HP ScanJet 4670 See-Thru Vertical Scanner

I've owned the HP 4670 for nearly 3 years and have very few complaints. I don't understand the bad reviews about banding. I've never had anything like that. I work on a iMac G5, do lots of photo work. Only fault I can find is that when the scanner is in the vertical position and I try to set 2 or 3 photos to scan, they tend to slide sideways when I shut the cover. I do find this annoying. Also, it's rather slow to warm up to the first scan. But overall, I think it's a very good scanner and I wouldn't replace it unless something outstandingly better came along.

I was completely satisfied with this scanner. The only problem I had was a software glitch when I upgraded to Explorer 7.0, but that has since been fixed. Unfortunately, as with most of the peripheral equipment I had, it does not support Vista. There is a driver, but it only works with Windows Photo Gallery, which is bundled with the Vista OS and has very few features. The HP software is not compatible. But at least it works... When I upgraded to a new computer that came with Vista, I had to buy a new laser printer to replace the Xerox I've used for years as well as a later model DYMO label maker. My Canon PIXIMA iP6000D is the only equipment that had an upgrade. All the manufacturers who do not support Vista do have a solution to the problem: Purchase their latest product. I wonder if Microsoft gets a kickback?

Like many reviewers here I had a dead one of these things. HP replaced it without a quibble though and the replacement has been just excellent. I do like the machine itself, though I have to say that the HP bloatware scanner software is really very unpleasant. I just use the basic WIA driver, which does everything I need.
For scanning large documents, which is what I do a lot, there is nothing better.

Pretty good for the money. If you are really picky about quality you should get a more professional model - this is economy grade. The versatility of this scanner is awesome since it can be taken off the base and used to scan large items. I also like that it takes up minimal desk space when stored on its base. That was the main selling point for me.

Or so it would seem if HP had their say about its customers. I paint on large canvases and when I discovered this scanner, I thought I had it all! Before that, the best I could do for my money (or lack of) was to take crappy digital photos and do my best in Photoshop to correct lens distortion and color errors. To get an image with 48 bit quality would require a photographic studio worth tens of thousands of dollars. The HP 4670 vertical scanner's design allows me to get equal or better image detailing. It scans with very good color accuracy. I would have had all my prayers answered if only the 4670 didn't scan with friggin' bands!! And now I have to deal with it's incompatibility with the horrible Vista. I had Vista on my computer, but had to downgrade back to XP. I didn't believe in demonic possession until I had installed Vista. I now realize that it's quite possible. Furthermore, I think someone should send a priest and a rabbi to do a little holy housecleaning at Microsoft. Ugh!

I can't use HP's basic Vista compatible drivers, because then I would no longer be able use the scan button on the scanner. It would be so clumsy and time consuming to have to go to my computer, click on scan, and run back to the canvas to realign the scanner, and then repeat the process twenty-nine more times or until I finish. I'd burn out just before sunrise!

If I found a better replacement, I would drop-kick the 4670 into the East River. But there's nothing out there with a similar design, although I continue to scour the web. In the meantime, I feel as though I'm being held captive by a device that only teases me with the promise of a perfect world.

By the way, my workaround the bands issue is to use the "replace color" feature in Photoshop, followed by "auto blend layers". It doesn't eliminate them but, if done well enough, will soften them to barely tolerable levels. If there's anybody out there with a better suggestion, please post.