HP ScanJet

ScanJet

Company type	Product line
Industry	Computer hardware
Founded	1987 (1987)
Founder	Hewlett-Packard
Products	Desktop flatbed scanners, sheetfed scanners
Parent	Hewlett-Packard (later HP Inc.)

ScanJet represents a series of desktop flatbed scanner and sheetfed scanner devices initially marketed by Hewlett-Packard (HP), later by HP Inc., beginning in 1987. As one of the earliest widely embraced image scanners, it was designed primarily for the small office/home office segment. Developed to complement HP's LaserJet printers, ScanJet played a crucial role in HP’s efforts to establish a foothold in the nascent desktop publishing arena during the 1980s.

The grayscale-only ScanJet Plus, created in partnership with Canon and launched in 1989, achieved notable commercial success and set design benchmarks for scanners throughout the following decade. From 1991 onward, ScanJet models began incorporating full-color scanning functionality.

Since the 2010s, updates to the ScanJet lineup have occurred irregularly.

First generation

The initial ScanJet was engineered by HP’s printer division located in Boise, Idaho during the mid-1980s. Released in March 1987, it was introduced to complement the LaserJet series that debuted in 1984, thereby expanding HP’s desktop publishing offerings with an imaging device.

This original ScanJet came with an 8.5-by-13-inch glass platen and supported scanning resolutions up to 300 dpi in 4-bit grayscale (offering 16 shades). It housed an internal raster image processor (RIP) capable of producing raw 4-bit grayscale images, halftone dither patterns, or 1-bit monochrome scans. An optional automatic document feeder (ADF) enabled handling of legal-sized multi-page documents.

Connection to IBM PC or compatible systems required a proprietary interface card, which cost nearly US$500 extra. Although initially aimed at PCs, HP extended support to Macintosh platforms by releasing drivers and software in June 1988.

ScanJet Plus

The original ScanJet quickly gained commercial traction for HP, rapidly increasing market share and earning critical acclaim. By early 1988, it represented 27 percent of scanner sales by revenue. While Canon's IX-12 had previously dominated the PC scanner segment, by 1989 the ScanJet rivaled it both in sales volume and software compatibility. That year marked a collaboration between HP and Canon culminating in the ScanJet Plus, which integrated Canon's IX-30F scanning mechanism with HP-designed hardware and software components.

The ScanJet Plus enhanced bit depth to 8 bits (256 grayscale levels) while maintaining a resolution of 300 dpi. It connected directly to PCs via a bidirectional parallel port—compatible with systems like the IBM PS/2—though other platforms required an optional interface card. The availability of an automatic document feeder (ADF) as an accessory continued.

This model achieved widespread adoption and garnered industry praise as the first mass-market grayscale desktop scanner. Its introduction contributed to lowering scanner prices from several thousand dollars to below $2000. By 1991, it had established itself as the industry standard for scanner hardware, prompting competitors to ensure feature parity and compatibility with DOS/Windows API commands—a standard that persisted until the late 1990s when TWAIN API became prevalent. Even as late as 1996, the ScanJet Plus retained popularity within reseller channels.

ScanJet IIc and IIcx

In 1990, HP transferred ScanJet research and development from Boise to Greeley, Colorado, where it created the ScanJet IIc, released in August 1991 as the first model supporting color scanning. The IIc offered scanning at up to 24-bit color depth (16.7 million colors) at a resolution of 400 dpi and accommodated legal-sized documents. It provided native support for both Macintosh and PC platforms through 25-pin and 50-pin SCSI interfaces. The device could output full 24-bit color images or various monochrome and halftone formats. An optional automatic document feeder (ADF) was also available.

Distinct from prior models, the IIc’s scanning engine and charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor were entirely developed internally by HP’s engineering team. It employed three linear CCD arrays to simultaneously capture red, green, and blue channels under illumination from two fluorescent lamps. Optical focusing combined with dichroic filters separated color components precisely. The sensor periodically refreshed to improve vertical resolution and minimize aliasing on halftone images; however, some interpolation artifacts appeared at non-integer scaling factors. Data throughput could reach up to 600 KB/s at resolutions exceeding 150 dpi, posing challenges for contemporary PC disk buffers. To address this, HP engineered the stepper motor to briefly pause and retract slightly between scans, preventing gaps or distortion.

