Abstract: A color scanning system is provided for scanning an image, the scanner comprising means for scanning the image with light; means for splitting light transmitted from the image, including both directly transmitted light and light scattered as a result of imperfections in or on the image, into a plurality of spectral components; means for directing the spectral components to respective photoresponsive devices; and means for filtering the split components of the light before reception by the photoresponsive devices; wherein a first band pass filtering system is provided to filter the directly transmitted light and a second band pass filtering system is provided to filter the scattered light, the characteristics of the first and second band pass filtering systems being different and such that the intensities of the direct and scattered light received by each photoresponsive device will be balanced so as to reduce or eliminate the effects of imperfections in or on the image.