The CanoScan, only about 2.5 cms thick, weighs 1.49 kgs, thanks in part to CIS technology, which has fewer parts and requires less energy than CCD scanners do. Powered through USB, the CanoScan cuts the need for extra AC adaptors.
Installation is easy, aided by a printed QuickStart Guide (all other information is on a CD). The software bundle is a good value: It includes Adobe Photoshop LE, Caere's OmniPage Pro and ArcSoft's PhotoBase and PhotoStudio 2000 but lacks a Web site creation tool.
The CanoScan has only one button, which is programmable and provides one-touch scanning into any TWAIN-compliant program at user-definable parameters. The TWAIN interface's Simple mode is direct and easy, and an Advanced mode has controls for gamma, tone, and colour.
Our Web jury rated the CanoScan's image quality second only to that of the Epson Perfection 1200U. Our judges were pleased with the unit's clean images, good focus, and realistic colours but noted a loss of detail in the darker tones. The scanner's speed is about average. Though the CanoScan doesn't have buttons to handle various tasks, it packs decent power in its sleek frame.
Canon CanoScan N1220U
Company: Canon
Ph: 02 9805 2570; Fax: 02 9888 1426
Price: AU$299.
Rating: 4 Star
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