scanning or photographing ?

NASCARaddicted · 01-09-2010, 07:20 PM

I know, when you want to convert a paper book to an ebook, you need a scanner and an OCR software (I have both)

But what you also need is: patience. Overall, my scanner is pretty good (even though it is a few years old) but slow. I don't know if nowadays scanners are faster or not, but I guess it takes like 30 seconds to scan a page (could be more or less, I never looked at the clock while scanning).

However, recently I had an idea: I have a digital photo camera. With this, I can take up to 3 pictures a second. I have different lenses, a tripod and an extra flashlight. So why not take photos of the pages, instead of scanning them. Sure, there might be some problems, that don't occur if you use a scanner. Like for example, the book may not stay flat unless you use something to hold the pages open.

Has anyone of you ever tried that ? Did it work ? What camera settings did you use ?

chainring · 01-09-2010, 10:21 PM

Good idea, but not new. Check out instructables.com for instructions on a DIY book scanner with dual cameras and a plexiglass box. By the way, the entire book scanning operation Google is undertaking, yep, all done with cameras.

eLiNK · 01-10-2010, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NASCARaddicted

I don't know if nowadays scanners are faster or not, but I guess it takes like 30 seconds to scan a page

OpticBook 3600 needs about 8 sec, while scanning at 300 dpi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NASCARaddicted

However, recently I had an idea: I have a digital photo camera. With this, I can take up to 3 pictures a second. I have different lenses, a tripod and an extra flashlight. So why not take photos of the pages, instead of scanning them.

s. http://www.diybookscanner.org/forum/

pepak · 01-10-2010, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NASCARaddicted

But what you also need is: patience. Overall, my scanner is pretty good (even though it is a few years old) but slow. I don't know if nowadays scanners are faster or not, but I guess it takes like 30 seconds to scan a page (could be more or less, I never looked at the clock while scanning).

It's been my experience that scanning the books is BY FAR the quickest and least tiresome part of the whole process. With Plustek Opticbook 3600 scanner, I am doing 300 pages per hour on average, and I browse the web or read a book while scanning.

NASCARaddicted · 01-10-2010, 05:13 AM

ok, thanks alot. Your links really help me.

schmolch · 01-10-2010, 10:13 AM

Waste of Time.
Cut the Book, put into ADF-Scanner, wait, done.

KoopaOne · 01-11-2010, 02:43 AM

I can scan around 400 pages an hour with my cheap Epson V30 and read a book or watch a movie meanwhile. Scanning is the least time consuming work in the whole process.

Kellhus · 01-15-2010, 06:06 PM

Quote:

OpticBook 3600 needs about 8 sec, while scanning at 300 dpi.

There's also it's successor on the market - OpticBook 4600 which is twice as fast. The interesting part is that they both look the same. I wonder from time to time if there isn't a little switch somewhere that could turn a 3600 into a 4600...

gr8npwrfl · 01-16-2010, 12:34 AM

I buy a paperback copy of the book. Cut through the binding and place the entire book in a document feeder on my HP scanner. Including OCR I have done complete books in less than an hour.

I purchased the scanner with the adf on ebay for $65.00 because it was not a high resolution scanner. But I never run more than 300 DPI and this unit works fantastic for this.

NASCARaddicted · 01-16-2010, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gr8npwrfl

I buy a paperback copy of the book. Cut through the binding and place the entire book in a document feeder on my HP scanner. Including OCR I have done complete books in less than an hour.

I purchased the scanner with the adf on ebay for $65.00 because it was not a high resolution scanner. But I never run more than 300 DPI and this unit works fantastic for this.

A document feeder sounds cool.

But when it comes to buying a paperback copy of the book ... this only works on new books. And if you already have a hardcover version, buying a paperback too ... ? Also, if it is an old, out of Print book ...

