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Frank Srebro
02-15-2015, 12:14 PM
So I have ~471 issues of the American Field dated from 1903 to 1913, each issue measures 11" by 16" and is in newspaper format typically with 4 columns per page. Each issue has many vintage adverts along with gun, hunting, fishing, dog, shooting technology and competition articles and stories. I've been taking pics of some interesting content and posting the jpegs here and elsewhere using a hosting site. But that's time consuming and it doesn't work well on long articles and stories because I must take multiple pics and post in sequence.

I'd like to share more of this vintage reading here and in the PP, and ask for advice from those in the know - what do I need to scan these American Fields with their 11 x 16 column format? I see large document scanners advertised at $1200. or so, but is there anything cheaper that would work? Thanks for suggestions.

Frank

Drew Hause
02-15-2015, 12:43 PM
Frank: as you've learned it would be big money for a 11X16 scanner. My much smarter spouse scans my stuff on a HP Envy 4500 which is 8 1/2 X 11. At 200 dpi in black & white we get excellent resolution, but it will scan higher if the image is to be published. It is pretty rare that I can't get the ad or at least part of the article on the screen.
And BTW many thanks to you, Dave, Randy and others for graciously sharing your great stuff!

Robin Lewis
02-15-2015, 03:56 PM
Frank, I did a quick search and it didn't take long to find one for you. You should look closer because I didn't do more than a very quick scan, there may be better buys out there.

I used a web site allofcraigslist.com and did a search for "large format flat bed scanner" to find these.


I found:
Epson Expression 1640XL- Graphics Arts Scanner - $500
at https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/ele/4890940174.html

Large-format color flatbed scanner for professional users

•1600 x 3200 dpi hardware resolution
•Large-format scanning capability (12.2-by-17.2-inch scanning area)
•ColorTrue II Imaging System and 42-bit color depth
•High dynamic range (3.6 Dmax)
•AutoFocus optics system
•USB and SCSI connectivity with optional FireWireŽ

Here is another
Large Document Scanner - $86 (Cottage Grove)
at http://eugene.craigslist.org/ele/4887813399.html

Hope this helps.

btw - I scan all the Parker Pages into a searchable pdf format (for my own use) and I find that 300dpi works well. Just saying, you don't need 2400 dpi, or something nuts like that, to scan this kind of stuff. I also like the ability to search the files I create when making the pdf, so I advise you to consider saving the results in searchable PDF format.

allan.mclane
02-15-2015, 05:54 PM
The only caveat I can offer is that you have to make sure that there are device drivers that match your computer's operating system. Don't ask how many hours I wasted discovering that little fact once...