Fujitsu S510M ScanSnap Scanner – An updated versatile and fast Macintosh sheet feed scanner for document digitization

Reviewed by Harry {doc Babad © 2007

http://www.fujitsu.com/us/services/computing/peripherals/scanners/workgroup/s510m.html $495 USD. In principal, this scanner is only available in the US. Requirements: Mac OS X Tiger; Universal binary. RAM 512 MB Recommended, Disk Space needs: are about 1.4 GB for initial installation of the ScanSnap Monitor application, 400 MB for ABBYY FineReader OCR software for ScanSnap and about 1 GB for Adobe 8 Pro.   Some external reviewers on Amazon.com claim the software works on Leopard, but that information is not posted on the Fujitsu Web Site. I’ve not tested this claim. Stephanie L. at Vocecom.com has provided a link an update to make the scanner Leopard ready. In addition, she responded to my concerns about ReadIris for Fujitsu availability. All of this during the Holiday season — what great service.   A PC version of the scanner is also available. Fujitsu ScanSnap™ S510M Color Scanner   Users Manual: The vendor provides you a 185-page, 14 MB Illustrated Manual, to help you get started and serve if you need more information about both the strengths and limitations of the scanner, to trouble shoot, or to progress some of the scanner’s less routine features.

Product Specifications   Check the Fujitsu website for the detailed specification of the ScanSnap 510M. Alas, the specifications are silent on Leopard readiness.   Warranty — The ScanSnap S500M scanner is covered by a one-year Limited Warranty./p> The software was tested on a 1 GHz dual processor PowerPC G4 Macintosh with 2 GB DDR SDRAM running under OS X 10.4.11.   Along with the provided ABBYY FineReader OCR 3.0 for ScanSnap that outputs searchable PDF files I tested the OCR feature with ReadIris 11.6.4 and ReadIris for Fujitsu 10.5 in both RTF and PDF output modes.   Strengths: In one step, with a touch of the button, the ScanSnap S510M scanner digitizes both sides of a document in a single pass, in color, and at an amazing speed of up to 18 pages per minute, 36 pages in duplex mode. This fast easy to install and use scanner comes with Acrobat 8 Pro and ABBYY FineReader for ScanSnap.   Weaknesses: None worth mentioning.   Previous Reviews: Harry (doc) Babad in the macCompanion, May 2007 http://www.maccompanion.com/macc/archives/May2007/Hardware/FujitsuS500M.htm   Copyright Notice: Product and company names and logos in this review may be registered trademarks of their respective companies.

 

Introduction

 

As mentioned in my earlier review I am both an information junkie and an inveterate recipe collector. I presently have 60 cubic feet of paper documents related to nuclear waste management, loosely indexed in a FileMaker Pro Database, that need to be either in part, tossed, or scanned to free up bookcase and file draw space.

 

As you may remember, I already have an HP ScanJet 8250 with an added sheet feeder. Alas that scanner is relatively slow and the sheet feed is very prone to jamming. Before I had a chance to use Fujitsu’s product, I thought that the HP scanner was as good as it could get or I could afford. In my wildest dreams, I would not have believed I’d ever consider scanning my document collection to searchable PDF or RTF files.

 

When using the scanner, in the months that followed my May 2007 review, the ScanSnap S500M scanner, if discovered several previously unnoted problems. Pages clipped from magazines, often jammed the scanner. I could easily overcome the problem but it took extra time. It appears most magazines are printed on flimsy paper, which the original scanner could not always deal with. In addition, some of the items I need to scan were printed on European A4 stock (8.3 x 11.7”) that was lighter in weight then the 20# stock I was used to. Therefore when I got the opportunity to check out the new S510M scanner, I took it.

 

A Critical Initial Pre-Review Concern: When reading the web-posted specification for the software that accompanied the S510M, I was concerted that Fujitsu has replaced ReadIris software, which I’m used to using, along with the ABBYY product. Okay, I decided to test both versions of the ReadIris of software on the new scanner. This would allow me to determine whether the ABBYY product was as an effective OCR tool as the ReadIris products.