In November 1993, HP introduced the ScanJet IIcx as an upgraded version of the IIc featuring a faster stepper motor that nearly doubled grayscale scanning speed without compromising color scan rates. The IIcx also offered an optional transparency adapter for slides and film negatives—a capability unique to this model—and maintained compatibility with the IIc’s optional ADF.

ScanJet IIp, 3p

HP introduced the ScanJet IIp in March 1992 as a compact and more affordable successor to the ScanJet Plus. This model was one of the earliest scanners compatible with the TWAIN API, a standard HP helped to develop. The ScanJet IIp offered native scanning at a resolution of up to 300 dpi in 8-bit grayscale, with interpolation capabilities reaching 600 dpi. Its platen size measured 8.5 by 11.7 inches, slightly reduced compared to the ScanJet Plus to accommodate a smaller chassis design. HP included a trial version of Caere's OmniPage OCR software with the scanner, working closely with Caere to enhance it using HP’s AccuPage technology—incorporating adaptive thresholding and column detection—to boost text recognition accuracy and preserve document layout. This AccuPage technology was later retrofitted to the ScanJet IIc and made available as an open standard for OCR developers.

In October 1994, HP launched the ScanJet 3p as the successor to the IIp, doubling scanning speeds at identical resolutions. Both these models supported an optional automatic document feeder (ADF), which improved productivity for professional environments.

ScanJet 3c, 4c, 4p

The ScanJet 3c debuted in April 1995 as a replacement for the ScanJet IIcx. It doubled scanning speed and increased maximum color depth to 30 bits (over one billion colors) and grayscale depth to 10 bits (1024 shades), which enhanced image processing by reducing banding and improving shadow detail reproduction. At launch, it was the most cost-effective scanner capable of 30-bit color scanning. The native resolution was upgraded to 600 dpi, with hardware PDI enabling simulated resolutions up to 4800 dpi. Similar to earlier models, it supported aftermarket automatic document feeders and transparency adapters.

In November 1995, HP released the ScanJet 4c, a modest upgrade featuring enhanced DeskScan II control software optimized for Windows 95. A budget-friendly version called the ScanJet 4p followed in March 1996, limited to a maximum resolution of 300 dpi and color depth of 24 bits. The ScanJet 4c was also sold under the name ScanJet 4cse in retail outlets.

The development process of the ScanJet 3c involved meticulous calibration of its three-strip CCD sensors to compensate for chromatic aberration caused by uneven light paths within the optical system. HP designed a custom fluorescent lamp containing three phosphors that emitted balanced red, green, and blue light. During final stages of production, a metal plate was added beneath the scanner to prevent electrostatic discharge that interfered with the SCSI bus connection.

ScanJet 4s, 4si, 5s

In November 1995, alongside the ScanJet 4c, HP introduced the ScanJet 4s and 4si—the company’s first standalone sheetfed scanners. The ScanJet 4s was essentially a rebranded Visioneer PaperPort scanner, providing an affordable and slim sheetfed option with fewer features but at a lower price point. Conversely, the ScanJet 4si was an original HP design emphasizing network connectivity; it linked via Ethernet or Token Ring networks to transmit scans over local area networks through NetWare servers and included a front-panel LCD for direct network scanning functionality.

April 1997 saw the release of the ScanJet 5s as an internal design successor to the ScanJet 4s after HP grew dissatisfied with Visioneer’s slow development of next-generation models. The ScanJet 5s was HP’s first color sheetfed scanner capable of optical scanning at up to 300 dpi (with interpolation up to 600 dpi) in full 24-bit color. Despite these features, PC Magazine criticized it for slow performance, excessive noise during operation, and only average scan quality.

