Introduction Scanners are used to convert hard-copy information into a digital electronic version. Section 5 contains explanations of many of the technical terms associated with scanned images. Scanners are rather like photocopiers in that they use a bright light to record an image of an original, translating this image into a digital electronic version rather than copying it to paper.
Flatbed scanners consist of a flat glass plate onto which the document is placed.
Multiple sheets can be automatically fed through if a sheet feeder is fitted on top of the glass plate. Hand-held scanners have the light and receptor cells contained in a small unit which is moved over a document, on small rollers, by hand. Hand-held scanners are particularly suited to situations where the source document cannot be moved or is too bulky or delicate to be placed on a flatbed scanner. However, because they rely upon the motion of a user's hand to make the scan, images can be skewed or juddery and it can take some time to master the smooth motion of a scanning sweep. Film scanners can be used to scan photographic film, negatives and slides.