Customer Reviews

Microtek ScanMaker 3700 Flatbed Scanner (PC/Mac)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Let's face it, about 50% of the value of a scanner like this is the TWAIN software that comes with it. The TWAIN software is the program that gets the image from the item you are scanning to the program you are scanning it into. I am a real Jeckyl and Heckle about TWAIN software. On the one hand, I want it to be really simple, so I can very quickly scan some cool picture for use as a background on my PC. On the other hand, I want to be able to tweak the stuff, so I can resize something, get rid of the moire pattern on printed material, and generally make a bleeping good scan of the photos in my photo collection. Well Microtek's implementation of TWAIN has got personalities for both of me.

On the one hand, there's a simple mode, where I can tell it what the source is (photo, magazine, art magazine, film, etc.) and what I want to use it for (display on-screen, print to an ink jet printer, etc.) in english, and the little elves in the scanner run back and forth with the light and make it work. On the other hand, I can switch to advanced mode and fiddle with demoire patterns and lpi vs. dpi and filters and get exactly the scan I want.

Who could ask for more!

The scanner itself was a snap to setup. Since it's a USB device the PC found it, found the drivers on the CD (once I told it to look there) and I was scanning away. The light lid device for scanning slides and 35mm negatives is adequate. The couple of old slides I scanned were a tiny bit washed out, but a couple of seconds in a good graphics editor fixed that right up. I probably could have made the adjustments in the TWAIN software, but I was feeling somewhat Heckle that day.

I love this scanner, it's got a great price, and the software with it is great.

The Microtek 3700 works fine and has some nice extras. Scan speed for a color image at medium resolution was about 90 secs. That's pretty typical these days. Scan speed for 300 dpi B&W Line art (i.e. text for OCR) was a VERY fast 30 secs. TWAIN software has many nice features and a few rough spots. Somehow I entered some bogus combination of preferences (line art & descreen?) that caused an error like "User has hit cancel button to abort scanning"! When I blanked out the settings and started over all was well. My scanner also came with a slide/film illuminator so I can scan them as well. This worked okay, but the color wasn't quite right. It certainly worked better than my home-made attempts at scanning slides on my old scanner. I have not seen slide scanners at any where near this price range before. Image detail was good, but not as good as I've gotten using my 2 megapixel digicam to photograph slides on a light table. But if you don't have a good digital camera that can focus close, this is definitely the best alternative. Overall I'm pleased with this unit.

The ScanMaker 3700 is a fast scanner, and image quality is near perfect. The main utilities for copying and e-mailing documents at the touch of a button are great, however the default setting for one-button scanning often yeild results that are less adequate than going into PhotoImpact and scanning the image yourself.

Set-up was painless and automatic. The bundled applications are a comprehensive set, and I myself usually don't step outside PhotoImpact and Caere PageKeeper (meaning, I've got all I need there). Even so, the software bundle has several more applications like ULead PhotoImpact Album and Caere's OCR software that you might find useful.

The only area where the scanner is a bit lacking is on the negative film scanner adapter, since the scans don't show the proper color balance nor image quality and need to be tweaked. While this is a film scanner that you won't be used to scan your negatives and print from them, but it is more than adequate for previewing your pictures before deciding which ones to have printed at a professional lab (and considering that it's for an under-$100 scanner, it's a bargain).

Overall, we're absolutely satisfied with the device. It's great for images and printed documents, and the film adapter is a welcome addition.

I would like to add to my review above of this product after having a horrifying experience with Microtek support. My scanner lamp went bad a few months after I purchased the scanner. I returned the scanner to Microtek and they sent it back after about a week, "repaired". Turns out, they did not set the locking mechanism on the scanner and it came back with teeth missing on the gears that moved the scan assembly. They replaced that one with another broken one that would not detect via USB. They replaced that with a third one that worked, but did not include the light lid (even though they told me they were sending me a brand new scanner). Their support was difficult to deal with. I like the scanner and the software, but it loses two stars for their support being MISERABLE!

I received the scanner a few days ago, and I got it hooked up without a problem. My Windows 2000, Dell PC found it right away, and I was scanning in no time. Besides the expected scan wizard software, it comes with several different third-party sofware packages for organizing/storing images, modifying images, etc. It was rated well in Consumer Reports which was my main sorce of evaluation before buying it. As writtin in CR, it does have a pretty large footprint. I am happy with the scanner and the quality of the scans.

The only thing that is goofy with it is that the scanning lamp stays on all the time. The only way to turn it off is to turn the scanner off. I have never seen that in a scanner. I confirmed that the unit was operating properly at the Microtek website. I also e-mailed the company asking them about it. They replied with a recommendation that I turn the scanner off when not using it to save the lamp. I leave my PC and all peripherals powered-up all the time, so I will have to remember to turn the scanner off when not using it. No big deal, its just an odd design "feature".

I purchased this scanner in Feburary of this year. I was pleased that the installation was easy and for what I used it for the quality of the scans were Ok. Unfortunately, the scanner totally quit functioning after 12 scans! So the referral on this product being a "work horse" wasn't true im my particular case. In contacting the manufacturer, I learned that the effort of getting this scanner fixed wasn't worth the scanner. I would not recommend this scanner or manufacturer to anyone.

I purchased my Microtek product less than a year ago. Actually, it was 7 months ago. The product stopped scanning some 2 months ago. Because Microtek does not provide the consumer with a warranty, for obvious reasons, I was stuck with it. I do not recommend that any one purchases a Microtek product. I will only buy Canon or HP. I'm forced now to go out and buy another scanner soon. Its very frustrating. I, like the others, experienced that the lamp stayed on. And for me, the scanning "rod" inside would not move and scan the objects. Now please note that I have used this scanner all of 10-15 times since I've purchased it, so its not like I've used it daily. Again, stick with the big guys (Canon and HP). With them you get better customer service, warranties, and quality products. And you wont end up being the guinea pig since they are still trying to get this thing right.

After having the scanner for a little over a year the lamp burned out. I called Microtek and the only way to replace the bulb is to send the scanner to them and pay up to 200.00 to replace the lamp! To make things worse I had to hold for 20 minutes long distance. They don't even have an 800 customer service number. I'm going to buy a new scanner today and will not buy from Microtek again. I would recommend the same to everyone.

When we first got this scanner it was great- pictures and text scanned well & the software was easy to use. BUT, about 6 months into relatively light use, the scanner started making grinding noises & stopped working altogether.

We sent it for repairs- it came back broken even worse (damaged in shipping). Sent it back again for more repairs. Just got it back & it is not responding to anything. Overall, the quality is poor. We're now in the process of sending it back for good. I hope ours was just a lemon!

I've had mine for about 6 months now and still now problems. I purchased this for my wife to use for school and she was so excited when it arrived that she set it up and had it running by the time I got home from work. If you knew my wife you would think this a minor miracle because she is NOT technically minded. This is my second scanner and by far the easiest and best one. The USB connection is great and the quick buttons on the front are awesome. It is the first scanner I've used which actually scans and sends a fax which was either typed or hand written and actually comes out legible.

Hopefully I don't have to send it in for a new lamp head like the previous reviewers. If I do I'll definitely put a note inside to lock down the scanner head!!

Only bad experience was the mail-in rebate. After two months I got a letter back saying I couldn't have it because I didn't enclose the UPC from the box or something. Thing is is that it didn't ask for it on the rebate card, just a receipt. Too bad, I'd already thrown the box away.