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Canon CanoScan FS2710 Film Scanner

Canon CanoScan FS2710 Film Scanner

List Price: $549.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: You will get tough with this scanner in W2K, but it works
Review: As another reviewer said, right, you may not install this thing in Windows 2000 successfully with normal installation process. First of all, you should get something like ASPI driver for your SCSI card, install it. Then let Windows 2000 treat your scanner as an other/unsupported device while Windows 2000 detect it automatically. After that, install the utility come with this product or downloaded from support site. It should work then although Windows 2000 always see it as an other/unsupported device in device manager.
Except this strange behavior, it is good but slow.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great scanner, if you upgrade the software
Review: Canon's Canoscan FS2710 Film Scanner = Great Scanner if you update software

I bought the scanner in September 2000 and have used it scan hundreds of negatives and slides. The supplied software is limited, but it can be replaced with aftermarket software. The new software turbocharges the scanner producing beautiful, true-to-scene images.

The scanner has three major components; namely, 1) Canoscan FS2710 scanner hardware, 2) Canocraft FS3.6.1 scanner driver software, and 3) Photoshop LE image editing software. I have reviewed these items individually.

SCANNER HARDWARE = A BEST BUY, HIGH QUALITY SCANNER
Canon makes excellent quality cameras and scanners at attractive prices. Some competitive film scanners charge extra for the APS film holder and SCZI driver card. Canon includes these items in the base price package. My comparison shopping showed Canon's package price 30-50% less than comparable, competitive units.

The scanner is thoughtfully designed and ruggedly built. It's is a high precision machine that scans at 2720 dpi which is about the limit for 35 mm film. The resultant files are extremely high-resolution for razor sharp, full-page prints. More importantly, the images can be severely cropped and still produce very sharp pictures.

If I were to buy a scanner today, it would be the CanoScan FS2710 or the FS2720.

CANOCRAFT FS3.6.1 SCANNER DRIVER SOFTWARE = HORRIBLE
Scanner driver software has four major functions; namely, 1) Accurately digitize true-to-scene-colors and lighting, 2) Fine tune settings for the scanner, 3) Create a useful monitor preview of the scanned image, and 4) Work with different Windows, Macintosh, etc. operating systems. Regrettably, the Canon software does NONE of these jobs well. Fortunately, there is an alternative to solve all of these problems. The software is called VueScan. It's free to try, or buy.

ACCURATELY DIGITIZE TRUE-TO-SCENE-COLORS AND LIGHTING?
Canocraft FS3.6.1 scanner driver software produces contrasty images losing detail in the highlights and shadows. At best, it is drugstore 1 hr. photofinishing quality. Canon's driver software never produces true-to-scene-colors. It often shifts colors to an unpleasing and unnatural color-cast which is extremely difficult to remove with image editing software. Underexposed, dark slides cannot be scanned with this software.

Not to worry. VueScan scanner driver software faithfully replicates colors in the original scene including subtle details like light, puffy clouds in the sky highlights. The pictures are beautiful. Professional photographers use this software for exhibition quality images. Even difficult scenes, like underexposed, dark slides, can be turned into good pictures.

FINE TUNING SETTINGS FOR THE SCANNER?
Canon's scanner driver software has as much precision adjustment as you could get using a pipe wrench for watch repair. It has only one setting for type of light, light intensity and type of film. Adjusting histogram levels can be very difficult because the histogram is often a "flat line" with no vertical height.

VueScan software offers surgical precision adjustment capability. Lighting can be set for indoor fluorescent, tungsten, autolevel, night photography and neutral (to eliminate difficult color casts). Light intensity can be set to four levels. The software also recognizes 200 different types of film. It's incredible. Pick the color setting for your scene, then the light level, set to your film type, and then fine tune the image preview by setting white and black points, brightness for the scene and brightness for red, green, and blue (if desired) before you scan to a disk file.

USEFUL MONITOR PREVIEW OF THE SCANNED IMAGE?
The Canon driver software produces a fixed size preview about 4.5x7 inches. VueScan allows the user to set the image preview to any size up to full screen. No more postage stamp size previews!

WORK WITH DIFFERENT COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEMS?
Canon driver software has limited compatibility with operating systems. It works with my Windows 98SE, but I can't upgrade to XP because of compatibility issues. VueScan software works with most Windows and Mac operating systems including Windows XP.

