Scanner software recommendations?

[dvandom]

Well, my CanoScan N650U's operating software requires Classic, which is no longer supported under OSX.5, so I need to find another way to operate it. When I first went to OSX, I tried ScanExpert on someone's recommendation, but I didn't really like it. I have pretty simple needs: scan either color or grayscale, tweak brightness and contrast, crop and resize, save as JPG. In other words, something any program should be able to do, so the key is not having them buried among a bazillion other options (which was one of ScanExpert's problems). Canon itself stopped making its own CanoScan Toolbox available, instead giving a plugin to Photoshop.

Anyone got recommendations? And if I do end up having to buy Photoshop, what's the cheapest version that will let me operate the scanner? (And will GIMP run a scanner?)

Comments

[liabrown]

I dunno, will Irfanview let you do it? I don't know a lot about the subject.

[sweh.livejournal.com]

SANE (Scanner Access Now Easy) has been ported to MacOS X. That might have a backend driver that works with your scanner. Dunno.

A quick google also showed http://www.gigposters.com/forums/digital/58307-canoscan-n650u-doesnt-work-intel-macs.html#post1349688 which suggests something called "VueScan".

[dvandom.livejournal.com]

Aha, so I wasn't the only idiot involved in not even getting the drivers to work (scavgraphics was trying to walk me through some diagnostics last night, but the scanner wouldn't even show up on Image Capture).

ETA: Checking SANE's site suggests they're only up to pre-Intel Macs, but I'll give it a try tonight or tomorrow. I may simply end up forking over for a new scanner, though...the 650U's been my scanner since 2001. If I can even find the box, maybe I can sell it to someone who owns a PC. :)

[sweh.livejournal.com]

Hmm

http://www.sane-project.org/man/sane-plustek.5.html supports "CanoScan N650/656U LM9832 600x1200dpi 42bit 512Kb 0x2206"

http://www.ellert.se/twain-sane/ has Leopard binaries, but these may be PPC only. However the source bundles are also there, so you may be able to recompile yourself... maybe!

[dvandom.livejournal.com]

The SANE backend worked. Open Office will let me try to scan, although the quality is crappy (might be able to improve it, but I think I'll look through the SANE front-end options first).

ETA: Graphic Converter can scan too, huh.

[aardy.livejournal.com]

VueScan (http://www.hamrick.com/) is what I use, and I see it's available for OSX, too. And it supports 1200 types of scanners, so no matter what you have, it's probably listed.

It's not free, however, and probably isn't the cheapest thing out there that'd meet your needs, but it's really good, IMHO. (I use the Professional version, chiefly for making archival scans of old family photos and documents.)

[alroderick.livejournal.com]

To the other thing: yes, GIMP will run a scanner. But it relies on the external TWAIN drivers to do it. I'm having a lot of fun with the latest version, so I'd at least try it before I dropped actual money for Photoshop. Though I hear a lot of cool things about the latest PS as well.

[dvandom.livejournal.com]

And, unfortunately, it's looking like Canon's not providing IntelMac drivers for the 650U. :/

[scavgraphics.livejournal.com]

ok, I have the Macintosh Internet Braintrust on the case


http://forums.dealmac.com/read.php?4,2818170

http://community.livejournal.com/macintosh/3609173.html

[funct.livejournal.com]

Buy. . . Photoshop? I don't understand.

[dvandom.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm a rebel that way. ;)