Scanning Books to PDF

[MuGuGaiPan]

Hello, there! I have seen this question asked before in this NG, but I
feel that I still need to ask this question.

OK, I need to scan some books(300 to 600 pages each) and journal
articles(10 to 50 pages each) into PDF files. But I don't know what is
the best scanner or the best software for this job. I read through the
answers to the similar question, but was still unable to make a
decision on what scanner to buy or what software to go with.

First of all, the scanner. I read in more than one place--on the
web--that PLUSTEK OPTICBOOK 3600PLUS is an excellent scanner for this
job. It is fast, and it comes with good software. That sounds OK, but
it is a bit expensive! $288 at one online vendor! And that seems to
be one of the better prices! So I wonder if there is an alternative to
this scanner that does an equally good job of scanning books to PDF
files?

Second, the software. Would the software that comes with the scanner
do a good enough job of scanning books to PDF files, or should I obtain
some additional software like Adobe Acrobat Standard or Professional?

I currently only have CutePDF as a printer on my system--WinXP Home,
SP2. If I scan the books into a file--one file, I should be able to
print this file via the CutePDF printer, right?

Or maybe I don't even need to use the CutePDF printer! The software
that comes with the scanner is able to do the job? Turning the scanned
and saved TIFF images into a PDF file, that is!

Your input is appreciated!

 

[CSM1]

Hello, there! I have seen this question asked before in this NG, but I
feel that I still need to ask this question.

OK, I need to scan some books(300 to 600 pages each) and journal
articles(10 to 50 pages each) into PDF files. But I don't know what is
the best scanner or the best software for this job. I read through the
answers to the similar question, but was still unable to make a
decision on what scanner to buy or what software to go with.

First of all, the scanner. I read in more than one place--on the
web--that PLUSTEK OPTICBOOK 3600PLUS is an excellent scanner for this
job. It is fast, and it comes with good software. That sounds OK, but
it is a bit expensive! $288 at one online vendor! And that seems to
be one of the better prices! So I wonder if there is an alternative to
this scanner that does an equally good job of scanning books to PDF
files?

Second, the software. Would the software that comes with the scanner
do a good enough job of scanning books to PDF files, or should I obtain
some additional software like Adobe Acrobat Standard or Professional?

I currently only have CutePDF as a printer on my system--WinXP Home,
SP2. If I scan the books into a file--one file, I should be able to
print this file via the CutePDF printer, right?

Or maybe I don't even need to use the CutePDF printer! The software
that comes with the scanner is able to do the job? Turning the scanned
and saved TIFF images into a PDF file, that is!

Your input is appreciated!

If you want to scan books without cutting the spine, then the OPTICBOOK
3600PLUS is a good choice.

There are other methods, such as using a Digital Camera and Copy Stand.

Then there are the high cost volume book scanners, which is a variation on
the Digital Camera and Copy Stand.
Such as:
http://www.mid-america.com/scanning/minolta_book_scanners.html

However if you do cut the spine, any flatbed scanner can scan the individual
pages.

PDF files can be created in several different ways, depending on what your
purpose is for the PDF.

If you just make a PDF of the scanned image (the easy simple way), then the
PDF is not searchable (no text). If you want the PDF to be TEXT and
searchable, then you do have to perform OCR on the Scan.

There are good OCR programs that scan then OCR the document and save as PDF.
http://www.abbyy.com/
http://www.nuance.com/omnipage/

Omnipage 15 Pro comes with a nice program for creating PDF files from scans,
called PDFCreate! It creates an image only PDF.

 

[yawnmoth]

<snip>
There are other methods, such as using a Digital Camera and Copy Stand.

Can you elaborate on that? Maybe provide a link or something?

 

[CSM1]

Can you elaborate on that? Maybe provide a link or something?

Here is one method: This is about photographing a Record Album cover.
The idea is the same for a book.
http://www.carlmcmillan.com/how_to_copy_with_digital_camera.htm

Another page on making copies, this is about how to light the object:
http://www.carlmcmillan.com/lightingforcopying.htm

Here is a page on using a Copy Stand. I think this person is using a film
camera, but a digital camera will do the same thing. You may not be able to
change lens with some digital cameras
He is photographing a Book.
He goes into good detail.
http://www.marietta.edu/~mcshaffd/macro/copy.html

 

[MuGuGaiPan]

Thanks to everyone who replied, especially to CSM1, who has given me a
lot, good info!

