In summer of 2007 HP introduced the Scanjet G4050 as an extremely low-priced flatbed scanner with integrated transparency unit to the market. The scanner can scan not only impinging light content but also slides and negatives up to a size of approximately 20x30 cm.
The theory is that the usual source of white light used for scanning doesn't offer full-spectrum illumination, so a separate pass with a separate light source and some extra sensors can fill in the gaps and produce a more accurate result.
Pros: Good colour quality; reasonable build quality; decent support at the price for a wide range of different slide formats
Cons: Can be slow at higher resolutions; slight softening on both paper and slide scans; drivers and software need to be streamlined and simplified
It's becoming rarer for home users to want separate printers and scanners, primarily because of the space each one uses, which is why multi-function devices are popular.
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