Review of the Canon CanoScan LiDE 500F

Canon CanoScan LiDE 500F Price £129 www.canon.co.uk Scanner type: Contact Image Sensor Maximum scan resolution: 2400x4800ppi Film handling: One 35mm film strip frame or mounted slide at a time Hardware dust and scratch removal: FARE Level 3 Connectity: USB 2.0 High-Speed Other features: Vertical scanning configuration, powered by USB port, ArcSoft PhotoStudio image editing and OmniPage SE OCR. CanoScan Toolbox software, scan stitching, scan to PDF. The CanoScan LiDE 500F is complete extrovert being the only CIS scanner, enabling it to be a space-age ultra low profile design and have no need for a mains power supply as it's powered entirely via the USB port. But it can also be turned on its spine and operated like an up-turned book, saving space on your desk. It not only looks good, but the LiDE500F is also a good performer, with sharp, punchy results. The only caveat is some stepping of straight line detail in film scans. The film scanner arrangement involves mounting a separate combined transparency illuminator and film holder. It's neat, but there is only space for scanning one film frame or mounted slide at a time. Canon's FARE Level 3 system in the LiDE500 was also more effective than Digital ICE in the Epson 4490 and only extended film scan times at 2400ppi from 76 seconds to 98 seconds