Although they're not as popular today as they used to be, scanners are still a very important part of any photo-dedicated product line-up, and this is the reason why Canon couldn't have left them out of yesterday's product launch bonanza. Thus, the company also announced the release of two scanning units, namely the very innovative and advanced CanoScan 8800F model and the sleek and compact CanoScan LiDE90, both of them offering some very interesting scanning options, at least for their particular market segments.

Thus, the CanoScan 8800F provides consumers with a solution for all photo archiving needs, as it allows users to scan up to twelve 35mm slides and negatives at a time along with standard documents and images. Moreover, the device provides a maximum optical resolution of 4800 x 9600 dots-per-inch (dpi), and has been equipped with Film Automatic Retouching and Enhancement (FARE) Level 3 technology, which aids in automatic dust, scratch, fading and graininess reduction.

The CanoScan LiDE90 uses a contact image sensor (CIS), as well as a new drive system design, which makes it not only the smallest model in the LiDE series, but also one of the world's thinnest devices of this type. The scanner attains a maximum optical resolution of 2400 x 4800 dpi and uses the included USB cable both for data transfers and as a power source. Moreover, the device provides a few interesting extras as well, as for example the Quick and Automatic Retouching and Enhancement (QARE) Level 3 technology for quick, automatic removal of dust and scratches from scanned images and an Advanced Z-Lid for scanning bulkier items.

"In the emerging scrapbooking and graphic design fields, the demand for feature-rich, high-quality scanners is very prevalent. With the introduction of these two scanners, Canon U.S.A. looks forward to maintaining its leading position within this market by providing consumers with products that exceed their expectations," said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. "Consumers want to be able to preserve their memories and these new products allow for that to happen in a quick, easy and affordable fashion."

The high-end sCanoScan 8800F model will retail for around $200 (which is a bit much, indeed, but the device's features make it worth it), while the tiny CanoScan LiDE90 will be available for around 80 US dollars (thus making even the more budget-conscious customers quite happy).

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