IMAGE EDITING SOFTWARE PHOTOSHOP LE = NOT USER FRIENDLY
Use your Photoshop LE serial number to get a rebate on Adobe Photoshop Elements2. This is great image editing software. It features ease of use for the amateur and fine-tuning capability for the professional.

BOTTOM LINE
Canoscan FS2710 is a great scanner limited by the manufacturer's driver software. Upgrade to aftermarket scanner driver software to unleash the potential of this scanner. You'll appreciate the dramatic improvement in the scanned images.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: DO NOT GET THIS SCANNER IF YOU HAVE WIN 2000
Review: DO NOT GET THIS SCANNER IF YOU HAVE WIN 2000.......I have this scanner it does a good job and all works perfect on Win98, however if you have Win2000 its a waste of time to own this thing. I'm very upset I didnt research this thing before I bought it. Canon has drivers for Win2000 but they dont work at all. I may add that there support cost's money and they give you no imput. Otherwise if you dont have Win2000 I would say its pretty good. I have now a spearate PC just for this thing with Win98 on it. There are probably better scanners out there. This thing takes pretty long to scan a single negative at maximum reseloution. And I have found that Kodak color negative's does not scan as nice as Fuji will with this scanner. But it does work good if your scanning any slides. I hope this is helpful to you........I would say get a different one.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: No support
Review: Good product (3 stars) but no driver available for use with Windows XP. I found this out when I moved from a Windows '98 system to an XP system. Planned obsolescence from our friends at Canon.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not for the faint at heart
Review: I have had this scanner for a year adn a half and have put nearly 5000 slides through it. I am happy with the overall quality of the scans for what I paid for this. I use this as a proofing tool-- I only get my negatives developed (when I shoot prints) and then scan them to proof them. Or if I shoot slides and want to put them on the internet or retouch them. The scanner will make up to an 8x12 at 400dpi. which is okay. Again you must look at what you are paying. The neat scratch removing features that the upper models have would be nice but again repeating for the price this is a great little scanner. I have been happy. I even got it to work in XP but it did take some research. Info for installing in XP or 2000 can be found [online.]

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The best for the money
Review: I have used the FS2710 for over a year and find it to be the best for the money IMHO. The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is the 3.2 Dymanic Range. I have used the scanner to scan litterally hundreds of slides, both mounted and in strips, without any problems what-so-ever. The scanner was simple to install, the software works flawlessly. All of my images on my site were made with this scanner. Instead of just taking someones word for it, look and judge for yourself.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Good for Beginners
Review: I've just started scanning film, and after setup, this scanner is very simple to operate. However, if you are either inexperienced with installing hardware and/or software, or are looking to scan slides, I would suggest a different scanner. Personally, I believe a flatbed with a film scanning adapter is comprable in quality.

I do have Windows 2000, and managed to get this scanner working on it, although it claims it doesn't have the components to install the driver on my OS. But that's definitely not something you want to deal with, if you can help it.

You need to have photo editing software to adjust the scans properly. It sometimes has the tendency to turn out a little orange.

Software included: Acquisition program, Adobe Photoshop Limited Edition (an extremely LIMITED edition), Presto! PhotoAlbum, Presto! Mr. Photo (basically, to arrange your personal photos- I did not install them, so cannot recommend).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great scanner, if you upgrade the software
Review: This film scanner has resulted in excellent results in scanning in older b&w and color negatives and positives. I have created books documenting past travels with little effort. It is not compatible with computers without scsi ports.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: canoscan fs 2710 product review
Review: This film scanner has resulted in excellent results in scanning in older b&w and color negatives and positives. I have created books documenting past travels with little effort. It is not compatible with computers without scsi ports.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not for iMacs
Review: This is probably a great film scanner, but you won't be able to use it if you have an iMac. The scanner has a SCSI-2 connection, and even includes a "Mac adaptor", but it won't work at all for an iMac. Even if you're tempted to buy that $100+ SCSI-to-USB adaptor, don't bother because the software is incompatible with this particular piece of equipment. I spent hours on the phone with the tech reps from Canon and the adaptor company, but to no avail. (Bummer, dude! I really wanted this film scanner!).


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