How to Choose the Best Flatbed Scanner

It seems all products today tout theirs as "the best." People give various opinions on which products rule their category and it seems every opinion is different. But your needs for a scanner may be quite different than someone else's. You can evaluate scanners based on your own preferences by learning a little bit of the lingo and comparing what each scanner offers against what you have in mind. So what does all the terminology mean and how does it help you decide on a scanner? This article will help you choose the best flatbed scanner for you with a review of some of the terms to know.Using the Lingo to Pick the Best Flatbed ScannerIt's difficult to know what is the best flatbed scanner if you're confused by all the terms. A scanner's worth is generally measured by DPI, bit color, and speed. But there are other features or capabilities that can enhance its value, including what it can scan (documents, photos, film), what it can do with the scanned items (photo retouching and image enlargement), and what the scanner's software can do for you (image enhancement and editing). So that you don't get blindsided by all the bells and whistles scanners can come with, it's a good idea to understand the basics.DPI, or dots per inch, is how the scanner's resolution is measured. The higher the DPI, the better image quality you will get. As the technology advances, you can get better quality scanners for less money. You don't have to spend a lot now to get the best flatbed scanner with 4800 DPI. You can go higher or lower of course, depending on personal preference. For photography or graphic arts, you want a photo quality scanner with as high a resolution as you can afford. For most scanning, however, a middle-grade scanner will serve the purpose. Even the lower end scanners now have very good resolutions.Then there's bit depth, which is more often referred to as bit color such as 48-bit. This measurement takes us down from the overall resolution to just how much detail is captured with each pixel. The more detail and depth is captured with each pixel, the better the overall image will be. How important this is to you is entirely dependent on the purpose of the scanner. Again, if you're going to use it for photography or graphic arts or a similar industry, you'll want the best quality you can afford. For the rest of us, a medium level scanner with an average bit depth should be enough. So check the resolution and the bit depth for the best flatbed scanner.Speed may not be quite as important as resolution and bit depth but it may have a great impact on how fast you get things done. If you do a lot of scanning, or plan to scan a lot of film or slides, speed counts. For the best flatbed scanner in the speed department, search for one that can do about eight pages or four images a minute. Some scanners are even faster. And along the lines of speed, some scanners can do batches as well.What is the best flatbed scanner for you? By evaluating the DPI, or resolution, bit depth, and speed of the scanners you're interested in against what business or personal use you have in mind, you have all you need to get the best flatbed scanner for you.