Canon Canoscan Lide 30

Canon's latest ultra-compact A4 flatbed scanner gives you a lot for your money.

With double the sampling rate of the entry-level Lide 20 model, the Canoscan Lide 30 captures images at 1,200 x 2,400 dots per inch (dpi) in 48bit colour and comes with a useful collection of software programs.

The scanner is not much bigger than the A4 scanning plate and is just 34mm thick thanks to the miniaturisation made possible with CIS (contact image sensor) technology in place of conventional CCD for the scanning head.

Low power requirements also mean the device can run entirely from the USB connection.

To reduce the desktop footprint further, Canon includes a little stand which allows you to rest the device on its side edge - this way, the scanner takes up little more space than a 12in ruler.

There are three quick-task buttons at the front. You can customise the actions they trigger using the Canoscan Toolbox software utility.

Alternatively, you can command the scanner through any program supporting Twain.

In terms of image capture quality and colour fidelity, the Lide 30 is acceptable for home and business, but not for exacting professional digital images.

Speed could be an issue too, despite the support for USB2. Preview scans can take more than 15 seconds, and even just scanning a 6 x 4in photo at 600dpi can take a minute or more.

But this is not a scanner for be easy to use and convenient to keep around, and is a winner in both respects.

Our only word of caution would be to check out the forthcoming Lide 50 model, which may cost a bit extra but, on paper at least, offers a lot more.

SPECS

• Flatbed CIS scanner
• Max resolution: 1,200 x 2,400dpi
• 48bit depth
• Software: Canon Scangear CS, Canoscan Toolbox, Arcsoft Photo Studio 5, Arcsoft Photobase 3, Scansoft Omnipage SE
• 256 x 383 x 34mm (w x d x h)
• 1.5kg
• USB2 interface (USB 1.x compatible) DETAILS
  Price: £116.33 (£99 ex VAT)

  Contact: Canon 08705 143 723
  www.canon.co.uk/canoscan