CZUR Fancy S Pro Test – Affordable document scanner with OCR tried out

The Chinese company CZUR was founded in 2013 and mainly develops scanners. The offered solutions range from simple book or document scanners for home use to professional solutions for the office. In the CZUR Fancy S Pro review, we will look at the latest model, which is aimed at home users. In addition to the further development of the hardware, great importance is attached to the associated software. This offers a curve smoothing algorithm for books as well as OCR (optical text recognition) in addition to the typical known improvements of the scan, such as adjustments of brightness, contrast and similar options.

The CZUR Fancy S Pro is available now for $149 through crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. The compact scanner features a 12 megapixel camera that scans documents up to A3 size and 320 dpi resolution. Furthermore, the camera can also be used as a webcam for meetings or presentations, for which a microphone is also installed. In the detailed test we clarify whether scanner and software can convince.

Technical data

Scope of delivery

CZUR ships the Fancy S Pro securely packaged in a compact box made of styrofoam. Open it up and you’re looking directly at the scanner, cable, and USB-A to USB-C adapter. The quick start guide is located underneath the scanner. The scope of delivery thus contains everything necessary, a base or further accessories are not included.

Design and workmanship of the CZUR Fancy S Pro

• very compact design
• many adjustment options

The CZUR Fancy S Pro comes already fully assembled, with the USB cable permanently connected. The document scanner consists of a rectangular stand on which a rod is attached. This is extendable, adjustable in height by 104 mm and locks in place at a distance of just a few mm. The arm including camera and microphone is located on the rod, which can be adjusted from the vertical to the horizontal position at an angle of 90°. Another joint is located at the end of the arm, which allows the camera to be rotated at an angle of ~160°, enabling both scanning from above and use as a webcam in all positions.

When it comes to the color scheme, CZUR relies mostly on a minimalist black design. In contrast, the cogs on the joints, which serve for locking, and an element on the bar’s extension are kept in gray. This also applies to the cog and the controls directly on the camera.

Software of the CZUR Fancy S Pro

CZUR offers a total of two different programs for the device, which have to be installed separately. One is CZUR Fancy, and the other is CZUR Visualizer. Both programs are available via the manufacturer’s download page, which is exclusively in Chinese so far; according to our information, an English-language page should follow soon.

CZUR Fancy

• German language scan software
• offers various scanning, color modes and image optimizations
• OCR conversion for searchable and editable documents

The German-language CZUR Fancy software includes the scanning functions here. With it, documents, photos or even books can be scanned, image enhancements can be made, or OCR can be used to create searchable and editable documents or create PDF files. For installation, the serial number is required, which is located on the bottom of the document scanner.

Various color modes are available for scanning, and you can also choose between smooth paper, curved book, combine pages, scan selected regions (select a scan area using the mouse) or no processing (creates unprocessed original images) processing methods. Furthermore, CZUR offers autofocus and the possibility of automatic scanning, whereby new documents are scanned independently as soon as a new document is still under the camera. The subsequent editing options correspond to those of simple image editing programs or even other scanner software and range from cropping, contrast, image sharpness and the like to color modes. OCR conversion or the recognition of barcodes or QR codes is also possible. For some of the functions, time-saving batch processing is also possible, which also allows embedding watermarks. In our opinion, this covers all necessary and often needed settings and functions.

The scanned documents are saved as JPG files, but can also be exported as PDF or TIFF files. Word, Excel or also PDF are available for selection as searchable formats.

CZUR Visualizer

• English language camera software
• allows use as a webcam and the creation of photos and videos
• Provides various tools, such as a laser pointer for presentations

Unlike the Fancy software, the Visualizer is not German- but so far only English-language. Since the eizelnen functions and options are easy to understand and also thanks to the icons self-explanatory, but this should be the fewest users before major problems. With the help of the software, the CZUR Fancy S Pro can be used as a webcam, for creating photos and videos, but also for presentations. Various tools are available for these features, such as a laser pointer or even a magnifying glass, and it is also possible to draw or write on the image. Other options that the software offers are, among others, the fading in of a grid, masking of certain areas or also picture in picture.

Practical test

• Good scan result on smooth documents, problems with heavy bending
• Mostly reliable OCR, major weaknesses with handwritten text
• Camera and microphone with only moderate quality

In everyday use, we used the CZUR Fancy S Pro primarily as a document scanner. The Fancy software required for this is clear and easy to understand. The quality of the scan depends heavily on the material to be scanned. While the result is very good with smooth paper, such as single sheets or letters, and even the edges are recognized very accurately, it deviates with thicker books, for example. If the paper is too curved, the document scanner sometimes has problems recognizing the edges or smoothing the curves. The automatic scanning works well and saves some clicks and also time with several pages. The OCR conversion is also only partially convincing. Well-readable printed text is recognized without problems, as long as the scan result itself is good. Afterwards, the text can be searched or also edited or supplemented in an office program. The software fails with manually written texts.

Our conclusion is also mixed when using it as a camera or webcam. The picture quality is unfortunately only satisfactory. Overall, the picture lacks sharpness, the colors are a bit too pale and the room has to be well lit. CZUR mentions meetings and homeschooling, among others, as usage scenarios, also as a tutor. While we conclude in the test that the CZUR Fancy S Pro is quite sufficient for private conversations, internal meetings or for viewers of presentations, we rather advise the classic webcam for professional use, which offers a noticeably better picture quality. This can also be transferred to the microphone. Voices are well intelligible, but the quality is only sufficient for occasional private use. Another small point of criticism is the LED. This is always on after PC startup and has to be deactivated manually.

CZUR Fancy S Pro review conclusion

Overall, the CZUR Fancy S Pro is an interesting product that covers many application areas with its features. You get a compact document scanner that scans single sheets or letters with good quality. The OCR conversion also works very well for machine-generated documents. Furthermore, the model is also suitable for occasional use as a webcam in a private environment. On the other hand, if you expect a document scanner that scans and smoothes thicker books without problems or a software that converts manually written texts with OCR, then you will unfortunately be disappointed.

Still, the device will probably satisfy the demands of most users. With an MSRP of $149, the CZUR Fancy S Pro is also a rather inexpensive model. Other available document scanners often offer less functionality and are hardly cheaper. Those looking for a compact scanner with more features should take a look at CZUR’s Fancy S Pro.