The best photo scanner you can buy right now is the Epson Perfection V39 II.
With usability and various scanning needs in mind, I applied personal experience, Fischer’s insights and five hours of research to gather a list of top recommendations for at-home use. The Epson Perfection V39 II earns the top spot, thanks to its overall user-friendliness and general-use appeal for the average user. Read on for the full list of the best photo scanners for everything from basic photo scanning to more professional-level performance.
- Best Photo Scanner Overall: Epson Perfection V39 II
- Best Budget Photo Scanner: Canon Canoscan Lide 400
- Best Flatbed Photo Scanner: Epson Perfection V600
- Best Photo Scanner For Mac Users: Epson Fastfoto FF-680W
- Best Photo Scanner For Professionals: Epson Perfection V850 Pro
Best Photo Scanner Overall
A Reliable And User-Friendly Pick For General Use
Epson Perfection V39 II
Type: Flatbed | Resolution: 4,800 x 4,800 DPI | Connectivity: USB-A and USB-B 2.0 | Scan area: 8.5 x 11.7 inches | Film scanning: No | Operating system: Windows, macOS | Software: Epson Scansmart, Epson Scan 2, Epson Software Updater
Best for: Scanning almost everything with ease at an affordable price.
The Epson Perfection V39 II is our winner because it combines ease of use with a few desirable advanced features—at an affordable price to boot. This USB-operated flatbed model has an 8.5 x 11.7 inches scanning bed that supports photo and document scanning—including optical character recognition (OCR) for editable documents. The lid is also fully removable for accommodating bulkier originals, such as books or photo albums. The main operations, scanning photos or scanning to PDF, email or a connected printer, happen with the touch of a button. Accessing more detailed settings through the Epson Scansmart software can also happen with a button input or by launching the app on your computer.
The default resolution is 300 DPI, but the V39 II can scan at up to 4,800 DPI, which is a potential plus for producing higher-quality digital versions of your favorite images. At the default resolution, Epson reports an approximate 10-second speed for document scanning. Bumping up to 600 DPI adds on about 20 seconds more. Like any flatbed model, individual photo scanning times can get quite long depending on the size of the original and the selected settings—especially if you choose a more detailed output at a higher resolution.
The Epson V39 II doesn’t support film scanning, but it comes with numerous editing options in Photo Mode. Notable image adjustments include color restoration to correct fading, dust removal and histogram control to change image brightness. Epson scanners can require a lot of applications to get up and running; the V39 II needs the Epson Scansmart editing software plus two drivers (Epson Scan 2, which is the scanner driver, and the Epson Software Updater). Setup is mostly straightforward, though, and the updater driver can be critical to maintaining the scanner or resolving any issues you might encounter.
Pros:
- 4,800 DPI
- Budget-friendly
Cons:
- No film support
- Scan times can be slow
Best Budget Photo Scanner
Fast Scanning Over USB-C
Canon Canoscan Lide 400
Type: Flatbed | Resolution: 4,800 x 4,800 DPI | Connectivity: USB-C 3.0 | Scan area: 8.5 x 11.7 inches | Film scanning: No | Operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux | Software: Canoscan Lide 400 Color Image Scanner Driver, IJ Scan Utility, IJ Scan Utility Lite, Scangear MP Driver
Best for: Affordable scanning under $100.
For fast picture scanning for under $100, it’s hard to beat the Canon Canoscan Lide 400. Though our top pick, the Epson Perfection V39 II, slots in at just about $10 to $40 more, depending on available deals, the Canoscan 400 offers one definitive upgrade: power and connectivity over USB-C for even faster results than over USB-A to USB-B. Like the V39 II, the Lide 400 is perfectly capable of scanning other media like illustrations and documents. The manufacturer reports an approximate eight-second time length for documents and just about four seconds for scanning 4-by-6 inch prints at a resolution of 300 DPI. This model is also capable of scanning up to 4,800 DPI, so speed will vary if you want an increased level of detail in the end product.
Similar to the Epson Perfection V39 II, the Canon Canoscan Lide 400 offers advanced document features like OCR and uploading to cloud services such as Dropbox. You’ll also have access to image corrections like dust removal and fading correction on Windows, but if you’re on a Mac, these and a few others (scratch and grain correction, for example) won’t be available through Canon’s IJ Scan Utility Lite software for macOS.
