Anyone tried low cost scanners from China? There are loads on AliExpress.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001678322708.html
This one is 13 MP and around £180. Comes with some software but I imagine it works okay with any software you like.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001066227193.html
They get as low as £35, claims to be 8 MP. Presumably the optics are junk.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001470301626.html
Mid price one for £60, claims 10 MP.
You get a compact unit with built in light. I am guessing that the cheap ones are not very good but I wonder if with the right software it might be possible to get decent results.
Low cost Chinese scanners
Moderator: peterZ
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Re: Low cost Chinese scanners
I say stay away. Picture quality is horrible for our purpose. Think high end "surveillance camera". And it only works through the supplied software as far as I could see, which was some clunky and limited software. And I got a really high scanner with better specificationshttps://www.banggood.com/Eloam-S1500A3AF-Profes ... 95411.html
If you want to try get a cheaper one. Less money lost...
If you want to try get a cheaper one. Less money lost...
Re: Low cost Chinese scanners
There seem to be a number of scanners of this type that as far as I know have yet to be mentioned on the forum, also probably no need to purchase at least some from China, when they may be available locally.
Here's another one, 22MP, available and in stock at the moment from Amazon here in the Britain:
iOCHOW S5 Book & Document Camera.
Webpage attached for future reference as the link may not be available for long.
Here's another one, 22MP, available and in stock at the moment from Amazon here in the Britain:
iOCHOW S5 Book & Document Camera.
Webpage attached for future reference as the link may not be available for long.
Re: Low cost Chinese scanners
Hmm, Amazon reviews are not good. It looks like the software is the main issue.
Re: Low cost Chinese scanners
When I had a quick look at the Czur site yesterday, something I read gave me the impression that their processing software was freely available, maybe too good to be true, and I couldn't see it when I looked quickly at the download page. On the other hand, not necessarily entirely ridiculous, as it might ultimately result in people deciding to use one of their scanners.
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Re: Low cost Chinese scanners
It is, but to download it you need to enter the serial number of your Czur hardware, and it does query the device to make sure it's genuine every time you start a scan.
I can recommend the Czur Shine Ultra, though - it's pretty good at what it does once you have it set up well. There are a number of ...quirks... in the software which would be easy to fix (in my opinion) that really indicate software designed by an engineer and not a user.
Re: Low cost Chinese scanners
No harm trying to contact them, if you can see a way of doing it...JasonStonier wrote: ↑07 Dec 2021, 15:16 I can recommend the Czur Shine Ultra, though - it's pretty good at what it does once you have it set up well. There are a number of ...quirks... in the software which would be easy to fix (in my opinion) that really indicate software designed by an engineer and not a user.
Czur's software might well be produced by quite a small department or be produced by a contractor when required. If you are able to contact the head office or marketing department and ask if you may make some suggestions for enhancements, it might be passed on. I have several times contacted website owners and been surprised that they listened.
And some years ago, when I was looking for details of a rather technical image compression method, I found the relevant paper was widely available but behind a paywall. I then noticed that it was also available for direct download from a Chines university website, and rationalising that I wouldn't be purchasing a copy anyway, downloaded the file. The download was the wrong paper!! Undeterred, I then found contact details for the university department, sent an email informing then that the link was incorrect, received a prompt reply, and a couple of weeks later was able to download the correct paper!
Re: Low cost Chinese scanners
Shame it's not just a standard USB camera. Can you capture raw images without any correction etc? At least then you could use your own image processing.
But now I think about, maybe all you really need is a normal camera and the right software. Possibly with some kind of grid projector, or one of those laser spirit level things to help determine the curvature of the pages.
But now I think about, maybe all you really need is a normal camera and the right software. Possibly with some kind of grid projector, or one of those laser spirit level things to help determine the curvature of the pages.