5.0 out of 5 stars Whoa....Are You Serious?!?!? Awesome Scanner!!

2026-02-28    -Chemboy

1. Why I needed this product?I was looking for a way to store 10 years worth of receipts, invoices, bills, etc. As many of us do at home or work, we tend to open up the mail and then stack the bills somewhere in the corner to eventually file them. I have been carefully sorting out the 'must have' papers from the 'junk' stuff so that I wouldn't end up on an episode of hoarders or something! But even after all these years I managed to create some piles around the place...until I had enough. Okay, well until the wife started to get on my case. I figured a scanner would do the trick, but I needed one that was extremely efficient and didn't take up too much room...A quick search on Amazon led me to the ScanSnap scanners...2. DeliveryAmazon delivered the scanner in their traditional brown 'happy face' box with air cushions to support the scanner box. The scanner came in a nice sealed gray box from Fujitsu, with cushions, plastic, and red tape to ensure safe delivery of the product. Perfect delivered within a few days as expected.3. SetupThe setup was straight forward...install the software first, then plug in the scanner and then connect the USB cord to your PC. The software install took about 7 minutes for me (Win 7, Ult 64-bit). While that was installing, I carefully peeled the red tape off and took off the excess plastic. The scanner as previously described by others, is about the size of a loaf of bread but unfolds and expands to about the size of a portable laptop printer. The opening is the 'on/off' switch for the scanner. After the software install, I hooked up the USB cable and within a minute the scanner was recognized.....nice!4. The scannerI have a canon MG8220 (I believe) which is all-in-one blah blah blah printer. I truly enjoy the printer but for scanning...I can scan one page at a time which takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute (after naming,correcting, etc). Much too long when you have a pile of papers, two children, and a wife! So, using the S1500 for the first time was quite an experience. I didn't know what to expect. I loaded an invoice I had laying around and within seconds it was scanned...voila! No extra buttons or cropping (will discuss later) or anything extra needed...just scan and you are done. A couple of hours later I was scanning in batches of 2, 6, 14 pages per press of the 'scan' button. The software and how it is used is key if you are to be productive with the scanner...more to follow in the software section...5. SoftwareThe ScanSnap software has an interface that reminds me of MS Office 2010. I actually expected some crazy software with buttons in strange places and options that wouldn't make sense....I'm sure you have seen that before with cheaper scanners!! However, the interface is very simple and straight forward. Basically, you have the main window which has a "cabinet." You can create a "cabinet" for individual categories. I have a cabinet for 'receipts,' 'insurance,' and 'paycheck stubs,' to name a few. Now, I figured out that when you click on a cabinet to highlight it, you can then create a 'folder' for that cabinet. For example, under the cabinet 'receipts' I created folder called '2001' and another '2002.' This is because I'm just starting out but the point is under the cabinet directory of receipts I can now separate the receipts by year folders. If I want to break the folders down further I imagine I could create a specific receipt folder for that year (like shopping or auto repair under the 2001 folder, etc). The point is that the software is very flexible in creating the folders and cabinets you need....the sky is the limit!Under the options category, you can select the scanning options that fit your needs. Need to scan both sides at once, no problem! Need to scan only the front page? no problem! Need to scan in color or B&W...you can do that also...or simply let it scan in auto mode and let the software guess for you. Overall, the picture quality in pdf format is great at any scan resolution. There is some tinkering you have to do, but this thing is fast and that alone makes up for any fine tuning I need to do before I scan in batches. BTW, scanning in batches....want to scan a batch of papers and have multiple pdf pages created? no problem! Want to do the batch as one complete file, that you can do too! On a side note, if a paper is slightly crooked while it is being scanned...don't worry! The page will correct itself!Some reviewers have specific needs and demand more from this device but for me, I was able to rid two years worth of papers..probably a few hundred sheets in about 4 hours....organized, complete, and saved as an electronic file! I have chosen to save the files as timestamped pdf files. While in the main work area of the scanned docs, I can rename them with ease and then move them where I need to....that is, into their proper cabinet. Others may have an easier way, but for me that works just fine. There are other options as well...such as scanning to Word, Excel, or Outlook...but I haven't tried that feature yet!The fact that this little thing cleared out so many papers in one afternoon is amazing! I wish I would have discovered this sooner...would I recommend this product....with two BIG thumbs up!Good Luck....P.S. The scanner was very warm underneath after using it all afternoon...just keep that in mind....

