I know there are many members here that are pretty savvy when it comes to computers and peripheral equipment so I will ask the question here.

As short as I can tell the story, I have for over 40 years collected photos, books, brochures etc. concerning the development of wheeled military vehicles from Jeeps to Tank Transporters.

During that time I accumulated a huge collection of that sort of stuff mainly by trading what I found, from whatever source, and sending copies made off of a 35mm camera setup through the Post Office.

With the invention of the Internet by Vice President Gore, I am now able to send images all over the world at the click of a button. This works great for images that I obtain from the net but to make available images from my older collection to the over 200 websites that I am registered on that deal with the subject, I have to scan each individual hard copy image. That can be an 8x10 photo, a 5x7 photo or a magazine article or whatever.

To be blunt, this is very time consuming. At present the best scanner I have found for one by one copies is the Epson Perfection 4180, which does a great job of scanning individual photos or articles. But... you have to open the top, scan the photo, take it out and then insert another photo.

What I am looking for, and I do not know if it exists, is a scanner that operates more like a copy machine. Load 25 8X10 photos, load 25 5X7 photos or whatever into the loading tray, push the button to scan and it acts just like a copy machine.

If any of you out there have any input on such a scanner, I would really appreciate your telling me.

Thanks
Bill

 

They have the 3 in one, fax/copy/scanner. But I don't know that they scan from the feed tray. Personally I really wouldn't want this, it does take a lot of time to scan a photo. Just be glad your scanning for web and not High res. But an auto feed would roll and bend your pictures when it went smothly. Magazine pages would likely jamb and get crinkled. If a photo jambed the rollers would mar/burn the finish and maybe the image.

The only way to safely do it is just exactly the way that you are.
For web, keep DPI at 72.
I use a Colorado, Prima Scan, 2400u, flat bed scanner, that I picked up for $10 brand new.
An 8x10 @ 72dpi. I could scan in less than 1 min 25 seconds from the time I laid it down till I had the next photo on the glass. Scanning software makes a big difference too. If I use the software that came with the scanner, it would take longer. I use Photo Shop and twain the 2400 to scan. Much faster!

 

Pss-Mag:
Thanks for the input. I agree that a rotary feed would not work but what I thought might be available would be a horizontal feed with trays on both sides and the scanner in the middle. The carrier would move horizontally from one side to the scanner, the scanner would close and do it's job and the carrier would continue to the other side after the scan was done. Even if I had to feed photos etc. one at a time it would be easier than what I do now.

Heck, maybe we should invent such a thing. Lots of buyers I would bet.
Seriously, I would imagine there is some sort of commercial grade scanner out there like what I am describing but it is probably way out of my price range.
Bill

 

I'm not sure what you're looking to spend; but, here's a source that will give you a lot of models to choose from. I've never had a feed unit; so, I can't really help in choosing one. Good luck.


http://www.archiveindex.com/duplex/duplex.htm

 

The only thing I would say be careful on, is that most automated machines I have seen, run thru rollers that will possibly bend or curl paper. Not a problem on paper documents, but to run photographs thru them may damage the photographs.
HP make all kinds of automated scanners, may want to take a look at them. Have a HP 4570, that does quite a good job.
Personnaly for photographs, I would rather put them in one by one so as not to damage them.

 

They have a Fujitsu Color Desktop Document Scanner (fi-5110)
They are advertising it at $73!

They had another one for $96

I've never shopped there and never heard of them, but for those prices it might be worth trying. Just pay attention when you order that they didn't typo the prices.