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CZUR ET24 Pro Overhead Scanner Results

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agentdynamo:
I purchased a CZUR ET24 Pro for some non-comics related imaging needs including books and small object photos. I decided to try a comics scan to see how it worked. Previous short threads on CZUR devices had no real info on resulting image quality. The overhead scanner is a definite advantage for scanning expensive Golden Age books as you don't need to "smash" them flat for a proper scan. The scanner projects LED lines on the page and adjusts the image for the page curvature. 

CZUR ET24 Pro is their top resolution device with a Sony 24 MPixel camera and reported 320 dpi. Scans were done at 320 dpi and will all lighting on, giving the best results. Comparisons are with a multifunction Canon printer/scanner, model MP495, scanning at 400 dpi. The slight refelection on the Canon scan is from scanning while it was still in the mylar. CZUR scans were done without mylar.

Advertised CZUR features worked very well, including the automated finger cot removal, page curve compensation, page cropping, page separation and rapid page scanning. An entire 64 page comic can be scanned in 2-3 minutes. I had to do minor adjustment on some pages for rotation as the automated rotation is based on the page edges which could be "off" due to other pages folded underneath. I manually adjusted rotation for about a third of the pages in software by 1 degree. Fractional rotation was not possible in the provided software but could be done with other graphics software. I manually cropped all pages in their software since full page results are never "square."

The CZUR images looked fine in isolation when displayed on an iMac 27 inch display with 5120 x 2880 pixel resolution. However when compared to the Canon scanner the results left a lot to be desired. Attached are scans for comparison, appended canon or czur for the scanner. The zoom file really shows how much detail is lost.

CZUR colors are off. A yellow background has a greenish tinge. A bright orange turns to a washed out orange. All color screening dots are lost, the colors are a smear. I don't know if this is from the camera used in the CZUR or some post processing, but those dots should be visible at 320 dpi.

The blacks are strangely accentuated, seemingly in areas around lighter coloring such as white or flesh tones. Worse, fine black detail is lost. This scan had some fine feathered inking work and it becomes a blur. Additionally black lines over a dark gray for shadows on the cat blur together.

I would have to call this a fail for the CZUR comic scans. Then again if you have a square bound or valuable book in nice condition there really are not a lot of options out there.

Yoc:
Hi AD,
Thanks very much for you detailed review of the CZUR ET24 Pro.  The results do leave a lot to be desired.  It reminds me of some fiche scans on the site.

Stay well,
-Yoc

agentdynamo:

--- Quote from: Yoc on December 18, 2022, 09:33:07 AM ---Hi AD,
Thanks very much for you detailed review of the CZUR ET24 Pro.  The results do leave a lot to be desired.  It reminds me of some fiche scans on the site.

Stay well,
-Yoc

--- End quote ---

Yes, that's what I thought as well. It looked like a high resolution fiche with similar fuzziness and color inaccuracy.

larrytalbot:
Hi AD,
Thanks for your valuable critique on the two modes of scanning.

darwination:
Cheers, AD, and thanks for posting the samples.  Overhead scanning has come a long way, and some machines are better than others - I imagine there's some technique involved too.  Still, it's pretty darn hard to come close to the results from a flatbed scanner (imho).

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