5.0 out of 5 stars Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 is a remarkable office tool

2026-01-15    -CWJ

I purchased the Fujitsu SnapScan S1500 during Christmas 2009. Over two months, I have scanned over 14,000 pages without problems. The scanner is truly a remarkable productivity tool that I will continue to use to convert my technical library into a searchable PDF library. All in all, the software does perform as the descriptions indicate. The scanner is extremely fast and performs in a very forgiving manner.Although I am using the scanner with a Mac, I purchased the Windows version to get the Adobe Acrobat Pro 9. I run Vista using fusion, so I am able to utilize the Mac platform for most of my business applications and occasionally use Windows, if I really need to. The Mac has had absolutely no problems with the scanner. perhaps over the next several months, I will be able to reclaim 50 yards of bookshelves in my office.The business card scanner software performs as advertised but it is not good enough to populate the Mac "address book" with the requisite information. The resulting data does not have the granularity that the address book looks for. I'm still trying to find software that will allow business card scanning with direct input into the address book. However, having said that I believe the software should work just fine with Microsoft outlook.Note that the software is meant to only scan and "create" a searchable PDF file. The user would need software, such as Preview or Acrobat, to work with the file. There are numerous PDF software packages that can do all kinds of miraculous modifications to the file. If I have time, I like to cut out the articles such that the advertisements are removed and save the articles as a new PDF file. This helps with searching and file size. However, it does take more time.A few points about using the scanner may help new users to avoid a few very minor issues. I like to read magazines and scan the articles that strike me. Most magazines have a gum backing (to hold the pages) which will leave a slight deposit on the scanner's clear plastic scanning area. This is not detrimental to the scanner But after scanning numerous pages, the clear plastic windows should be cleaned. A soft cloth gently applied to the window will clear the gummy substance. Don't be too aggressive as the gummy material will come off and you do not want to smear or scratch the scanning area.Currently, I try to cut the backing off with a knife so that the gummy stuff does impact the scanner. Also, If you want to scan a book, use a table saw to cut off the binding or find a printer that has a "power knife" to slice off the backing.The scanner is extremely forgiving if you forget a staple. Before scanning an old group of papers, be sure to fan the stack to ensure that the pages are not stuck to each other and that staples are not included in the batch. If a staple is missed, you'll definitely recognize the noise as the feeder attempts to pull the stuck pages through. Quickly release the scanners lock mechanism which will open up the "clamshell" scanner design. This is a single button (push button lever) located on the right side of the swing-out portion of the scanner. Opening the mechanism will automatically shut the scan down, relieve the stuck staple (pages) and protects the scanner. The software will ask if you want to continue scanning but usually you need to straighten up the papers, remove any staples or stuck areas and re-start the scan from the beginning. I use an old credit card to "rake" the crumpled paper back into a semi-flat condition. The scanner is very forgiving for less than perfectly flat paper.Sometimes the papers (reports) are bound using a spiral binding. after removing the spiral binding, simply load up the paper and press the scan button. Sometimes the holes may tend to catch on the (scanned) page as it exits the scanner which causes the overall scanned stack to start to spill off the tray. This is not a big deal. Simply remove paper as it begins to misbehave or watch and guide the sheets as they feed through. I usually sit with the scanner as it works since most scams are only a few pages. Often, the pages behave and over 50 can be scanned in one run.Very glossy magazine pages may have to be fed through more carefully. A very large stack of glossy pages (20 - 50) may not feed through very well. Limit the number of pages to five or so. Five pages probably covers most articles.PDF scanning software works quite well. It is very valuable to ensure that the PDF file is searchable. however creating searchable PDF files does take a bit more time. Once you start going to an electronic filing system, you no longer know which notebook or file folder the paper is in. Being able to search the text in the scan is the only way to find your electronic knowledge, regardless of how clever your filing convention may be.

3.0 out of 5 stars Better than using ADF on an MFC, but . . .

2026-02-06    -Vestigio

I am a basic user who sometimes has many pages to turn into PDFs, and I hope to get around to turning a lot of papers I need to retain into PDFs so I can get rid of the papers. This is a review of Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner for PCSmall foot print of the S1500 is great but construction is really flimsy for a $400+ device. I handle it very gingerly. I don't think the latches and unfolding sections would last long if I had to use this on a daily basis.I had used a lite version 11 of Paper Port which came bundled with my Brother printers. It allowed me to scan 1-x pages and then add pages, and more pages, until I had one big PDF document to save. As far as I can tell I cannot do that with this scanner's bundled software. For example, if I get a stack of 20 papers to scan to PDF, and I find an additional 10 pages I want to add, I can't. I will have a file of 20 pages and a file of 10 pages. I then have to use another program to combine the 20+10. A waste of time. The largest single PDF I can make is 50 pages.Scanning speed is excellent. Same for quality of scans.

