How Does a Slide Scanner Work?
The Film Carrier To scan a slide, the slide is first placed in a carrier that is subsequently placed in the scanner. Carriers sometimes hold a single slide, while other carriers support the placement of multiple slides for sequential scanning. Carriers can be made of either plastic or metal. Light Source The light source on slide scanners can either be LED lights or a fluorescent bulb. In either case, the light source is regulated to ensure consistency of light over the entire scan process. If a scanner uses a fluorescent source, it usually must warm up before it can deliver consistent light. Many fluorescent based scanners use “cold cathode” lamps to minimize warm-up time. Sensor Different slide scanners use different types of sensors. The sensor converts the analog light passing through the sensor into a digital format. Some scanners use a charge coupled device (CCD) array, while others use a CMOS type sensor. The sensor array contains a number of light sensitive diodes that convert