 

In Search for a Paperless Office, a Caveat to Information Junkies

 

In the accompanying article in The May 2007 issue, I discussed how one could initially organize and ultimately make electronic, a large collections of references. In my column entitled Too Many References — Too Little Space — No way to Search for Them, I focused on technical papers and science articles, what I said also works for recipes or other paper media you want to digitize. Getting your paper documents into electronic form is relatively easy; just use the ScanSnap. No it’s not an almost instantaneous effort, like farming out the job to an expensive service. However, at 18-36 pages a minutes it’s fast enough. After all you going to do this a dozen or so document art a time; not spend days over a hot scanner.

 

The most difficult aspect of converting paper, consolidating existing electronic collections, is reaccessing your electronic documents. Yeah, like you’ll need to find a specific needed document again. For example, during the four-month period in which I worked on a textbook about nuclear energy, I collected over 450 references, mostly downloaded from the Internet. In addition, from various archive sources, I also had to scan an addition 50 or so documents, not available from the web, to support my writing efforts. Not all the electronic documents I collected were in Spotlight readable form, being graphic formatted PDFs, so there was some OCR work required.

What one needs to go all-electronic are three tools and one scarce asset — First and most importantly, a flexible and reliably fast scanner. Second, the software accompanying the scanner must be easy to use and bug free. The scanner vendor must provide you with software that enables trouble free conversion of the scanned page, initially an image, to the format(s) you need.

 

Fujitsu has provided those tools. The third tool, unrelated to the scanning task, but essential to you future use of the scanned products is a reliable document catalog. I use a database sent up in FileMaker Pro to catalog my collection but an Excel spreadsheet can serve the same purpose. Otherwise you’re just gathering plies (MB to GB of hard to re-access stuff). You know the story; it’s on my 250 GB hard disk somewhere. Oh, lest I forget — the scarce asset; the will to create and maintain a cataloging systems that works for you.

 

Getting Started

 

The ScanSnap has an odd shape; it looks more like an ink-jet printer than a flatbed scanner. Its footprint is about the size of an 8.5-by-11-inch piece of paper, so it doesn’t take up much space on a desk. You load the paper into the paper chute, up to 50 pages (at 20# weight) you want to scan into the top of the scanner, and once it’s scanned, it comes out in its front tray. Both the feed guide and the scanned pages tray fold up, and better yet closing the feed guide turns of the scanner conserving electricity.

 

The ScanSnap S510M scanner easily installs via its USB 2.0 interface and its small footprint requires less space than a letter size piece of paper. Install the driver software, plug the scanner to a power source and then connect the scanner to a USB port. Follow this with installing Acrobat, if not already installed on your drive, and then the OCR software.

 

The scanner is PDF and Not TWAIN Compatible, although both ReadIris for Fujitsu, Abby’s FineReader for ScanSnap are compatible with scanning in that mode. That means you must to use the software that comes with it, and only that software. Standard versions of OCR products, which rely on TWAIN drivers, do not work with the Fujitsu S510M scanner.

 

Perhaps my strangest finding during this testing was the ReadIris version 11.6.2, that I obtained for test purposes from the I.R.I.S Corporation folks, often 75% of trials) worked with the Fujitsu scanner. Alas, I haven’t the time to either ask why or to find out the details of my successes.

 

Using the controls/preferences provided by the ScanSnap Manager software to make a few scanner operation related decisions. I did this rather then limit myself to using the Quick Menu mode. All of the settings, can be like system preferences, be both customized and as needed reversed.

 

• You have two modes form using the scanner. The easiest is the new multifunction Quick Menu feature. It gives you the choice of scanning to one of three modes. Scan to (a network) Folder, Scan to eMail (Apple Mail or MS Entourage Only) and Scan to Printer. In addition you can scan to the ABBYY software, iPhoto. In all cases the scan output is directed to your default application or device. Since there is no way to set the scan quality, I must assume the scan was done in the default 150 (color) 300 dpi (color) mode. However that scan mode gave me an acceptable product but not great a great one based on using he software to output to my HP Color LaserJet 3500.