5.0 out of 5 stars Whoa....Are You Serious?!?!? Awesome Scanner!!

2026-02-22    -Chemboy

1. Why I needed this product?I was looking for a way to store 10 years worth of receipts, invoices, bills, etc. As many of us do at home or work, we tend to open up the mail and then stack the bills somewhere in the corner to eventually file them. I have been carefully sorting out the 'must have' papers from the 'junk' stuff so that I wouldn't end up on an episode of hoarders or something! But even after all these years I managed to create some piles around the place...until I had enough. Okay, well until the wife started to get on my case. I figured a scanner would do the trick, but I needed one that was extremely efficient and didn't take up too much room...A quick search on Amazon led me to the ScanSnap scanners...2. DeliveryAmazon delivered the scanner in their traditional brown 'happy face' box with air cushions to support the scanner box. The scanner came in a nice sealed gray box from Fujitsu, with cushions, plastic, and red tape to ensure safe delivery of the product. Perfect delivered within a few days as expected.3. SetupThe setup was straight forward...install the software first, then plug in the scanner and then connect the USB cord to your PC. The software install took about 7 minutes for me (Win 7, Ult 64-bit). While that was installing, I carefully peeled the red tape off and took off the excess plastic. The scanner as previously described by others, is about the size of a loaf of bread but unfolds and expands to about the size of a portable laptop printer. The opening is the 'on/off' switch for the scanner. After the software install, I hooked up the USB cable and within a minute the scanner was recognized.....nice!4. The scannerI have a canon MG8220 (I believe) which is all-in-one blah blah blah printer. I truly enjoy the printer but for scanning...I can scan one page at a time which takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute (after naming,correcting, etc). Much too long when you have a pile of papers, two children, and a wife! So, using the S1500 for the first time was quite an experience. I didn't know what to expect. I loaded an invoice I had laying around and within seconds it was scanned...voila! No extra buttons or cropping (will discuss later) or anything extra needed...just scan and you are done. A couple of hours later I was scanning in batches of 2, 6, 14 pages per press of the 'scan' button. The software and how it is used is key if you are to be productive with the scanner...more to follow in the software section...5. SoftwareThe ScanSnap software has an interface that reminds me of MS Office 2010. I actually expected some crazy software with buttons in strange places and options that wouldn't make sense....I'm sure you have seen that before with cheaper scanners!! However, the interface is very simple and straight forward. Basically, you have the main window which has a "cabinet." You can create a "cabinet" for individual categories. I have a cabinet for 'receipts,' 'insurance,' and 'paycheck stubs,' to name a few. Now, I figured out that when you click on a cabinet to highlight it, you can then create a 'folder' for that cabinet. For example, under the cabinet 'receipts' I created folder called '2001' and another '2002.' This is because I'm just starting out but the point is under the cabinet directory of receipts I can now separate the receipts by year folders. If I want to break the folders down further I imagine I could create a specific receipt folder for that year (like shopping or auto repair under the 2001 folder, etc). The point is that the software is very flexible in creating the folders and cabinets you need....the sky is the limit!Under the options category, you can select the scanning options that fit your needs. Need to scan both sides at once, no problem! Need to scan only the front page? no problem! Need to scan in color or B&W...you can do that also...or simply let it scan in auto mode and let the software guess for you. Overall, the picture quality in pdf format is great at any scan resolution. There is some tinkering you have to do, but this thing is fast and that alone makes up for any fine tuning I need to do before I scan in batches. BTW, scanning in batches....want to scan a batch of papers and have multiple pdf pages created? no problem! Want to do the batch as one complete file, that you can do too! On a side note, if a paper is slightly crooked while it is being scanned...don't worry! The page will correct itself!Some reviewers have specific needs and demand more from this device but for me, I was able to rid two years worth of papers..probably a few hundred sheets in about 4 hours....organized, complete, and saved as an electronic file! I have chosen to save the files as timestamped pdf files. While in the main work area of the scanned docs, I can rename them with ease and then move them where I need to....that is, into their proper cabinet. Others may have an easier way, but for me that works just fine. There are other options as well...such as scanning to Word, Excel, or Outlook...but I haven't tried that feature yet!The fact that this little thing cleared out so many papers in one afternoon is amazing! I wish I would have discovered this sooner...would I recommend this product....with two BIG thumbs up!Good Luck....P.S. The scanner was very warm underneath after using it all afternoon...just keep that in mind....

