Notes
The differences between Kodak and Canon, according to my findings, are the following:
- setting the ICAP_THRESHOLD capability returns an error from the Kodak i1210C scanner; actually the images
returned by this scanner are always perfect and deskewed, and I am sure that image processing is performed
in realtime by the firmware of this excellent device
- setting the ICAP_THRESHOLD capability does not return any error from Canon scanner DR-2010C, but it
looks like this capability is more related to the contrast rather than the threshold; anycase it
works, even if I think that it is unuseful: in fact leaving the threshold in its middle value (127)
always returns excellent images
- returning from "DG_IMAGE, DAT_IMAGENATIVEXFER, MSG_GET" triplet Kodak i1210C returns a pointer to
the bitmap, whereas Canon DR-2010C returns a pointer to a pointer to the bitmap (there is one more level
of indirection). I think that the Canon TWAIN driver is flawed, but actually the TWAIN standard itself is
not truly standard, too many things are left untold, and the explanation of the mentionned triplet
is ambiguous and might have led the Canon programmer to a mistake
- this is a list of scanners that I have personally tested:
- Canon DR-2010C:
- cheap
- slow (15 ppm A4 @ 200 dpi B&W)
- no firmware deskew
- duplex
- small footprint, excellent ergonomy, excellent lead-in and lead-out paper trays
- folio mode* feature to scan A3 sheets
- does not support high volume page scanning; paper transport is poor
- Kodak i1210C:
- fast (30 ppm A4 @ 200 dpi B&W)
- realtime firmware deskew
- simplex
- cumbersome lead-in and lead-out paper trays
- Kodak i1220C Plus:
- very fast (45 ppm A4 @ 200 dpi B&W; 90 ipm A4 @ 200 dpi B&W)
- realtime firmware deskew
- duplex
- cumbersome lead-in and lead-out paper trays
- excellent and fast A3 flatbed accessory
In conclusion: I prefer Kodak scanners. On my desk at office I have a Kodak i1220 Plus (with its A3 companion flatbed accessory).
(*) What is "folio mode" ? The scanner is A4, but you can fold in the middle an A3 sheet, and pass it through
the scanner. A little special lever increases the gap between the transport rollers, and permits the folded A3 sheet
to pass through the scanner without being skewed or wrinkled during the process. Being duplex the scanner, it
returns the image for both halves of the A3 paper sheet. The task of building the A3 image from two A4 halves
is left up to the application software (it's not a service provided by the TWAIN driver of the scanner; Canon only
provides the lever that increases the gap between the rollers).