Is there a way to get a Canon 8400F scanner to work with Mountain Lion?

As of OS X "Lion" all scanning functions that may have required third party software in the past are now incorporated in OS X. You do not need Canon's scanning software. All drivers are included or downloaded as necessary when installing the printer, and subsequent updates are distributed with the App Store.

There are now at least three ways of accomplishing a scan: using Preview, or the Image Capture app, or by choosing your printer in System Preferences > Print & Scan, and selecting the Scan tab.

John Galt wrote:

You do not need Canon's scanning software.

But you do need Canon to make an ICA driver for this model and supply it to Apple so that is available for download. And Canon has not listed this model as one that they will support.

Mr Hamrick is showing his Vuescan app as supporting the 8400F. But he also states that you need a scanner driver and to get that from Canon. So if Canon is not making a scanner driver for 10.8 (the last they released was for 10.6) then I'm not sure if you can get this to work.

stobinar wrote:

Does Canon have a history of being behind on its updates?

Since this model was released in October 2004, then it is not a case of "being behind" but "withdrawing support". Most products only get supported for 7 years after their release.

I had the same pproblem with my Canon printer/scanner (Pixma MP480). After downloading all the newest drivers from the canon support site, I still could not scan. However, after an e-mail exchange with Canon, I downloaded their newest scanner software for the MP Navigator from the same site. No problems since!

I have had the same problem with canon scan toolbox x. In this case with a canonscan 9950F

Download 8400f mac driver ScanGear CS & CanoScan Toolbox here:

http://software.canon-europe.com/software/0035096.asp

That's it.

I have exactly the same problem with my Canoscan 8400F which is a good scanner in perfect working order, and it wasn't cheap either. I will be upgrading to Mountain Lion and Adobe Photoshop 6 and can't get a driver update from Canon for my 8400F (even with P'shop 5 I can't use the scanner).

I shouldn't have to just dump my 8400F in landfill becuase Canon can't be bothered to update the driver. If I have to go and buy something like a Canoscan 9000F how do I know how long that driver will be suitable for Mac OS upgrades?

Canon says they won't include suport for OS10.8, so it seems there is no option but to go out and spend yet more money on a whole new scanner. What a waste.

Preview and Image Capture are very basic scans, not suitable for reproduction. I know that Silverfast 6.6 works with the scanner, but it is not compatible with Photoshop 5 and up! Obsolescence rules!

Got it working.

Download 8400f mac driver ScanGear CS & CanoScan Toolbox here:

http://software.canon-europe.com/software/0035096.asp

When you install the software it will give you an error.

Temporarily Get Around “App Can’t Be Opened” Alert Message

This is probably the best option for most users, since it maintains some security:

1. Right-click (or control-click) the application in question and choose “Open”
2. Click the “Open” button at the next dialog warning to launch the app anyway

You can do this with any third party app that gives you this warning dialog and open it anyway.

My Canon 8400F works on OSX 10.8.2

I am so sorry I have taken so long to reply to this post. Apple locked me out of Apple discussions when I updated to OS10.8.2 from OS6.8 and I had to change my Apple ID. That caused all sorts of problems and I had to create another Apple Communities ID, and my forum username has also had to change.

Anyway, I have got my Canoscan 8400F working with CS6 and Mac OS 10.8.2 at last! Thanks all.

It's such a shame though that Adobe chose to get rid of the 'import' function which allowed far more scanning options than the rather basic Canoscan does. I also have Silverfast 6.6, but that won't work with OS10.8.2. Swings and roundabouts and much frustration!

Thanks again.

Thanks so much! I got my 8400f working again. The direct link in your post allowed my to install ScanGear, which I GUESS is the driver package required (?). I didn't get an error message, I just installed the download as usual and restarted per instructions. After doing that, my scanner didn't "initialize" as it used to once I plugged it in, but when I went to Photoshop I had VueScan appear in my File/Import menu and the import actually WORKED through the scanner. The Copy/Scan/PDF/Email buttons on the scanner didn't work, though, so went back up the chain to the general software section of the canon-europe site, searched on Canoscan 8400f software for Mac OSX software and got 5 entries, including CanoScan Toolbox for OSX (4.934x) at this link:

http://software.canon-europe.com/software/0028265.asp?model=

I installed that package and CanoScan Toolbox X was installed. The scanner works with this app as long as I run it from the computer, although the linked buttons on the scanner are still inop. But it's GOOD NEWS that my computer can now recognize and operate the scanner, so THANKS AGAIN!!! Question: Why doesn't Canon USA list this software on its site???

The solution worked great for me also. Thanks.

The automatic approach you mention apparently only works with "supported"scanners. I was able to get a Canon LiDE 35 working just fine on Mountain Lion this weekend, but it required downloading and installing the driver (ScanGear installer) and (separately) the CanoScan Toolbox software. However, Canon does not officially offer the driver if you select for 10.8. However, one offered for MacOS X 10.6 appears to work perfectly and I was able to scan PDFs and JPEG photos just fine. My feeling is that Canon simply wants to encourage users to buy new scanners by desupporting old scanners (that, in fact, work just fine). Just because it's not officially qualified on 10.8 (or even 10.7) does not mean they should indicate that there's "nothing available". Simply not true, and is a disservice to their customers. Sure, they could put a warning that says "appears to work, but not officially supported by Canon". Maybe they are legally enjoined from saying such things? The way it is now is certainly a disservice to their customers. Just like LiDE 35, I have found that most other Canon scanners that I have used recently, including the LiDE 25, the 4400 and the 8800F appear work just fine on Lion and Mountain Lion. You can use Image Capture once the driver is installed, or you can use the CanoScan Toolbox software, which I like somewhat better.

I have no problem using the 8400f on mountain lion. I use the latest canon 8600 driver-cs-10.2.4x. and the canoscan toolbox 4.9.3.4.

For me the toolbox works fine.