Just received it today and spent several hours with it. I am replacing an old $600 HP scanner with this and am very happy with the improvement so far.
I am using a dual boot XP 32bit / Vista 64bit configuration with 3.1gig amd x2 cpu and 4gig ram.So far it works perfectly under Vista 64bit. I downloaded the appropriate drivers and software and did not use the CD. Canon warns that it may not work with another USB cable, I tried a 6ft Belkin and it worked fine. The HP would not work with anything other than the short one they sent. The software and the front panel buttons work with no problems. I've had little problem learning the software without using the manual which is a good indication of how easy it is if you've some experience already. It scans negatives far better than the HP ever did. The photo scans are far better also. I like the software touch ups so far, but need a lot more time with it to have a final thought there. Thia scanner is far far better than the HP. I have a Cannon printer and have had no need to call their customer support so far. When I tried to get updated drivers for the Hp scanner, I and many others were told that they would not support Vista at all. Considering the $600+ cost of the scanner and the large number of them still in use, I feel that this shows the sorry state of HP's customer support. That is why I have gone over to Canon for both my printer and scanner. I'll not buy anything HP ever again. Canon CS5600F Color Image Scanner (2925B002)
I bought this scanner because I have many 20-25 year old slides I'd like to scan then throw away to reduce clutter. It was simple to set up and the results are better than I expected. Photos work much better than my HP 4 in 1. It will also scan negatives, though not quite as well as slides.
It was hard to find a scanner that would scan slides and work on a Mac. This does both very well.
I just bought the Canoscan 5600f. Took it home, followed the quick install instructions, and it's all hooked up.
First, let me clear up some inaccuracies:
1. The scanner box has a label on it that says "don't forget to buy a USB cable because it's not included!" But actually a USB cable DID come with mine. In fact, there's a warning to ONLY use this cable or it might not function. Canon, get your act together! I'm glad it came with a cable but the cable is too short to reach my computer, and if it IS true that you can't use a regular USB cable then what am I supposed to do? Canon has no accessories on their website.
2. I read somewhere that this scanner is USB powered, but it is not. There is a power cord (no adapter just a cord which is a plus). USB powered would have been nice but I'm not sure a USB has enough power to do that for a scanner anyyway.
3. There is not supposed to be a warmup required for this scanner, but indeed it does do a short warmup (maybe 5-10 seconds) sometimes before scanning. The scans themselves are nice and fast.
I had to do some tinkering with the settings before I could actually do any scans. There seem to be settings and preferences all over the place, and a lot of screens to mess around in - I was hoping for something simpler. I'm hoping to figure out fast and straightforward ways to make copies, scan documents, and scan photos.
So far I have NOT been able to get the scanner to perform the functions of any of the scanner buttons without having to go click something in the software on the computer. This is a major drag for me as I really wanted to be able to do one-touch copies using the scanner button (printing to my color laser printer). I am still trying to resolve this and will soon give product support a call.
As far as actually scanning the unit seems to do a nice job at first glance - it's fast and clear. I'm only scanning color documents so far, but plan to do some film, slides, and photos when I get the time (I'll probably test one soon). I probably should just have bought a multifunction color laser unit but I couldn't find one of those with great reviews so I ended up going for the color laser printer + scanner combo. Hope I don't regret it.
I will add more to this review as I work out the kinks. Initially I'm giving it a 3 star rating. Quality seems good, it does work, and some of the software features are nice - but see above for the negatives and inaccuraces which are why I subtracted two stars.
I bought this over the 8800f because this one is a new model and looked like it might have some better features, plus it's cheaper. And the 8800f is hard to find already too.
**This scanner is exceptional.** It has several access levels. My favorite way is through the ArcSoft PhotoStudio 5.5 image manipulation program that comes with the scanner.
To access this, Open ArcSoft, then select [File] and then click on [Acquire] to access the ScanGear menu that allows up to 1200 dpi for paper scanning and up to 9600 dpi for film and a host of other manipulation choices for scanning which is way more than necessary. A good choice is up to 600 dpi for paper and no more than 1600 dpi for film. Higher dpi scans take a "LOT" longer to scan.
However, remember digital scanning is nothing like print film photography. Rarely does a color scan look totally correct. So, after the image is scanned, one may need to change it. An easy way is to click on [Enhance] and then [Auto Enhance] after the scan is complete. Then one can select from several image changing choices. This can be done several times. There are a host of other image changing choices that come with this software as well. **Don't forget that negatives and slides are different. Be sure to select the correct film or slide options!**
If one gets a twain error that says the scanner is not connected, and the scanner IS properly connected, this could indicate that the twain driver may have a problem. I have never been able to correct a "MAJOR" twain error without reinstalling my Windows 2000 operating system.
If one reloads their operating system be sure to back up your files. Always! Stop a memory stick and make sure it says it can be safely removed or the recent files may not be saved properly. And most important of all. Always! Check to make sure the files are on a CD/DVD or Memory stick. Especially if the files were transferred from a different computer, The user may not have sufficient permission to copy the files and sometimes the computer will not tell them the files were not correctly saved.
Canon has been in the photo business for a very long time and has always treated me more then fairly. I purchased this scanner to scan my slides. The cheapest I could get just 119 slides put on CDs was about $75.00. So I bought this scanner for a few dollars more. I have used this scanner to scan my 4.5 cm by 6 cm print films by sliding them under the slide guide sideways. Note: 4.5 cm = approximately 1 5/8 inches wide.
I put a big push pin in the wall over my desk and I hang the film guide on it when not in use.
One last thing. this scanner is fairly large, but it does a lot. If one wants a smaller scanner and does not need to scan films, then one of the Canon LiDE scanners may be more appropriate if size is important. I have a Canon LiDE 35 which is very good, but it is an older model. I think the latest model is the Canon LiDE 200. - Film Scanner - Canon Canoscan 5600 - Negative Scanner - Photo Scanner'
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