If you need a large-format flatbed scanner for larger documents, but aren’t ready to shell out $3,000 or more on one, the Epson GT-20000 may be just the solution for you. This scanner is what one could consider to be “mid-range,” offering high quality scans of varying sized documents, but without all of the bells and whistles one might expect from a high end scanner such as the Epson Expression 10000XL (see the large format scanner comparison chart for all price ranges).
Who Needs a Large-Format Scanner?
There are actually many professions that would require the use of a larger bed scanner. Lawyers and realtors, for example, regularly deal with legal sized paper and a standard sized scanner just isn’t going to cut it. Photographers may deal with irregularly sized prints and photos, and the Epson GT-20000 is capable of accommodating a picture or document up to 11X17 inches. Magazine pages, large books, photo album pages, and more all call for a large-format flatbed scanner.
Epson GT-20000 Features and Specifications
Of course, the most notable feature of the Epson GT-20000 is the large scanning base. Beyond that, however, this scanner is designed to give you the most for your money. It is built for speed. If you get the optional document feeder, the GT-20000 can scan at a rate of 23 ppm when dealing with monochrome documents, and 15 ppm for color. The feeder has a capacity of 100 pages, so just load it up, set it to scan, and let it do its thing.
The Epson GT-20000 is also designed for convenience. It features a Xenon lamp that doesn’t require any warm-up time to reach optimum scanning ability. Don’t be misled by that, however; the driver will require a short initiation period before you can start scanning. Even so, the wait time is much shorter than you would have from other scanners. Additionally, the scanner can be networked for multiple users, so anyone with the software installed on your network can access the scanner.
In terms of resolution, this 11×17 scanner features a 600 dpi with 48-bit color. For comparison, most standard scanners for home use generally offer about 300 dpi with 24-bit color, so this is about twice as good of quality or better. The Epson Gt-20000 comes with a high speed 2.0 USB cable for a quick connection, two drivers that are compatible with all major independent imaging applications, and all of the installation software you need to get up and running fast.
Affordability
While not many people consider $1,000 chump change, in terms of large-format flatbed scanners, this is actually a very good price for the quality of images the Epson GT-20000 produces. Although scans will not be as crisp and clear as the extremely high-end options, they will be more than sufficient for most people’s purposes. Less expensive large-format flatbed scanners such as the Mustek ScanExpress 1200 may offer an economical alternative, but most people are disappointed with the quality in the end. Better to go ahead and get something you know is good now rather than after you’ve already spend a couple of hundred dollars on something that you simply can’t use.
