Rating: Summary: Great and Affordable Scanner. Review: If you're looking to scan simple photos or scan line art, then this scanner is for you. This scanner is very slim and light which makes it perfect for anyone who doesn't have much space in there computer desk. Other than space management, this scanner comes at a great price.
Rating: Summary: Great for average daily use, but not for the "pro" Review: I'm quite pleased with this scanner. It's great for your average daily tasks of scanning documents and once in a while a photo or color magazine. But the scan quality lacks a bit in comparision to other scanners, which may be an issue if you'd like to use it for publishing or photo prints.Here's a quick summary of the cons and pros I've found: Pros: * Thin and lightweight * Uses one cable for power and communications (USB) * Very little noise during scanning * No calibration/warmup required for each scan (only once) * Fast, if you use the correct settings * Comes with a stand, allowing you to store AND scan in a vertical position (it's slightly slanted, so documents won't slide out and with the stand comes a strip of velcro to keep the lid shut) - a great space safer! * Easy to use software, which works great on Windows XP * Also includes XP drivers, allowing you to use the scanner directly from Explorer * Crisp colors for photo scans Cons: * Always on, causing quite a drain on the USB port or hub (my hub is now getting quite hot) * 3 buttons do not have lit indicators (so you can tell which button was pressed if you were not paying full attention) * No "fax" button (directly from scanner to internal faxmodem) * Scan speed could be better in some instances * Scan quality is not the best (some scan lines are visible, black is not pure) * A bit "plasticy" in design; doesn't feel rigid or long lasting Except for what I have listed above, I have had no immediate issues using the scanner on a WinXP Pro system. The software is easy to use and without flaws. The TWAIN drivers integrate with publishing software as you'd expect. Everything will install fine if you follow the instructions on the incluided pamphlet or manual. If you use a hub, do make sure it is a self-powered hub (with an AC adapter) and not a hub-powered version. While the power requirements seem to be low, even on my well-known-brand USB hub it seems to pull quite a bit of a load.
Rating: Summary: Affordable quality Review: Very simply, I have used this scanner for around 6 months and couldn't be happier. I don't need a professional scanner and this one scan images very well. I have never recieved a complaint from any pictures I have scanned. On the contrary, everyone loves them! The price is right, setup was quick, and operation is very easy!!
Rating: Summary: 3 Stars for CanoScan N670U Flatbed Scanner Review: I do a great deal of photo scanning and purchased the N670U Flatbed Scanner in hopes that it would be a large improvement over my 42 bit scanner and perform as well as the more expensive epson scanners. I must say it performed very well on color photos/images; however, it did not do as well with B&W photos or photos with a matte finish. With the latter two, I needed to do a large amount of correction using Photoshop to rid the scans of the excessive brightness in B&W images and horizontal lines that appeared on images scanned from matte finish photos. Otherwise, it works perfectly on glossy prints, newsprints, magazines, and the like. The problems I encountered were a result of the 600 dpi horizontal resolution, which is something I was eventually able to work around. It's a good compact scanner at a very reasonable price. I would recommend it for home use, but if you want professional scans, do some research and spend a few more bucks.
Rating: Summary: Excellent buy, quality at a low price Review: I don't personally know the other reviewers who gave this scanner a bad review due to "software problems," "mechanical jams" and incompatibility with Macintosh, among other things, but I am a professional writer and graphic designer, and bought this scanner to do small stuff at home - and it is unquestionably a great scanner at a low price. The software bundle that came with it is great, actually, but I have it scanning right from Photoshop, with absolutely no problems, crashes or anything of the sort. I have owned the scanner now for about two months and have scanned hundreds of photos, and a few documents (using the OCR software that was included) and have had nothing short of excellent results. Those negative reviews sound more like they are the result of the reviewer's unfamiliarity with basic computer and software functions than problems with the scanner. For instance, you can still use this scanner with a Mac OSX machine because all OSX machines still come with System 9 software, which can be easily toggled on and off. Also, one reviewer said that the scanner stopped "lighting up when turned on after two weeks..." Well, this scanner isn't supposed to light up when turned on. Anyway, this is a great home scanner. I can't think of any reason why someone wouldn't want this one as a nice addition to any home computing system.
Rating: Summary: Flimsy Review: At first, this scanner performed expertly. High resolution, relatively high-speed scanning, no external power cord, compact. Besides a few minor software glitches, it seemed too good to be true. To complete the tawdry cliche, it was. A few months out, it got stuck. That is, the scanning mechanism literally got stuck to the front edge of the scanner. It made funny noises and stopped working. Dead. As an example of the poor workmanship, when you press one of the buttons on it firmly, but not hard enough to break any decent piece of electronics, the mechanism moves. That is, the scanning mechanism is indirectly attached to the buttons you push to turn it on! Try it at a store display! When the mechanism moves by a firm button press, the extremely thin metal rod that holds everything in place bends like a piece of wire in a [garbage] compactor. That can't be good. Although the scanning itself is fine, this scanner is extremely flimsy and is sure to break after a sure period of normal use.
Rating: Summary: can't program buttons Review: It has those buttons on the from but you cannot program them to say, launch photoshop. At least you can't on the macintosh. I like that it has no power cord, drawing power from the USB cord however. And it's very slim allowing it to be easily stored on it's side. One big downside is that canon doesn not support Mac OSx! why not, get with it.
Rating: Summary: A Complete Disaster Review: I was attracted by its slim design and the canon name. What I got was a very cheaply manufactured and highly defective product with massive software problems. The moving arm is noisy and constantly gets jammed making scanning photographs a nightmare. The software for the Mac is of the bundled nature and crashes constantly. There is a jumble of five different titles which look and operate poorly and cheaply. They are poorly integrated and guaranteed to crash even the best maintained system. They are not supported by the software companies who refuse to provide updates for "bundled" versions. None of these applications works well -- if at all -- in System X or in Classic and updates are not available, despite Canon's assurances. The thing completely fell apart after 90 days, after which it was too late for me to return the product. It's not even deep enough to make into a cat litter box, its only real suitable purpose. Avoid it and all other Canon scanners like the plague
Rating: Summary: OUTSTANDING - THE BEST DEAL FOR THE MONEY Review: I am still amazed of how good this little scanner is. Setup under WinXP was a piece of cake. Just connect the USB cable and install the driver and software from the Cannon CD (Do not use the WinXP CD) After just five minutes I was scanning, making copies and sending emails to my friends, all at the touch of a button. This little scanner is fast, quiet, and produces great results, almost identical than the originals. The real steal is in the bundled software. Cannon gives you a great OCR and photo lab. I would recommend this little scanner without any hesitation.
Rating: Summary: Good, Fast, Portable Scanner Review: I've been using a Canon 670u scanner for about 2 weeks, and I'm very satisfied. It was easy to setup, is fast (for a scanner in this price range), and produces great looking scans. I previously had two UMAX scanners. My Astra 1200s still works, but is not compatible with Win 2000. I had replaced it with a refurbished Astra 3400 that was very disappointing. It would not shutoff properly, and then quit working about 10 days after the 90-day warranty expired. UMAX support was also disappoiting, but I'll skip the details. The Canon has been great, and I really like the small size and the single USB cord connection with no power cord. The only disappointment is the ArcSoft Photo software that comes with the scanner. It doesn't seem to be as versatile or easy to use as the Adobe Photo Deluxe software that came with the Umax. Fortunately I can still use the Adobe software, so now I have the best of both!
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