subject: How To Scan Documents Quickly Using Your Camera [print this page] Scanning can be a laborious process and not the best option for bulk scanning hundreds of documents. Handling the paper, the scanner and its software can take more than a minute per page and limits how quickly you can go through larger piles of work. But here at What Camera we have a solution at hand and naturally it involves photography and digital cameras. This is because taking photos, instead of scans, can speed up the process ten-fold without any impact on quality of output.
First, a little setup work is required. You will need a tripod, some lighting and a digital camera. Place the camera on the tripod and point it directly downwards - the area underneath needs to be cleared as it will be your scanning surface. Almost any digital camera will do, but you need at least a 6 megapixel sensor for best results. Having manual settings is also advantageous as once an exposure is set all "scans" will be of consistent exposure. We are Nikon enthusiasts and can therefore suggest the Nikon P90 bridge camera or the more serious DSLR Nikon D3100. In regards to lighting, it's best to have a simple set of lights rather than rely on changing natural light. Studio equipment is ideal but not really required, as a couple of night lights will do the trick.
With all of these in place, you're ready to scanning. It takes only a second to take a photo, so you'd be able to plough through dozens of documents in no time. For increased speed, you can even get a cable shutter release which allows you more freedom to move about. Once done, simply upload your images to a computer. You may need to adjust brightness and contrast a little to achieve that contrasty scan effect, but that's a task that can be done in bulk too. Happy scanning!
