HP Scanjet G4050

The basic idea is simple, if somewhat inelegant. A scanner generally uses a single light source that shines through (in the case of slides and negatives) or reflects off of (prints and objects) an original; the light then passes through red, green, and blue filters before being recorded by a sensor. The light source, the sensor, and the filters each have a specific spectral response--the characteristic ways in which they emit or respond to light of varying frequencies and intensities--which combine to determine the color gamut of the scanner. Typically, there are gaps in the gamut because of limited response at certain light frequencies and/or intensities. HP addresses these gaps by adding a second light source tuned to work with the same sensor and filters, but with an overall spectral response that complements that of the first source in the same frequency/intensity ranges. In other words, it aims to capture the areas of the red, green, and blue spectra that it can't capture with the first lamp. The scanner makes two passes, one with each source, then combines the 96 bits of data--two sets of red, green, and blue, for six channels--into a 48-bit file.

The top image is a six-channel scan; the middle, a three-channel scan. The two versions were layered in Photoshop using the Difference blending mode, then inverted to produce a simulation of the color differences between the two scans (bottom).

The G4000 series includes two models: the G4010, a 4800dpi flatbed designed for scanning prints, and the higher-end G4050, which adds a built-in transparency adapter as well as hardware-based dust-and-scratches removal. The G4010 comes in a boring business white, while the G4050 is available in a slightly snazzier, printer-matching black and silver. After the huge Epson Perfection V700, the 4.3x11.9x20-inch (HWD) G4050 seems amazingly compact, and overall I find it sturdy and well- designed. Four big, inset buttons on the lid allow you to scan directly to PDF or to the printer, and transparent or reflective materials can go straight to a file.

A stiff metal cover snaps snugly over the transparency adapter built into the lid, and HP supplies several templates for laying out sixteen 35mm, one 4x5, or four 120mm positives and four 6-frame negative strips. All but the slide template function as traditional holders, which allow the originals to snap into place. For some reason, the slide template simply provides a grid to lay out the slides on the bed; that means the template and the slides have to be removed separately, providing the user with copious opportunities to spread fingerprints all over the glass. As you'd expect, the lid lifts vertically to accommodate book scanning, and the hinge is stiff enough that it can rest at a 45-degree angle without slamming down on your hands.