On Mon, July 5, 2010 20:32, Aidan Gauland wrote: > Hello, > > I would like to get a handheld scanner for academic research (i.e. > digitising required reading for uni classes). Can anyone recommend > any models (and tell of any to avoid)? I have given myself a headache > searching, and handhelds seem to be waaaaaaaay less common than > flatbeds. > > Thanks, > Aidan > > Hi Aidan,
I don't recommend handheld scanners because they are very hard get good scans. They require you to pull at a constant speed and keep your path perfectly strait and level. Even if they have rubber rollers to detect your speed, they do slip and can lose track of distance. It is very hard to get a "good scans" with these devices. And if you are going to OCR the scans, then you'll need every little bit of accuracy because at best you're looking at 85-95% with a good scan. However, for scanning books, flatbeds have issues distortion in the center of thick books. One solution is to cut the book from its binding and then scan the flat pages using a ADF. (Automatic Document Feeder) Re-glue the book back together when finished. Assuming you own the books and can do that. :) Otherwise, DIY with something like this works with two digital cameras taking pictures of the pages. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSU6y0EIrWY Good luck, sV
