I found a simple, portable design at http://kyleakoch.com/?p=48. Just add a piece of glass with safe edges to hold things flat.
It's for an iphone but should be simple to adapt for other cameras.
Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?
Moderator: peterZ
Re: Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?
Maybe this is obvious- but i was trying to wrap my head around scanning a number of loose papers.
At first i tried putting them in the VST & flipping pages as i would a book. While i didn't have problems with distortion of the page, i found that the pages would move around (not consistent); but worse, it was slow to flip pages & make sure they were in the right place.
i then tried putting them in a binder (i'm scanning pages that are hole punched); & while i could flip quickly & the pages would be a consistent postion...the platen was really awkward with the binder rings.
Then it occurred to me that the main purpose of the platen is to force bound pages of a book to lay flat. So i simply removed the platen & scanned my pages from a binder.
The pages in general lay flat naturally in a binder, so it's no problem without the platen. And because i don't have to lift the platen, i can scan even faster.
The only thing i have to remember is to manually move the VST as needed.
Anyway, maybe this is obvious to some, but in case it's not..i thought i'd mention it.
At first i tried putting them in the VST & flipping pages as i would a book. While i didn't have problems with distortion of the page, i found that the pages would move around (not consistent); but worse, it was slow to flip pages & make sure they were in the right place.
i then tried putting them in a binder (i'm scanning pages that are hole punched); & while i could flip quickly & the pages would be a consistent postion...the platen was really awkward with the binder rings.
Then it occurred to me that the main purpose of the platen is to force bound pages of a book to lay flat. So i simply removed the platen & scanned my pages from a binder.
The pages in general lay flat naturally in a binder, so it's no problem without the platen. And because i don't have to lift the platen, i can scan even faster.
The only thing i have to remember is to manually move the VST as needed.
Anyway, maybe this is obvious to some, but in case it's not..i thought i'd mention it.