 

•      The second mode, allows you to shift between various end applications, scan quality, color vs. b/w, and other settings, which more readily accommodated your needs if they are more specific. I spent most of my test time in this mode, since that was what I used with the previous version of the software on the Fujitsu S500M scanner. Notice, I’d added DEVONthink Pro and Photoshop Elements 4.0 to my scan destination list.
  
  Under the user selected conditions you can set the scanning resolution from 300/600 dpi color or up to 600/1200 dpi for b/w input. I use the better, but not best or excellent mode in my testing.
  
  Note that Fujitsu does not recommend scanning photographs except one at a time using a carrier sheet. I’ve batch scanned some photos in best mode, with no mishap, although that is not recommended by the manufacturer.

As paraphrased from a 2005 MacWorld review by Jennifer Berger of the ScanSnap S500M model — In fact, the ScanSnap’s easy-to-use software belies its flexibility. Six tabs sit at the top of its standard setting window (not in quick Menu mode.) Each pane, a preferences type arrangement, has just a few of options to allow you to meet your scanning output needs. It’s the kind of software Mac users expect. See: http://www.macworld.com/article/48348/2005/12/fujitsuscansnap.html/

 

Using the Hardware and Accompanying Software - Test Subjects and Results

 

Features — I scanned several types of documents, listed below, including testing the promised Auto paper size detection
 by scanning mixed sized batches of documents containing paper ranging in size from 4 x6 index cards, 4 x 5 and 8 x 10 photos, to letter and legal sized documents.

 

The Auto de-skew 
feature automatically straightened and aligned my text and images into their correct orientation for OCR processing.

 

Some of the tested pages were printed on one side, so Auto blank page removal <
could save on disk space needs (smaller PDFs) and time by eliminating the need to edit scanned documents using the ScanSnap S510M’s ability to recognize and delete blank pages.

 

Other Scanner Features Include:

 

Auto color detection — The ScanSnap S510M distinguishes color documents from black & white and converts them into PDF files.

 

Auto paper size detection — The ScanSnap S510M recognizes the size of each page being scanned such as A4, B5, A5, B6, A6, Business Card, Legal and Letter.

 

Carrier Sheet — The ScanSnap S510M provides a Carrier Sheet to permit digitizing delicate documents as well as oversized paper as large as A3.

 

Use a carrier sheet to deal with either fragile or outsized images. Out sized images are scanned by folding them and using the scanner software to make them whole as a double paged spread. I did not test this feature.

 

Create Searchable PDF Files —
 Powered by the included ABBYY FineReader software, the ScanSnap S510M can automatically convert scanned data into searchable PDF files that support Mac OS Spotlight and Adobe Acrobat searches.

 

Summary Test Results

 

I have attached the detailed test result to the end of this review. My tests included four types of input, primarily in manual settings mode. I’ve added including summary results to these items for reader convenience. These are:

1. The Reviewer’s Fujitsu Guide — The stapled 10 page letter sized Fujitsu ScanSnap Reviewers guide which contained a variety of multiple font size formatted pages and several tables. The ABBYY Fine Reader 3.0 for Fujitsu scan to PDF gave somewhat better results than scanning the document to ReadIris for Fujitsu in RTF output.

2. A Technical Report — A complexly formatted, but equation free, technical report (plastic spiral bound) was captured both as is with the binding removed and with the gutter removed. Without removing the gutter, the ABBYY Fine Reader 3.0 for Fujitsu scan to PDF gave significantly better results than scanning the document to ReadIris for Fujitsu in RTF output. However, if I removed the gutter with a paper cutter, the differences were minimal. Note that the users manual does not recommend scanning punched paper , but I had no trouble doing so

3. A Recipe Magazine Article — This was a long complex article cut out of Gourmet Magazine. The article contained a half dozen recipes, their photographs and cuisine related comments. Should you want to capture all of the contents of an article, the ABBYY program proved excellent results. However, if you want to cherry pick from an articles contents, I found scanning the ReadIris for Fujitsu to RTF gave me more opportunity to create custom formatting for a article. In either case check the quantities associated with the ingredients, after all OCR can add up to 1% errors to your captured scan.

