Reference:Scanners

TL;DR tips for shopping for a new scanner

What are the primary options/types of document/artwork scanners?

1. Small and very portable scanners. Small flatbed, foldable document feeders or move with your hand. Example [Doxie Flip]
   • These usually max out at 300ppi optical scan at 8-bits/channel.
   • Cost is higher (it's portable), quality is lower.
2. Less expensive, smaller flatbed document scanners. Example [Epson Perfection V19]
   • Most often have an optical scan resolution of 2400 x 2400 dpi at 8-bits/channel.
   • Cost is lower, quality, and sharpness is better than #1, but less than #3 😉.
   • These are primarily built for hobbyists scanning photo prints and document scanning.
   • As a low-cost solution for home, this should be a workable solution for some of your work (sketches, exploratory work). If you tend to upscale your scans or aspire to make larger prints, you will eventually need to find a more powerful scanner.
3. Professional tier, higher quality flatbed scanners for creative people. Example [Epson Perfection V600]
   • Most often have an optical scan resolution of 4800 x 4800 dpi. or higher. These are not limited to 8-bits/channel.
   • These also tend to be able to scan at the deeper color depths: 48-bit/channel Color or 16-bit Grayscale.
   • Cost is higher, takes up more room on your desk. Quality and sharpness are top-notch. This is often a multi-year investment, scanner technology leveled out years ago.
4. Large format (big drawings), higher quality professional flatbed scanners. Example [Epson Expression 12000XL-GA]
   • Let's be honest folks, these are mostly identical to #3 but bigger and absolutely insanely expensive!
   • Specs are mostly the same as above.
   • Unfortunately it's a small market and therefore more expensive to produce these in lower quantity.

What resolution means and what should you get?