7 Effective Paper Scanning Tips
Despite the fantastic breakthrough of artificial intelligence and digital tools, human skills still matter. Optical character recognition (OCR) quality depends on the document photos you send to the system. Software robots, big data capabilities, and machine learning technologies become helpless if the text on the image is entirely illegible.
Therefore, before scanning essential papers, you need to practice a little. We have prepared seven tips for mobile scanning so you can overcome common problems and get the best scanning results from your iPhone.
Use Professional Scan PDF Docs
The iPhone has a built-in scanning function. However, to start the scanning process, you will need a special app. We recommend using PDF Scanner App: Scan Docs is the best iPhone scanner app with a high rating and rich functionality. With scan PDF docs, you can quickly process any document and convert it to the most popular formats such as TXT, PDF, and JPEG.
The platform is highly accurate in recognizing text in a matter of seconds. In addition, the system is equipped with advanced photo processing tools, which allows you to get high-quality scans. For example, you can use light correction, crop the image, change the font and size, or rotate paper in the direction you need.
A professional scan app can create well-read text even under challenging conditions. However, do not forget the tricks that will help you save time on improving the photo and instantly give a positive result.
Find Good Lighting
The main slogan of all photographers is “the lighter, the better.” This principle is also relevant for the PDF Scanner App. If you distribute the light evenly, you won't have to spend much time adjusting the image's color.
Twilight is the worst time to create pdf docs. In addition, arranging files on your lap is also not effective. It is best to scan documents by placing them in a window or outdoors in daylight.
Adjust Focus
Digital cameras use special technology to determine the distance to an object. In other words, the camera may focus on the wrong object you want. We recommend giving your smartphone enough time to focus on the text to improve scan quality. The more hasty shots you take, the less likely they will succeed.
Hold Your iPhone Firmly
Any movement in the camera causes a blurry image. If your camera does not have optical image stabilization, shoot like a shooter:
- Hold the camera steady in your hands.
- Hold your breath.
- Gently press the shutter button.
We recommend using a flexible clamp mount if you struggle with trembling hands. This tool will stand straight – all you have to do is press the snapshot button.
Be Aware of Shadows and Highlights
Another life hack related to light is light distribution around the entire perimeter. Use a flash if the shadow falls on some part of the page. Thanks to this function, the light falls evenly.
When scanning glossy paper, using the flash is not effective. However, if you still cannot do without this function, try to position your smartphone camera so that you do not see the direct reflection of the flash on the document. Also, do not forget that the hands can create an additional shadow. In this case, you can change the camera's position, move it to another room, or add another light source.
Use a Solid Color Background
Even if there are small objects in the background, the camera may try to focus the lens on these things. Therefore, try to place documents on a plain background and have a few other objects in the viewfinder as possible. Also, avoid a light background as it blends into the white paper.
Look for the Best Picture Angle
If you want to eliminate unwanted shadows and shoot at an angle instead of having the lens above the paper, ensure the angle isn't too steep. Note that Scan PDF Docs has a trapezoidal correction function. In other words, the app can transform an image at a horizontal angle into a rectangular document. So if you can't capture a paper at a softer angle, use this feature.
