Customer Reviews

HP G4010 ScanJet Photo Scanner

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I installed this hardware on a new computer running Win'XP so I had nothing that first needed to be uninstalled. I chose the non-standard installation because I did not want HP's photo editing software (I have Adobe Photoshop Elements and Photoshop Album) and I have no use for the IRIS software for converting scanned documents into text files. The installation went smoothly and my document and 35mm slide scans were successful at the first attempt. 35mm slides can be scanned either mounted or unmounted. The scanner seems exceptionally easy to use and is a huge improvement over the ten year old scanner that it replaces. Everything about the scanner's appearance reflects very high quality and so far I am very satisfied indeed. The documentation that comes with the scanner is very limited, sufficient for the install but does not cover any of the adjustable scan settings - you have to go to the help files for that.

Project - convert 800+ family slides into digital. After giving 100 to a photo lab ($70!!-ouch!), I accidentally discovered today's flatbed scanner 35mm slide features (and film strips) and gave it a try with this HP. I'm well satisfied with the result.

**** 4.5 stars for hardware slide features ONCE THE SOFTWARE IS MASTERED. It's very capable of producing nicely satisfying results.
*** 2.5 stars for the slide software, which is at once very capable and also highly annoying. Basic flatbed scanning features are fine.
********** TEN STARS FOR SCANNING PRINTS!! It is impossible to tell the difference between an original and its scan at 600dpi.

Slide Project -

Despite the volume, the 5-slide capacity was fine with results VERY comparable to a photo lab. It takes about an hour to scan 25-30 slides at 600dpi with basic color enhancements enabled, which includes a 6-color function. The default 300-dpi scan is faster, but still takes 45 min. Forget 1200+ dpi ... you will turn old and gray scanning five slides with no better results. The major overhead is inserting/removing slides and selecting per slide corrections. Once ready, it takes about 1-min. per slide at 600-dpi.

The software is a curious and goofy mix of high capability and limitations. While the first preview scan attempts to locate each discrete slide, the display is waayy too small to be very useful, fixed only by selecting each discrete slide for a larger preview re-scan. Oooofff ... time consuming. Why not just magnify the first preview? The pre-scan features adjusting basic crop, brightness, contrast & correction are HIGHLY CAPABLE and selectable for each discrete slide, but most of these functions on a post-scan file hardly work at all. This is why the too small preview may annoy someone finiky about best results. I discovered it was more efficient to use other post-scan photo software for final crop, jpeg compression and fixes on a grainy result. Kodachrome slides of any age scan BEAUTIFULLY.

Pre-scan 'Adaptive Lighting' nicely corrects overall exposure while 'Restore Faded Color' does a GREAT JOB, to include removing Ektachrome's infrared hue. The PHOTO LAB DID NOT DO THIS!! Not only does one get an individual file for each slide, it can do the same thing with multiple documents. Whatever can fit on the glass bed can be selected for individual files in a single scan with a large set of file formats available to include direct-to-PDF.

Conclusion- This is DEFINITELY a better way to go giving you quality control over a large group of slides. Practice with the software, first, then enjoy those 'oldies but goodies'.

I have posted sample scans tagged "Boogaloo Review", to include software screen shots.

The product performs very well, that is, once the installation issues are addressed. The instructions that are included, and the instructions and advice from customer service, are seriously lacking. Had problems with use, including but not limited to printing with a HP Photosmart D7360. After numerous contacts with HP, and with numerous conversations with computer geeks at a couple of stores, I finally fixed all problems. First, make sure that the scanner you are replacing has all software uninstalled. You may have to use the original install disk as well as add/uninstall in Windows. Then uninstall the Photosmart printer after the old scanner has been uninstalled. Then install the Photosmart again and then install the new Scanner 4010. All systems then work perfectly. It would have been very helpful if the included install instructions for the new scanner suggested uninstall of the old scanner. And, it would have been useful if the customer service people that HP has subcontracted out for support would also have known of this solution. It took over two weeks to finally reach a solution. And, the solution was on my own research and trial and error. Otherwise, the HP 4010 would have rated 5 stars. HP needs to rethink their support ideas.

I was leery about purchasing this item after reading the reviews because I needed this to run on a Windows Vista operating system. But I checked the HP web site and saw that there were Vista drivers available. When I got the scanner, I downloaded the drivers and then followed the install directions using the downloaded drivers instead of those on the disk. The scanner works great. I haven't used the full potential of the device but it's been great to simply scan an item for saving, scan and create a pdf document and to scan and print.

Here it is, 2010 and I'm now running Windows 7. At this point, HP hasn't come out with any drivers for this OS, so I have a great door stop. The default Windows drivers don't do much. Tried the Vista drivers but they sense the OS and won't load. Hope HP moves quickly to get this resolved!

As of this review I have used this product for difficult color scans and it performed as expected. Great color and extremely sharp reproduction. HP has my vote on this impressive scanner.

Scanner is great, sure an improvement over the Visioneer that we had been using for a number of years

Picture scans are very good, true color.

Would recommend this scanner to anyone.

I bought my HP G4010 scanner because HP said it was compatible with my computer running Vista Home Premium and could scan 35mm negatives and slides. I soon discovered that the CD supplied did not cover Vista so I opted to buy the Vista CD from HP. It would not load and had files missing so I phoned HP support somewhere in India and was sent a replacement. The second CD was the same as the first. After 8 or 9 emails and phone calls to HP analysts I was sent a third CD. This one was marked exactly the same as the earlier two, but the content was totally different - for a start the missing files were there. But this time it would not complete the installation because it said I did not have administrator rights to my computer, even though I am logged on as administrator and sole user !

The fact the one of the HP analysts told me my scanner was out of warranty even though I had unpacked it from its sealed box a few days before did not impress me, neither did the fact that a circlip promptly fell out of the unit when I picked it up. So now I have a shiny new HP scanner that's only good for a paper weight.

So if you are considering buying this scanner to run with your Vista Home Premium computer - my advice is DON'T !

I found this scanned 35mm slides just fine, it also scans other receipts that I need to keep some record of. It puts the whole sequence of invoices together which is very helpful.

I ordered the scanner and planned to use it on an older computer with Windows 2000 SP4. It arrived promptly; unfortunately it was defective (made a clacking noise and the scanning light wouldn't move). Sent it back after a phone call and several emails back and forth to Amazon. Amazon sent a link to a web address that was supposed to show a return address label to print, but due to "technical errors" it only contained a label to put in the return box. Replacement scanner arrived, but software had been updated and wouldn't install correctly on Windows 2000 SP4 (HP sofware said no scanner was found, though Windows 2000 had no problem finding it). Installed the software on a newer computer with Windows XP, and was finally able to scan some slides and prints. Amazon credited my account for the cost to return the defective scanner.

I bought this scanner specifically to scan MANY old slides. It was easy to install and operate - touch of a button. I like the button to make anything a PDF. The only issue that I had was that it scans only 5 slides per setting and I still had to move the cursor box to properly shape the slides. I also had a crop after scanning. It was time consuming because I had so many. Otherwise, a great scanner.