• Scanners can produce images many times the resolution of a camera.

• It is easy to get good images using a scanner.

Lighting is uniform over the entire scan area and it is not necessary to adjust the position, orientation or intensity of the light source. There are no focus or aperture ring to adjust.

• Calibration is permanent.

Unlike a camera, the object-to-camera distance and zoom (focal length) are always the same.

• They are reliable and last for a long time.

When is a camera better adapted than a scanner?

A camera is better when extremely high magnification over a samll area is required. By adding proper lenses or mounting it on a microscope, you can see more details than with a scanner BUT OVER A MUCH SMALLER AREA. Mychorizae and root hairs are better analysed with such setups. A camera is also better when portability (like image acquisition in field) is required. WinRHIZO can analyse images taken with a camera with a means of calibration (scale).

Can Regent’s scanners be used in the field or at a remote location?

Desktop scanners cannot be used in the field but are easily transportable and usable in remote locations where electrical power is available.

The images below show the same roots scanned with two different scanners at the same resolution. As you can see, not only dpi (resolution) is important. The quality of optical, electronic and mechanical components have a great influence on what can be seen in an image (and hence, the precision of the measurements you make from it). Scanners are made for different applications, the graphics industry being the major one. Requirements for scientific usage are different. Eye-pleasing images are good, but it’s better to accurately reproduce reality. Therefore, before selling scanners for scientific use, we test them carefully to make sure they have minimal qualities. You cannot rely on theoretical specifications alone.