With regard to the scanner, I might go with a cheaper kind of flatbed
scanner rather than the Plustek OpticBOOK Plus. But my question is:
are they as fast as the OpticBOOK Plus, and are the scanned images as
good as the ones created by OpticBOOK Plus?

With regard to the PDF thing: I have no intention of creating a
searchable PDF file--just a PDF file consisting of the TIFF images of
the scanned documents. So would the software that comes with the
scanner be able to do this job?

Thanks again for the replies, especially to CSM1!

 

[CSM1]

You are welcome.

The advantage of the OpticBook scanner is the fact that you can place a book
at the spine on the edge of the scanner and get a flat scan.

You can not do that with a regular flatbed scanner, the book will not lay
flat and too much weight on the book will likely push the glass of the
scanner into the scanning head.

The scanning speed is about the same. And the image is very good if you get
the page flat on the scanner bed.

I have and use PDFCreate! from scansoft. So I don't know what other PDF
creation software is out there.

Other than the expensive Adobe Acrobat. Adobe does have an online PDF
creation. They have a free trial, after that you do have to sign up for the
service $9.99/month or $99.99 per year.
https://createpdf.adobe.com/

--
CSM1
http://www.carlmcmillan.com
--

Thanks to everyone who replied, especially to CSM1, who has given me a
lot, good info!

With regard to the scanner, I might go with a cheaper kind of flatbed
scanner rather than the Plustek OpticBOOK Plus. But my question is:
are they as fast as the OpticBOOK Plus, and are the scanned images as
good as the ones created by OpticBOOK Plus?

With regard to the PDF thing: I have no intention of creating a
searchable PDF file--just a PDF file consisting of the TIFF images of
the scanned documents. So would the software that comes with the
scanner be able to do this job?

Thanks again for the replies, especially to CSM1!

 

[Dave]

Hello, there! I have seen this question asked before in this NG, but I
feel that I still need to ask this question.

OK, I need to scan some books(300 to 600 pages each) and journal
articles(10 to 50 pages each) into PDF files. But I don't know what is
the best scanner or the best software for this job. I read through the
answers to the similar question, but was still unable to make a
decision on what scanner to buy or what software to go with.

First of all, the scanner. I read in more than one place--on the
web--that PLUSTEK OPTICBOOK 3600PLUS is an excellent scanner for this
job. It is fast, and it comes with good software. That sounds OK, but
it is a bit expensive! $288 at one online vendor! And that seems to
be one of the better prices! So I wonder if there is an alternative to
this scanner that does an equally good job of scanning books to PDF
files?

Second, the software. Would the software that comes with the scanner
do a good enough job of scanning books to PDF files, or should I obtain
some additional software like Adobe Acrobat Standard or Professional?

I currently only have CutePDF as a printer on my system--WinXP Home,
SP2. If I scan the books into a file--one file, I should be able to
print this file via the CutePDF printer, right?

Or maybe I don't even need to use the CutePDF printer! The software
that comes with the scanner is able to do the job? Turning the scanned
and saved TIFF images into a PDF file, that is!

Your input is appreciated!

While I have no idea what your budget restraints might be, or whether
this is an ongoing project, it does seem to me that the Plustek is the
way to go. Not only is it the correct tool for the job (including the
right software), but it seems like it would make a decent flatbed
scanner for any other projects you might run into.

The unit is available at Newegg.com for $269.00 plus $9.80 for 3 day
shipping at this link:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16838108110

While this may seem expensive to you, I paid over $800.00 for an HP
Scanjet 4C (more than 10 years ago)the first time I bought a scanner, so
take that into consideration when reading my advice.

Hope this helps,
Dave

 

[Jim Haynes]

Another possibility is to copy the book on a copier designed for the
purpose, like they have in libraries, and then use an ordinary flat
bed scanner to scan the copies.

 

[MuGuGaiPan]

Thanks, once again, to everyone who has replied!

I think I might go with the Plustek Scanner, even though it is
expensive for me.

Dave, yes, this is an ongoing project! Because of my research, I have
to periodically photocopy excerpts of books and/or journal articles.
They pile up eventually, so I think scanning them into PDF files is
probably a BETTER solution!

As soon as I have enough money, I will buy the Plustek machine!

Thanks again!