Scanner Advice - Can't Stop Blurry Scans!!!

[3-2-count]

Understood, but when you do get the proper scanner what DPI you scan in is everything. Scanning with to much DPI is no good either.
Scan something in 2400 DPI like you mention and it's gonna come out looking like an X-Ray... Good luck with new scanner.

[Doug]

I bought a Canon scanner recently and had the same problem. Cards in PSA holders came out blurry and if I scanned anything in an SGC holder you couldn't even make out the card. I guess I made the mistake of buying a CID scanner instead of a CCD scanner. Unfortunately on Best Buy's website I didn't see where it told you which ones are which and I ended up with an $80 paperweight.

[Kotton King]

A great scanner out there that is popular with a lot of board members here is the Canoscan 4400f.

I also own this scanner and it does a great job on any slab. And it is very reasonably priced. I picked mine up for $99 a couple years ago.

I use the HP officejet 7310xi and it works great. After I take any scan I pull it up in the photo shop, or paint shop and crop it and adjust the contrast, focus and color to reflect the card. Has worked great for me. Have you tried to do this?????

[prestigecollectibles]

I have the CanoScan 8800F and it works great.
The Scanner Element is a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD)
It costs about $200.

[effe]

Did you try scanning with the lid open? I had the same problem, but I found when I set my slab on the scanner I got a result like this...

[Ladder7]

I had the same problem. Bought a fancy new CIS scanner that wouldn't focus off the glass. Fiddleflupped with every setting for hours... Very frustrating. She was just about to call an attorney when I discovered the solution.

Returned the GIS then asked around at work and several people offered their "useless" old scanners from the garage, attic, cellar etc. One old CCD beast worked flawlessly. I think it's a HP scanjet 3200. (came with Windows 95 software, but she worked)

A comparison test for off-the-glass focus;



CIS


CCD

[egbeachley]

Try cutting out a rectangular template out of white paper that the slab edges can sit on. The focus may then switch to the card.

[GoldenAge50s]

You can try all the gimmicks you want to improve the pics on a CIS element, but the simple answer is to MAKE SURE whatever scanner you buy the scanning element is CCD! End of story!