Copiers (so fast) versus scanners (so slow), why?

[(+) Influence]

Does anyone know why copiers are so much faster than scanners? The copier in my office can print out a page every 2 seconds, while the scanner takes over a minute to scan one picture. Seems like the copier is doing more in less time. It could be that we have a good copier and a bad scanner, but even the fast scanners I've seen are very slow. Even a cheap digital camera can take the pictures much quicker. Why is this so?

 

[Ramius75]

Maybe coz the copier is much much more expensive than the scanner but also copier is "scanning" at lower resolution and mostly without colours.

 

[Scuffer]

Scanners produce a much better reproduction of the image, and by a completely different, and inherently slower, method.

 

[Perfection]

It's a completly different process, copiers don't need to digitize the image. The basicly make a photographic reproduction, except on a plain sheet of paper.

 

[CivCynic]

Scanners are more in-depth in the detail of the pictures they scan. This is for if you want to mess around with the scanned picture on the computer or something. With a copier, they do nothing but replicate the inserted document.

 

[FriendlyFire]

The vast majority of printed magazines at printed at 320 dpi resolution
Copiers reproduce images at far lower then this resolution
(I think Lazer printers are at 240 dpi)

Scanners you scan images in at far higher resolution.
Thus take longer

 

[stormbind]

Resultion plays a part, but consider cost - your household flatbed scanner costs $30 and the enterprise photocopier costs $5000+? (I am guessing)

You can get some pretty fast scanners if you really want to pay, but most households put quality and cost before speed.

 

[Perfection]

It has nothing to do with resolution; it's the fact that copiers don't digitize the information! Copiers duplicate it using electrophotography, not digital imagery!

BTW, you can get a decent copier for $2000. (It may be lower, I haven't checked in a few years)

 

[stormbind]

Some copiers do digitise the image, providing you with a preview and crop options.

Maybe they are slow, or maybe they project the once-rendered image, I dunno...

 

[Perfection]

Some copiers do digitise the image, providing you with a preview and crop options.

Some very expensive copiers, and they don't print the digital image, they still use the original. The speed comes from not digitizing, not from lower resolution.

 

[stormbind]

How do they put ink onto paper?

The number of ink-dots applied is also a resolution that incurs a speed penalty. Oops! Forgot it was a topic about scanning

 

[hbdragon88]

It has nothing to do with resolution; it's the fact that copiers don't digitize the information! Copiers duplicate it using electrophotography, not digital imagery!

Hmm. My dad said that some new copiers use digital imagery-like processes. I don't know anything about copiers, but I've also noticed a big difference between the latest copiers (with digital interface) and the older, bigger, and bulkier ones. The new copiers are cleaner, faster, and sometimes even look better than the original. The old copiers are uglier, less brighter, and obviously copied. So is this just better technology or a different process?

 

[Marla_Singer]

It's a completly different process, copiers don't need to digitize the image. The basicly make a photographic reproduction, except on a plain sheet of paper.

Actually, most modern copiers digitize the paper before printing it. I guess the difference is merely about resolution and the fact most copiers are black and white. A color copier is slower than a b&w copier by the way.

 

[Marla_Singer]

It has nothing to do with resolution; it's the fact that copiers don't digitize the information! Copiers duplicate it using electrophotography, not digital imagery!

That's not true with modern copiers. At the office the little screen tells me "digitization of the copy", and then it tells me "printing", and finally it tells me "it's done, do you want some coke ?".

 

[Perfection]

Well, you could be right, I haven't done much with copiers for quite a few years (since my family last purchased one) and that was midranged.

 

[(+) Influence]

It has nothing to do with resolution; it's the fact that copiers don't digitize the information! Copiers duplicate it using electrophotography, not digital imagery!

Digital Cameras digitalize the images too, correct? They seem fast, and clear.

 

[Perfection]

Digital Cameras digitalize the images too, correct? They seem fast, and clear.

But they have a very small amount of area that needs to be scanned, it would probobly be impractical to make a something that could scan a large sheet of paper.