Scanner Question

[Duper]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to pick your brains a bit. I need a scanner with a good depth of focus; say about 1/2\" or so.

More specifically, an image scanner. I'll be scanning small parts and populated circuit boards.

any recommendations of the top of your heads. I am currently searching the web, but i thought I'd drop a line here as well.

thanks!

[fliptw]

a decent digital camera and a stand?

[heftig]

Yes, camera is the way to go IMO.

[Duper]

yes yes.. I have a camera and a light booth. but I also have need for a scanner. I do infact have one at work, but the depth of focus is not sufficient. Thus is why I asked about scanners and not cameras.

[Krom]

Its pretty much a limitation of the whole concept of a scanner to have a different focus, I'm sure there is something out there that does 3D scanning... but I would imagine it would cost more than the average American yearly wage.

[TechPro]

Get an \"Elmo\" and connect it's output for video/picture capture.

http://www.elmousa.com/

[Duper]

*sigh*

sure Tech.. and that'll do nicely on the $500 limit I have. 4K just SLIGHTLY exceeds that.

And yes Krom. There are those out there. .. I point to my line above. I can't even a SLR with that range. I'm stuck with a POS Olymic pocket digital. These things eat batteries like CANDY! DO NOT get Olypmic cameras. (I did not buy this)

We did have a scanner that had a focus depth that was about 1/4\" inch or so and could scan boards with large parts quite nicely.

It's a time issue. Scanning a board is much faster and the lighting is more even than I can achieve with the garage sale equipment we have.

I write process documentation for an electronics manufacturing company (that's the short version for now)and our process sheets need plenty of images as the folks on the floor have a hard time with english. ... even the ones that were born here.