ScanJet 5p

HP launched the ScanJet 5p (also known as ScanJet 5pse) in January 1997, succeeding the ScanJet 4p while continuing to offer the ScanJet 4c as a more affordable alternative. This model retained the same capabilities as its predecessor, supporting scanning resolutions up to 300 dpi and 24-bit color depth. It introduced a redesigned casing featuring a front-mounted scan button that activated the included PictureScan software for effortless one-touch scanning. Positioned as an entry-level device, HP did not equip the 5p with an automatic document feeder (ADF) or transparency scanning functionality.

At release, the ScanJet 5p was bundled with a TWAIN driver that exhibited performance issues, causing slower operation in some image editing programs such as Adobe Photoshop compared to HP’s own DeskJet software. HP subsequently addressed these problems by issuing an updated driver patch.

An interesting hidden feature in the hardware allowed the scanner to play "Ode to Joy" by varying the stepper motor speed when powered on cold under specific button and SCSI ID configurations.

Network ScanJet 5

In November 1997, HP unveiled the Network ScanJet 5, an advancement of the ScanJet 4si designed for direct connection to Ethernet networks (supporting 10BASE2, 10BASE-T, or 100BASE-T standards). It interfaced with servers running NetWare or Windows NT Server. Equipped with an LCD screen and numeric keypad, this scanner enabled users to manage file transfers over the network directly. Additionally, it could dispatch documents as packet-switched faxes both within and beyond the local network; however, it lacked fax reception capability, requiring either networked computer software or a separate fax machine for incoming faxes.

ScanJet 6000 series

The ScanJet 6100c was introduced in August 1997 as HP’s high-end flatbed scanner, replacing the ScanJet 4c. It featured a CCD sensor delivering up to 600 dpi optical resolution with a 30-bit color depth. Optional accessories included an automatic document feeder (ADF) and a transparency adapter. The included passive transparency adapter utilized a plastic triangular prism with an internal mirror to convert the scanner’s lamp into a backlight source for scanning transparencies.

In August 1998, HP enhanced this lineup with the ScanJet 6200c, which increased color depth to 36 bits and added USB connectivity. The ScanJet 6250c variant incorporated a built-in ADF. A further refresh occurred in August 1999 with the introduction of the ScanJet 6300c series, which maintained prior performance and quality levels and was also available as the ScanJet 6350c with ADF and the ScanJet 6390c featuring an integrated transparency adapter.

ScanJet 5000 series

Following the ScanJet 5p, HP released the ScanJet 5100c in March 1998—its first color scanner connecting via a 25-pin enhanced parallel port rather than SCSI. This model debuted Intelligent Scanning Technology (IST), which segmented scanned images into photos, line art, and text components, optimizing each for contrast and sharpness. Line art was converted into vector graphics before being rasterized. However, IST sometimes produced errors leading to distorted output. In 1999, the ScanJet 5200c added USB connectivity; by 2000, the ScanJet 5300c improved optical resolution to 1200 dpi and expanded color depth to 42 bits. The same year saw the arrival of the ScanJet 5370c featuring an optional standalone transparency adapter that sat atop the flatbed scanner, enhancing previous designs.

The ScanJet 5470c launched in 2001 increased optical resolution to 2400 dpi and was also marketed as the ScanJet 5490c with an integrated ADF. Targeting document processing workflows, the ScanJet 5550c arrived in 2002 as an ADF-equipped flatbed scanner. The ScanJet 5530 offered enhanced color depth of up to 48 bits along with a compact ADF designed for scanning prints sized at four by six inches. Finally, in 2004, HP introduced the ScanJet 5590 which combined flatbed and ADF capabilities similar to the 5550c but improved maximum sheetfed scan capacity from thirty-five to fifty pages per batch.

