Microtek ScanMaker 3800

Scanners are a popular addition to the family PC and many manufacturers are now adding extra features to their scanner packages to tempt the public. As ever, it's wise to balance price and features, and the ScanMaker 3800 from Microtek does just that. Whether you want to scan family photos or professional documents, the ScanMaker allows home users to do it with ease.

With the assistance of a set-up poster, installation is straightforward and there is additional scanning utility software to install if you wish.

Suitable for PCs and Macs, the 3800 is connected via a USB port for a quick set-up. It is also conveniently sized, avoiding the bulk that bedevils many other flatbeds.

Rather than opening up the software on the PC to start scanning, the process starts straight from the ScanMaker's front panel. The five buttons allow documents or photos to be scanned to an application, email, straight to the printer, directly to a website, or scan text with an OCR facility that allows documents to be automatically saved as editable text files.

All the functions can be carried out through any of the one-touch buttons without having to go via a PC first, enabling easier and faster control.

The 3800 has a maximum resolution of 600 x 1200 dpi, which will produce results that are easily good enough for most. An A4 image scanned at 150dpi took 16 seconds to scan - a creditable performance for a scanner at this price.

At the highest setting of 600 dpi, the time taken rose to around four and a half minutes. That's adequate, but not as fast as the best we've tested.

Colour accuracy was good and though we have seen crisper results on other scanners, for the price there's little to complain about.

There is an optional transparency adapter, which can be purchased separately for £40. It is essentially a replacement lid with a built-in lamp, which illuminates transparencies, slides and negatives so they can be scanned like normal photographs. It's certainly a worthwhile upgrade for keen amateur photographers.

As well as an image-editing package, Microtek is including a two-year warranty and support package in the price, making the ScanMaker 3800 an excellent package.

Contact
Microtek: 01782 753366 www.microtek.nl

ALSO CONSIDER

Mustek Bearpaw 1200F
Great quality and a sensible price tag make this a great little scanner.
£90
*****
Computeractive, Issue 88.