How is everyone scanning their CPUs?

[Katmai500]

I've noticed a lot of CPU pictures posted on the forum are very good quality scans. The problem I've had using some cheap printer/scanner combos is that the text on the pin side of the CPU is blurred due to it being raised off of the glass and out of focus. Is anyone using some special technique or scanner to scan their chips? Perhaps just a better stand-alone scanner would be better?

The reason I ask is that I hope to start scanning/cataloging my collection and posting it on a website. Partially to show to people, but mainly so I can keep track of what I have, and so I can determine if I should buy something quickly when opportunity strikes.

Thanks!

[CPUShack]

make sure its a CCD based scanner, since other types (Canon LiDE for example) have very limited field.

I have a Canoscan 5600F.
I bought a thin piece of glass to place over the normal glass, which saves the normal glass from scratches (since I can replace the top layer whenever I need to)

[smithy]

I photograph mine rather than scanning...quite time consuming but can play around with lighting etc

[Fossalta]

I always put my cpu's in the middle of the scannerbed, if you put 'em more to the side the pins will be scanned at a different angle and it just doesn't look natural..

I also have a 5600F and i'm using the the negative scanner to align my cpu's, works pretty well.

[UMMR]

Hi,
yes, it's right: non-CCD scanners have a very limited DOF (Depth Of Field). Only the part of chip in contact with the scanner glass will be in focus. CCD scanners are a better choice. My HP ScanJet 5530 works well. A camera with a decent macro function is indeed a very good choice.
Many of the pictures of my museum's website are taken with an old, but still well working, 5 MP Nikon Coolpix 5000, which has a minimum focus distance in macro mode of only 0.9 cm at 70mm focal length (equivalent).
Paolo