ScanJet Enterprise Flow

The ScanJet Enterprise Flow series consists of network-connected ADF scanners tailored for handling large volumes of documents. Prominent models in this lineup include:

• ScanJet Enterprise Flow 5000 s2 (2013)
• ScanJet Enterprise Flow 5000 s4 (2017)
• ScanJet Enterprise Flow 5000 s5 (2022)
• ScanJet Enterprise Flow 7500 (2013) – hybrid flatbed and ADF scanner
• ScanJet Enterprise Flow 7000 s2 (2013)
• ScanJet Enterprise Flow 7000 s3 (2017)

ScanJet Pro

Designed for small to medium-sized enterprises, the ScanJet Pro series offers both flatbed and ADF scanners. Key models are:

• ScanJet Pro 1000 Mobile (2013)
• ScanJet Pro 2000 s1 (2017)
• ScanJet Pro 2500 f1 (2015)
• ScanJet Pro 2600 f1 (2022)
• ScanJet Pro 3000 s2 (2013)
• ScanJet Pro 3000 s3 (2017)
• ScanJet Pro 3500 f1 (2015)
• ScanJet Pro 3600 f1 (2022)
• ScanJet Pro 4500 fn1 (2017)
• ScanJet Pro N4000 snw1 (2022)

Additional Models

• ScanJet 200 (2013) – compact, economical flatbed with CIS technology
• ScanJet 2200c (2001) – affordable flatbed scanner using CCD
• ScanJet 2400 (2004) – budget-friendly flatbed with CCD sensor
• ScanJet 3300c (1999) – entry-level flatbed, CCD-based
• ScanJet 3400c (2000) – cost-effective flatbed scanner with CCD
• ScanJet 3500c (2002) – low-cost flatbed featuring CCD
• ScanJet 3670 (2004) – economical flatbed utilizing CCD
• ScanJet 3770 (2005) – budget flatbed scanner with CCD
• ScanJet 3970 (2004) – affordable flatbed, CCD-equipped
• ScanJet 4070 (2004) – value-oriented flatbed with CCD sensor
• ScanJet 4100c (1998) – budget flatbed, CCD technology
• ScanJet 4200c (1999) – entry-level flatbed using CCD
• ScanJet 4300c (2000) – cost-conscious flatbed scanner with CCD
• ScanJet 4370 (2005) – affordable flatbed, CCD-based
• ScanJet 4400c (2001) – economical flatbed using CCD technology
• ScanJet 4470c (2001) – budget-friendly flatbed with CCD sensor
• ScanJet 4570c (2002) – low-cost flatbed scanner featuring CCD
• ScanJet 7400c (2001) – budget flatbed equipped with dual CCDs
• ScanJet 7650 (2005) – business-class flatbed/ADF scanner, CCD-based
• ScanJet 8200 (2003) – professional flatbed scanner using CCD
• ScanJet 8250 (2005) – business-level flatbed with duplex ADF and CCD sensor
• ScanJet 8270 (2006) – business-focused flatbed featuring duplex ADF and CCD
• ScanJet 8290 (2003) – professional flatbed including integrated transparency adapter, CCD technology
• ScanJet 8350 (2006) – business flatbed equipped with ADF and CCD sensor
• ScanJet 8390 (2006) – business-oriented flatbed/ADF scanner using CCD
• ScanJet G2410 (2007) – budget-friendly dual CCD flatbed scanner
• ScanJet G3110 (2009) – economical flatbed featuring CCD technology
• ScanJet G4010 (2008) – professional-grade flatbed with built-in transparency adapter and CCD sensor
• ScanJet G4050 (2006) – professional ADF scanner including integrated transparency adapter, utilizing CCD technology
• ScanJet N6310 (2009) – professional combination of flatbed and ADF with built-in transparency adapter, employing CCD sensor
• ScanJet N6350 (2009) – business network-enabled flatbed/ADF scanner with integrated transparency adapter and CCD technology
• Scanjet N7710 (2007) – business duplex ADF scanner using CCD sensor
• ScanJet N8420 (2007) – business-class flatbed/duplex ADF scanner capable of 25 ppm, featuring CCD technology
• ScanJet N8460 (2007) – business-level flatbed/duplex ADF scanner rated at 35 ppm, equipped with CCD sensor