Canon updates flatbed photo scanner lineup

Canon's CanoScan 8800F has been enduringly (and somewhat endearingly) popular on our site, despite the fact that we've never reviewed it. Though it's closing in on 3 years old, which is practically ancient in many of the other product categories we cover, there isn't a lot of technological development either, so it's refreshing not to be barraged with artificially differentiated products for a change. That said, Canon's latest CanoScan, the 9000F, follows up the veteran photo scanner at about $50 more, with a resolution boost for slide and film scans and improved power consumption.

Here's how it compares with its cheaper sibling, as well as its main competitors:

To put the resolution boost in context: at 4,800dpi, you can generate a scan of a 35mm slide or negative that will print optimally as large as 14x21 at 300dpi; a 9,600dpi scan doubles that in both directions. So for many people, the cheaper 8800F will continue to suffice. If you tend to crop deeply, though, the extra resolution might be helpful. There's also the possibility that the larger CCD will provide improved speed at the lower resolution, and the improved power management may add up over time.