The usefulness of a scanner these days provides an interesting focal point in the relationship between traditional and digital art. While many artists and designers edit lines on their tablet devices, there are also many who attest to creating outlines in ink before scanning to a digital inking device.
A scanner can also be invaluable for vectorizing graphics, illustrations, and fonts for a digital piece. A designer knows that capturing from a scanner is always more accurate than capturing a shutter in a camera. If the lighting is incorrect for your shot, expect an inaccuracy with the copy created that simply won’t show up in a scan.
You may also want to capture the specific shade of a color in a magazine or book that inspired you, and then search your scan for a digital project you’re working on. You can invest in a handheld Pantone Capsure color capture tool if you want, but a decent scanner can easily be worth half the price, it all depends on the type, so it really only depends on your budget.
If you read this and find that you’re nodding your head, read on to find all the tech specs and tips you need when buying your first or next scanner; Below, you’ll find our most recommended scanners with an overview of each device.
What makes a good scanner for art and design?
First, get rid of any ideas of a bulky animal straight out of your 9-to-5 office nightmare. A good scanner for artists and designers is the freestanding desktop variety, preferably a flatbed variety with a lid that you can press into your documents.
Do most scanners work with Mac?
Many developers overlook this, as it is often taken for granted. However, make sure your scanner has a Mac OS driver before making a purchase.
Windows users are generally safe, but anyone who uses a Macbook, i.e. most artists and designers out there, should read the fine print. Mac OS drivers may already exist on your computer, or they may be available as a separate download from the manufacturer’s website. To make your job easier, all of our scanner selections are compatible with Mac in this feature.
What are the good specifications of a scanner?
Any decent scanner should have an optical resolution of 4,800 pixels or more if you want to scan in color. The higher the pixels and the difference won’t necessarily be obvious, but the lower it will be.
Your perfect art and design scanner should also have CCD scanning technology. CCD stands for Charged Coupled Device, an image sensor that uses a real lens to shrink the scanned image to the scanner’s image sensor. The kind you’d find on an older digital camera, this lens has all the shooting capabilities you need. Most of our tips below are CCD unless otherwise noted.
Are the scanners bigger than the A4?
Larger flatbeds such as Epson Expression 12000XL models can then hold an A3 piece. However, keep in mind that these models are usually more expensive.
Some manufacturers of A4 size scanners have higher specifications than the “maximum” sizes. However, this is only possible with “stitching” software, which requires you to insert it more than once into a document. Different parts of the image are scanned and then stitched together into an image, such as when you take a photo on your phone in panorama mode, and the quality of the results may be different.
Do scanners not detect “dirt” in an image?
Most scanners come with software that can detect imperfections in the emulsion of the object being scanned, such as Digital ICE, which usually comes with Epson models.
Are the latest scanner models improving?
Scanner models are not updated annually. So don’t assume it’s automatically better because something came out a year ago. Scanner technology isn’t an ever-evolving field and a five-year-old model may be more than enough to meet your creative needs.
Are portable scanners available and reliable?
Handheld scanners are an option for anyone traveling from one place to another and needs to pack their equipment along with their laptop and tablet. They look slim like a Toblerone pack or a Venetian blind mount, but they almost always have low specs. However, they can be useful if you just want to scan a sheet of paper here and there for lines while you’re on the go.
A compact like the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i scanner shown below is always the best: compact scanners aren’t as thin as their portable siblings, but they can be easily dragged, saved, or placed on a small desk with poor coverage.
When it gets small, you might be tempted to pay a premium for a wireless model. However, since you’ll probably still be using your laptop, all you need to do is get a standard type that you can plug into your device’s USB portal.
Best All-Around Scanner: Canon CanoScan 9000F MKII
- Maximum size: A4
- Resolution(DPI): 9,600 x 9,600
The Canon CanoScan 9000F is sold as a professional film, photo and document scanner and is a great versatile tag for the price.
With 9600 x 9600 pixels for movies and 4800 x 4800 pixels for photos and documents, it also offers excellent optical resolution specifications. It also automatically detects different types of paper so you don’t have to touch the surface anymore (very efficient).
Best Photo Scanner: Epson Perfection V550
- Maximum size: A4
- Resolution (DPI): 6,400 x 9,600
The Epson Perfection V550 photo scanner is another good all-rounder in the sense of the Canon model. The special feature is the integrated software for photography.
If you don’t like photos, you can be satisfied with the DPI specs and useful cloud upload features.
Best Compact Scanner: Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i
- Maximum size: A4
- Resolution(DPI): 600 x 600
Handheld scanners seem to be the best option for any developer who is often on the go (or any developer who is behind a particularly small desk). We say you should use a compact scanner instead, especially this Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i. It’s not as small as a portable device, but it can still be easily carried around with your gear.
Although it’s not a CCD or flatbed, the scanner is still the most efficient and reliable compact type on the market, and a fast one that can scan up to 12 double-sided pages per minute.
If you need a CCD option that allows you to capture your colors and images in better quality, check out the Fujitsu FI-7700 Image Scanner. While it’s not compact or portable, it’s a fun thing that doesn’t take up all your space.
Best A3 Scanner: Fujitsu ScanSnap SV600
- Maximum size: A3
- Resolution(DPI): 285-218 (horizontal) / 283-152 (vertical)
The Fujitsu ScanSnap SV600 is one of the most sought-after so-called document cameras by archivists and librarians out there.
For artists and designers, this means you can capture a large piece by simply placing it under the camera, so you don’t have to fiddle with caps or stitch images together in Photoshop.
The SV600’s camera head detects the entire object on your placemat and moves mechanically to scan it from top to bottom. Covering this light is like putting the lid of a scanner on a book, so you can be sure that you’re going to get a high-quality scan like any regular flatbed scanner (as opposed to a digital photo).
If you have any doubts about its origin, you need to know that the SV600 was used to create an extensive online archive of watercolor paints with impressive results.
Best high-end scanner: Epson Expression 12000XL
- Maximum size: A3
- Resolution (DPI): 2,400 x 4,800
For the price, you get a large flat surface that’s perfect for A3 parts.
The resolution is lower than the cheaper alternatives on this list, but the printing ensures large, high-resolution, high-speed scans. There’s also no need to warm up before continuing with your scans.
The Expression 12000XL also has the smallest control panel in our overview, which simply consists of a power switch and LED status lights.