4. Mixed Size Feeds — My previously described mixed size batch of odds and ends. A 7 page stack of left or right edge and top aligned recipes all larger than 4 x 5” in size feed well and provided a well resolved PDF file that I could breakdown into component recipes. However this mode of scanning could not deal with the smaller sized items; they just did not feed. A second test in which, after checking the manual, I aligned centers of my larger documents that went even more smoothly, the scanner software having to do less work to view the images.
   
   I did not try to alight the leading edge and centerline of all my documents, as recommended by the manual because doing so with the 4 x 5 sized items was too much hassle. Instead I scanned them separately, which worked well.

Scanner Jams — These were less frequent than on the Model S500M scanner. Both previously stapled documents and some magazine pages caused occasional problems. If magazine pages were cleanly cut, they did not jam the newer scanner. I also found that the dimples from removed staples could be handled by either by feeding the document upside down (removed stable holes at the bottom) or riffle the stabled ends several times. The scanner jams quickly when scanning slightly crumpled paper, something I could occasionally not cure, even with a steam iron.

 

Discomforts (See feedback from manufacturer at the end of this review.)

 

Lack of ReadIris for Fujitsu OCR Alterative — During my tests I found a number of cases where being able output to RTF would be an advantage. Admittedly, I can scan a document to PDF in graphic format and use Read Iris 11.6.2 to convert it to a RTF document for detailed editing in MS word. But, it would have been nice had Fujitsu allowed users to acquire the scanner specific ReadIris software to meet such needs.

 

Provided ABBYY OCR Software Limitations — Unlike the ReadIris software, a user has not control over any of the setting associated with the ABBYY FineReader Software. To get RTF output, to must be extracted from the searchable PDF file; fortunately this is an easy task with Adobe Acrobat Pro.

 

Leopard or Not for Leopard — An obvious question I’d not had time to chase.

 

Conclusion

 

Once again I share that there is so much to like about the Fujitsu ScanSnap. It specifications are comparable to the previously reviewed model S500M with several significant exceptions. First the developers have added Quick Menu Mode that allows most folks simple access to many of a scanners output functions. Second, the scanner seem more jam proof than the S500M I’d previously tested.

 

Whether you want to scan bills or warrantees and gadget instructions as graphic PDF for your records, or documents as searchable PFD or RTF files for future use in your writings, the Fujitsu S510M a great scanner! It is both versatile and flexible. Occasional jams can be cleared in less than a minute and you scan continued where you left off.

 

Finally, although I did not test the feature, using the provided carrier sheet, allow you to work with either fragile or oversize materials, a feature missing from the earlier model. Anyone who has mounds of paper and not enough space for it all should consider it. Fujitsu’s second software iteration for the Mac continues to be a great success; it’s software worthy of a Macintosh.

 

Paraphrased from a reviewer on Amazon.com; ‘This attractive, easy to use machine, gives home scanners a completely new definition. It makes all other less expensive scanners expensive, in terms of the time you save, and as an added plus the great software you get with it.’

 

Recommendation

 

The Fujitsu ScanSnap fills the home and small-office scanning niche perfectly, creating a way to more easily achieve a true paperless office. Alas, the ScanSnap comes at a rather high price of $495, about $50 -$80 less if you shop around. Its excellent scans, ease of use intuitive Mac software, and small footprint will be money well spent. I have saved so much time, even at minimum wage, by using the scanner to electronically organize and store my documents that within a few weeks (part time use) the machine paid for itself. Buy it you’ll like it.

 

Feedback

 

Hi Harry,

 

…The review covers ScanSnap with accuracy for the most part. There are a few items to call out below;

• The ScanSnap S510M sells in the US, but it also sells in Canada, Europe and Asia.
• The review mentions that ABBYY replaces IRIS but that isn't exactly accurate. IRIS was never "in the box". It was, and continues to be, a rebate software with the S510M. ABBYY was added to the box to provide S510M "searchable PDF creation".
• Leopard compatibility is not in the box with the S510M but it can be downloaded for free from the following link.

Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks and Happy Holidays!!!

 

Best,

 

Stephanie L.

Vocecom.com

 

 

PS

 

Test Subjects and Results