Best Scanners for Scanning Cels?

[Trudy]

I'm trying to avoid using the library scanner going forward because while it does a good job of capturing the image, it sometimes does a poor job of capturing the right colors (especially pinks). If you have a scanner, what scanner do you use? How well does it match colors?

If you have any recommendations, leave them here!

[Animechaos]

I use a Mustek 2400 USB scanner. It's an old model, but has a huge scanning surface than can get a lot of oversized items and even cels with standard sized backgrounds in one swipe. Link below, but that price is silly. I bought it new for $150.00 years ago, just gotta find a newer model.

https://www.amazon.com/USB-2400-Scanner ... ek+scanner

Everything in my gallery was scanned with it:
http://www.animechaos.com

[cutiebunny]

I have an Epson 1200XL, which is a large A3 scanner. I bought mine used and have used it for almost 5 years. I've been very pleased with it. I used to go to FedEx Kinko's to make scans, but they have some odd copyright law thing, so I'd usually get around and say that I drew this and this was my art...which fooled most of them as they had no idea what I was scanning. But it was expensive, and I've probably recouped the cost of the scanner (it was $500 w/ shipping when I bought it) as Kinko's charged a lot for large scans. If you have a lot of oversized artwork, like shikishi boards and large cels, an oversized scanner is really worth it. If you don't, or don't mind photoshopping two scans together, you can find good B4 size scanners for much less.

Prior to buying the scanner, I had read multiple reviews regarding issues with Mustek, especially with color and wonky software. This is what drove me to go with the Epson as the same reviewers said the software was much easier to use.

[earl]

If you do end up scanning things in pieces, this: http://matthewalunbrown.com/autostitch/autostitch.html is an amazing application (just download the "free/demo version", it does everything you need).This image was scanned in 6 parts before I ran it through the autostitch application:

sketch_mashin_hero_wataru_pan.jpg (451.47 KiB) Viewed 4072 times

[grEenLeaFx]

I use an Epson Expression 10000XL Wide-Format Scanner. Got it for around $500 used on eBay with free shipping, new it was around $2000. There have been updated models since then, but if you can score one of the large format Epson scanners you will be very happy. They are bulky, but I love the way Epson captures colors and it can of course scan oversized art. I tried other large format scanners in the past and they seemed to whitewash my images. I even tried Fed Ex Kinkos, but as cutiebunny mentioned its a hassle and can get expensive. At the library like Kinkos you also have to worry about how clean the scanners are since they are used by the public - for example oily finger prints or dirt. Best of luck with your search.

[Angelic-Lair]

+1 for the large format Epson scanners. They definitely are worth the money both for the fantastic colour rendering and for the ability to scan larger items.

[Ginta]

I use an Epson Perfection V600 Photo scanner, but the surface is a little too small so I have to make two scans and stitch them together as a panorama with Windows Photo Gallery. Last year I had to rescan everything when I bought it. The quality is important to me because I use my gallery to look at my cels and don't usually take them out.
https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Perfection ... 002OEBMRU/

A scanner for cels should have a sensor with "neon" colors in its color gamut (CCD sensor instead of CIS sensor maybe), so that pinks don't look brown. Cheaper scanners also leave lines across your scans and cannot accurately reproduce the background of a cel or sketch making some sketches look whiter.

[Trudy]

Thanks for so much information! A lot of the scanners mentioned here were no longer in production, but based on researching each of them, I was able to find a manufacturer refurbished Epson CCD scanner within my price range that will hopefully be here next week!

Finally, I can start focusing on that New Year's Resolution to scan all my cels regularly. And maybe even re-scan my old cels as well!

[Tsunami3k]

I use an Epson Expression 10000XL Wide-Format Scanner. Got it for around $500 used on eBay with free shipping, new it was around $2000. There have been updated models since then, but if you can score one of the large format Epson scanners you will be very happy. They are bulky, but I love the way Epson captures colors and it can of course scan oversized art. I tried other large format scanners in the past and they seemed to whitewash my images. I even tried Fed Ex Kinkos, but as cutiebunny mentioned its a hassle and can get expensive. At the library like Kinkos you also have to worry about how clean the scanners are since they are used by the public - for example oily finger prints or dirt. Best of luck with your search.