However, I didn't knew that nowadays scanners became so fast. I am really thinking about getting a new scanner - but then I guess I wouldn't scan enough books that i would need a new one.

gr8npwrfl · 01-17-2010, 12:44 AM

The scanner I purchased sold originally for $3,000. But since everyone wants high resolution color, the document converter black and white high speed scanners sell very cheap.

I am looking for an old Ricoh document scanner that did PDF conversion at 2 to 3,000 pages an hour. If I can find one I should be able to find one for under $200 ro $300

I worked for Ricoh during the time they were produced and they were awesome units.

Conor · 01-18-2010, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kellhus

There's also it's successor on the market - OpticBook 4600 which is twice as fast. .

Three or four times dearer though.
I've never dismantled a scanner. I wonder if there's any way of modifying a cheap one to make it more suitable for scanning a book. Cutting away one side of it, or a book size length of a side. New deeper lid to accommodate a book. Etc

01-09-2010, 07:20 PM	#1
NASCARaddicted Addict Posts: 340 Karma: 43106 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Germany Device: BeBook One, Pocketbook Touch, Pocketbook Touch HD	scanning or photographing ? I know, when you want to convert a paper book to an ebook, you need a scanner and an OCR software (I have both) But what you also need is: patience. Overall, my scanner is pretty good (even though it is a few years old) but slow. I don't know if nowadays scanners are faster or not, but I guess it takes like 30 seconds to scan a page (could be more or less, I never looked at the clock while scanning). However, recently I had an idea: I have a digital photo camera. With this, I can take up to 3 pictures a second. I have different lenses, a tripod and an extra flashlight. So why not take photos of the pages, instead of scanning them. Sure, there might be some problems, that don't occur if you use a scanner. Like for example, the book may not stay flat unless you use something to hold the pages open. Has anyone of you ever tried that ? Did it work ? What camera settings did you use ?

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01-09-2010, 10:21 PM	#2
chainring Addict Posts: 210 Karma: 1000659 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Sunnyvale, CA Device: Kindle Voyage, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650 (black), Kindle 3G	Good idea, but not new. Check out instructables.com for instructions on a DIY book scanner with dual cameras and a plexiglass box. By the way, the entire book scanning operation Google is undertaking, yep, all done with cameras.

01-10-2010, 05:13 AM	#5
NASCARaddicted Addict Posts: 340 Karma: 43106 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Germany Device: BeBook One, Pocketbook Touch, Pocketbook Touch HD	ok, thanks alot. Your links really help me.

01-10-2010, 10:13 AM	#6
schmolch Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 2394 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Germany Device: Kindle	Waste of Time. Cut the Book, put into ADF-Scanner, wait, done.

01-11-2010, 02:43 AM	#7
KoopaOne Austrian Bookworm Posts: 141 Karma: 2138662 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Austria Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4	I can scan around 400 pages an hour with my cheap Epson V30 and read a book or watch a movie meanwhile. Scanning is the least time consuming work in the whole process.

01-16-2010, 12:34 AM	#9
gr8npwrfl The Wizard of OZ Posts: 143 Karma: 434 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern California Device: Jetbook Ipod Touch Wind Netbook	I buy a paperback copy of the book. Cut through the binding and place the entire book in a document feeder on my HP scanner. Including OCR I have done complete books in less than an hour. I purchased the scanner with the adf on ebay for $65.00 because it was not a high resolution scanner. But I never run more than 300 DPI and this unit works fantastic for this.

01-17-2010, 12:44 AM	#11
gr8npwrfl The Wizard of OZ Posts: 143 Karma: 434 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern California Device: Jetbook Ipod Touch Wind Netbook	The scanner I purchased sold originally for $3,000. But since everyone wants high resolution color, the document converter black and white high speed scanners sell very cheap. I am looking for an old Ricoh document scanner that did PDF conversion at 2 to 3,000 pages an hour. If I can find one I should be able to find one for under $200 ro $300 I worked for Ricoh during the time they were produced and they were awesome units.