IRISphoto 4

The IRISphoto 4 ($99 direct), from I.R.I.S. Inc. is all about simplicity. You don't need to know anything about scanning to use it; you don't have to change any settings (in fact, there are no settings you can change); and you don't even have to connect the scanner to a computer to scan. Just turn the IRISphoto 4 on, put the photo you want to scan in the input slot, and the scanner will handle everything else automatically. If that sounds like your kind of scanner, read on.

In many ways, the IRISphoto 4 is similar to the Pandigital Personal Photo & Negative Scanner/Converter PanScn05 ($99.99 direct, 3.5 stars) and Kodak P460 Personal Photo Scanner ($109.99 direct, 3.5 stars) that I reviewed earlier this year. All three are limited to a maximum 4- by 6-inch size for photographic prints, all three let you scan without connecting to a computer, and all three are aimed at casual?which is to say consumer-level?photographers. However, there are some important differences as well.

Arguably the most important is that unlike the P460 and PanScn05, the IRISphoto 4 can't scan slides or strips of film. Beyond that, both other scanners let you choose between scanning photos at either 300 or 600 pixels per inch (ppi). That is the only settings choice they give you, but it's one more than you get with the IRISphoto 4, which uses 600 ppi in all cases when you're using the supplied protective sleeve or 300 ppi in all cases when you're not using it.

Still another difference is that, unlike the other two scanners, the IRISphoto 4 doesn't give you the option to connect by USB cable and scan directly to your hard disk instead of scanning to memory as a standalone scanner. On the other hand, it offers application software, which is something the other two scanners lack. ACDSee is both a photo album program and a reasonably capable photo editor. When you compare prices, keep in mind that you'd have to buy a photo editor separately for the Kodak or Pandigital scanner.

Setup and Scanning
The IRISphoto 4 measures 1.7 by 6.2 by 2.1 inches (HWD), which is small enough to take with you if you like, as well as store in a desk drawer when you're not using it. It has a 4-inch-wide manual feed slot in the front, along with the power switch and status light. The straight-through path exits in the back. Also in back are a memory-card slot and a mini-USB connector that lets you connect to a computer with the supplied cable, both to move files to the computer and charge the scanner's battery.

Setup consists of charging the battery, which, according to I.R.I.S. takes 4 hours for a full charge. That's it. Scanning is just as easy. The scanner comes with two protective sleeves. Whether you use the sleeve or not will determine the scan resolution. Given that the rollers in a sheet feeder tend to leave marks on originals, however, I'd use a sleeve in all cases.

Scanning with a sleeve consists of putting the photo in the sleeve, putting the sleeve far enough into the slot for the sheet feeder to grab it, and then waiting for the scan to finish. I timed the scans at a reasonably consistent 33 to 36 seconds each. Having two sleeves is a nice touch, since it lets you scan a stack of photos at essentially full speed. The time it takes to scan one photo is easily enough to remove an already scanned photo from the other sleeve, put a new one in, and have it ready to feed as soon as the current scan finishes.

Scan Quality and Other Issues
Scan quality for the IRISphoto 4 is comparable to the quality for other inexpensive sheet fed photo scanners. That translates to being good enough for casual photographers who don't have a critical eye and don't have any interest in printing the photos at a larger size than the original.

One advantage that the IRISphoto 4 has over the competition is the included software, which can do a reasonably good job of removing dust specks, adjusting brightness and contrast, and more, including adjusting shadow, midtones, and highlights separately.

If you need to scan film as well as prints, the P460 or PanScn05 is clearly a better choice than the IRISphoto 4. You might also want to take a look at the somewhat more expensive Kodak P461 Personal Photo Scanner ($139.99 direct, 4 stars) or, if you need to scan prints at up to 8 by 10 inch size, the Kodak P811BK Personal Photo & Negative Scanner ($129.99 direct, 3.5 stars). But if the only thing you need to scan is photos at up to 4 by 6 inches and with snapshot quality, the IRISphoto 4 can do the job, and the included software helps make it a more than reasonable value.

More Scanner Reviews:

??? IRISphoto 4
??? Kodak i2600
??? Kodak i2400
??? IRISnotes Executive
??? IRISnotes 1 for Smartphones
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/2Tn8Bqz503A/0,2817,2397737,00.asp

jr martinez melasma jimmy rollins jimmy rollins let it snow unemployment extension golden state warriors