I'm grateful that you took the time to post about this large format scanner and I've been pondering this model since. I held off when I read a review from a user frustrated with it when trying to use it for fine art as there are apparently immovable pins (I presume for the lid) that block content extending beyond the bed. Have you noticed this issue and/or found a way to work around it?

I'm also considering the Plustek Opticpro A320 as an alternative since it's large format, affordable and reportedly does not have the aforementioned quirk. Has anyone had experience with one?

My cel scanning project was already losing momentum with my frustration with the otherwise surprisingly decent scanner built into my all-in-one printer since the bed is just a bit narrower than cels and douga but hit a wall when I got some rather large AMG movie backgrounds that it simply cannot handle. That's renewed my interest in getting a dedicated, large-format scanner.

[grEenLeaFx]

I'm grateful that you took the time to post about this large format scanner and I've been pondering this model since. I held off when I read a review from a user frustrated with it when trying to use it for fine art as there are apparently immovable pins (I presume for the lid) that block content extending beyond the bed. Have you noticed this issue and/or found a way to work around it?

Nope never have had that issue. I have few cels that are 3 feet long that still require 2 scans and there is nothing blocking the cel when it extends beyond the bed, its just flat. I've never had to take off the lid before, but it came off with ease when I tried it just now. The pins are attached to the lid and there is a middle pin between the two that is on the bed, but it retracts all the way down when the lid is on or can be pushed in all the way if needed. Like me you really shouldn't need to take off the lid, but if you do you wont have an issue. I attached a pic of the scanner opened up and another without the lid as a reference for you.

[Tsunami3k]

Oh wow. Thank you very much; that's great news! I kinda wonder if the reviewer's scanner just had the lid pins installed backwards. This moves the Epson back to the top of the consideration list. Thank you so much for the detailed response.

[jcaliff]

For what it's worth, modern led scanners almost all have issues with certain shades of pink. It seems to be an inherent issue with the technology. I was talking to a guy at office depot about it the other day, wondering if any of the newer scanners have fixed the problem. He said if I want I can bring in a problem cel and we can test out the different brands and see if any of them work, so next week I'm planning to give it a go. I'll let you all know the results.

[Angelic-Lair]

You're definitely right about the typical standard-sized scanners. I remember cursing about the Canon LiDE scanner that I used for a short while. We had an old HP scanner years and years ago that worked great until its unfortunate death, but that Canon was terrible.

FWIW, the oversized Epson scanners are spot on with pinks (and every other colour as well) but now that I think about it, I'm not sure if they're LED or not. It works, so I never worried about it.

EDITED TO ADD: It appears the Epson GT-20000 uses a Xenon bulb and a CCD imager. Not sure whether it's the non-LED light source or the CCD imager that's at play but I suspect the imager. Low-end scanners would likely use a CMOS imager (if they even disclose what they use). Keep in mind that colour rendering is always a combination of the light source and the imager, with the imager often being the weaker link. It would be interesting to see if Epson's newest large format scanner (DS-50000) achieves similar results with the same CCD imager and a newer LED light source.

[kwens]

Currently I don't use a scanner anymore ... I use the app 'CamScanner'.

It's an awesome app that can 'correct' tilded images (I generally take a tilted picture to avoid reflection). This app automatically 'straightens' the picture in a second and allows me to share online immediately.

Great stuff if you don't want to mess around with scanners ... just put cel on the floor, take picture ... resize the angles on the picture ... the app automatically corrects the picture ... voila !

-K.

[Tsunami3k]

Thank you all for your input. I finally put it to good use and picked up a used Epson 11000XL which just arrived today!

Of course the second thing I decided to scan is a large format item which requires me to detach the lid which is simple enough. For those of you experienced with scanning larger items, what do you put behind your work to hold it against the platen during scanning in lieu of the cover?