5.0 out of 5 stars Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 is a remarkable office tool

2026-01-23    -CWJ

I purchased the Fujitsu SnapScan S1500 during Christmas 2009. Over two months, I have scanned over 14,000 pages without problems. The scanner is truly a remarkable productivity tool that I will continue to use to convert my technical library into a searchable PDF library. All in all, the software does perform as the descriptions indicate. The scanner is extremely fast and performs in a very forgiving manner.Although I am using the scanner with a Mac, I purchased the Windows version to get the Adobe Acrobat Pro 9. I run Vista using fusion, so I am able to utilize the Mac platform for most of my business applications and occasionally use Windows, if I really need to. The Mac has had absolutely no problems with the scanner. perhaps over the next several months, I will be able to reclaim 50 yards of bookshelves in my office.The business card scanner software performs as advertised but it is not good enough to populate the Mac "address book" with the requisite information. The resulting data does not have the granularity that the address book looks for. I'm still trying to find software that will allow business card scanning with direct input into the address book. However, having said that I believe the software should work just fine with Microsoft outlook.Note that the software is meant to only scan and "create" a searchable PDF file. The user would need software, such as Preview or Acrobat, to work with the file. There are numerous PDF software packages that can do all kinds of miraculous modifications to the file. If I have time, I like to cut out the articles such that the advertisements are removed and save the articles as a new PDF file. This helps with searching and file size. However, it does take more time.A few points about using the scanner may help new users to avoid a few very minor issues. I like to read magazines and scan the articles that strike me. Most magazines have a gum backing (to hold the pages) which will leave a slight deposit on the scanner's clear plastic scanning area. This is not detrimental to the scanner But after scanning numerous pages, the clear plastic windows should be cleaned. A soft cloth gently applied to the window will clear the gummy substance. Don't be too aggressive as the gummy material will come off and you do not want to smear or scratch the scanning area.Currently, I try to cut the backing off with a knife so that the gummy stuff does impact the scanner. Also, If you want to scan a book, use a table saw to cut off the binding or find a printer that has a "power knife" to slice off the backing.The scanner is extremely forgiving if you forget a staple. Before scanning an old group of papers, be sure to fan the stack to ensure that the pages are not stuck to each other and that staples are not included in the batch. If a staple is missed, you'll definitely recognize the noise as the feeder attempts to pull the stuck pages through. Quickly release the scanners lock mechanism which will open up the "clamshell" scanner design. This is a single button (push button lever) located on the right side of the swing-out portion of the scanner. Opening the mechanism will automatically shut the scan down, relieve the stuck staple (pages) and protects the scanner. The software will ask if you want to continue scanning but usually you need to straighten up the papers, remove any staples or stuck areas and re-start the scan from the beginning. I use an old credit card to "rake" the crumpled paper back into a semi-flat condition. The scanner is very forgiving for less than perfectly flat paper.Sometimes the papers (reports) are bound using a spiral binding. after removing the spiral binding, simply load up the paper and press the scan button. Sometimes the holes may tend to catch on the (scanned) page as it exits the scanner which causes the overall scanned stack to start to spill off the tray. This is not a big deal. Simply remove paper as it begins to misbehave or watch and guide the sheets as they feed through. I usually sit with the scanner as it works since most scams are only a few pages. Often, the pages behave and over 50 can be scanned in one run.Very glossy magazine pages may have to be fed through more carefully. A very large stack of glossy pages (20 - 50) may not feed through very well. Limit the number of pages to five or so. Five pages probably covers most articles.PDF scanning software works quite well. It is very valuable to ensure that the PDF file is searchable. however creating searchable PDF files does take a bit more time. Once you start going to an electronic filing system, you no longer know which notebook or file folder the paper is in. Being able to search the text in the scan is the only way to find your electronic knowledge, regardless of how clever your filing convention may be.

3.0 out of 5 stars Better than using ADF on an MFC, but . . .

2026-01-01    -Vestigio

I am a basic user who sometimes has many pages to turn into PDFs, and I hope to get around to turning a lot of papers I need to retain into PDFs so I can get rid of the papers. This is a review of Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner for PCSmall foot print of the S1500 is great but construction is really flimsy for a $400+ device. I handle it very gingerly. I don't think the latches and unfolding sections would last long if I had to use this on a daily basis.I had used a lite version 11 of Paper Port which came bundled with my Brother printers. It allowed me to scan 1-x pages and then add pages, and more pages, until I had one big PDF document to save. As far as I can tell I cannot do that with this scanner's bundled software. For example, if I get a stack of 20 papers to scan to PDF, and I find an additional 10 pages I want to add, I can't. I will have a file of 20 pages and a file of 10 pages. I then have to use another program to combine the 20+10. A waste of time. The largest single PDF I can make is 50 pages.Scanning speed is excellent. Same for quality of scans.