have been a pressman for 15 years and I am used to 'tweaking' scanned images.

The fancier version of the software allows a lot of adjustment to get the best original image possible. The preview is fast unlike the terribly slow HP scanner. It has zoom, black/white set points. The software color, black & white mode & line mode (with a threshold option, input dpi, scale size, automatic ranging (dmin & dmax), tone curve (histograms), sharpness, descreen option and flavor (?)

The manual is easy to understand and fully covers the features of the scanner.

The only part that worries me is Agfa has not been known for supporting their products. While updates are common for other peripherals, Agfa support does not seem to exist. I have my two SnapScan scanners running on Win 95 & 98 running with no problems but I don't know if there is any support for any other Win OPs.

This software that Agfa supplies with the scanner is as good as it gets. A commercial printer scanner is the only thing that would match this scanner. The optics of the scanner is just as good as the software. I’m sold on this scanner!



Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 10
Interface: Parallel