In addition to the Scan Utility version based on your operating system, the Lide 400 includes Scangear for Windows computers. This program supports scanning in basic and advanced modes for handling some of those higher-level adjustments we mentioned above. On any operating system, the Lide 400 also features a convenient automatic mode so you don’t have to do any of the settings legwork if you don’t want to. The Lide 400 offers straightforward use via five onboard buttons with clear labeling for primary functions such as auto scanning or PDF creation.
What the editors say: Tech editor Rebecca Isaacs uses the Canon Lide 400 in her home setup. “It scans black-and-white photos beautifully alongside PDF documents and color images,” she says. “The software is user-friendly and I can quickly scan and move onto the next image or documents with ease. While it’s bulky, it’s light enough to carry so I can work in other areas around my home, if needed.”
Pros:
- Four-second photo scanning
- USB-C connection
Cons:
- Only scans photos, not film
- Loss of many functions on macOS
Best Flatbed Photo Scanner
A Feature-Rich Model For More Serious Archiving
Epson Perfection V600
Type: Flatbed | Resolution: 6,400 x 9,600 DPI | Connectivity: USB 2.0 A-Type to Type-B | Scan area: 8.5 x 11 inches (bed), 2.7 x 9.5 inches (transparency unit for film) | Film scanning: 35mm slides, 35mm film, 2-by-2 inch medium format strips | Operating systems: Windows, macOS | Software: Epson Scan, Epson Copy Utility, Arcsoft Photostudio, ICA3
Best for: Detailed scans that don’t use a document feeder.
If you’re interested in a more full-featured flatbed model, the Epson Perfection V600 is a considerable step up from the V39 II. One of the main departures is the V600’s ability to scan film in addition to photos and documents. This flatbed comes with holders to accommodate 35 mm film strips, medium format film and 35 mm slide film. The V600 is game for high-quality output, thanks to a resolution of 6,400 x 9,600 DPI, 3.4 DMax (which describes how much detail a film scanner can capture; the higher number the better the result) and the ability to produce up to 17 x 22 inches reproductions of film scans.
The V600 also uses Digital ICE (Image Correction and Enhancement) Technology for more granular dust removal and scratch repair when scanning color film and slides. This and any of the other correction settings for color restoration, backlighting, histogram adjustments, etc. happen via the Epson Scan software (unless you use a third-party program like Vuescan or Silverlight). Epson Scan can have some quirks and require lots of updates and special drivers, especially on newer versions of macOS, but you get four modes to choose from: Full Auto, Office, Home and Professional. As for scanning time and performance, using the device’s Digital ICE technology can mean a considerable wait time and large file output. Epson includes a handy table in the user manual to help you understand the system load of higher resolutions and sizes.
If you won’t regularly or even casually scan film, the V600 might be more machine than you need. But if you plan to scan film in addition to photos and OCR documents and email files too, the V600’s onboard buttons and Epson Scan software have you covered and are generally easy to use.
Pros:
- Support film and negatives
- Up to 17 x 22 inch film reproductions
Cons:
- Scanning software can be buggy
- Film scan times can be lengthy
Best Photo Scanner For Mac Users
Fast Batch-Scanning For Macs
Epson Fastfoto FF-680W
Type: Sheetfed | Resolution: 600 DPI | Connectivity: USB-A 3.0 to USB-B | Scan area: 8.5 x 11.7 inches (bed), 8 x 10 inches (transparency adapter), 5.9 x 9.7 inches (optional fluid mount) | Film scanning: Operating systems: Windows, macOS | Software: Epson Fastfoto, Epson Scansmart, Epson Scan 2
Best for: Apple and MacOS users who want to digitize documents and prints.
The Epson Fastfoto FF-680W is a bit of a splurge, but this sheet-fed scanner could be ideal for scanning batches of photos to your Mac. The default connectivity mode is over USB, but Wi-Fi extends compatibility to iPhones and iPads via the Epson Fastfoto mobile app—which allows you to scan photos with your smart device and send them to the FF-680W. When using the built-in Epson Fastfoto macOS software, you can also easily save any scans directly to the Photos program and share files via the Share button in the (Photos) app.
While the FF-680W doesn’t support any film formats, it can handle an array of photo sizes and batch feeding. Epson reports a potential 1-second scanning time for up to 36 photos as once. The FF-680W’s reported scanning performance applies to scanning at 300 DPI as opposed to the device’s maximum resolution of 600 DPI—or the option to enlarge the scan output to 1,200 DPI, also known as the interpolated or digital resolution.
When feeding in a stack of photos, the manufacturer says the FF-680W can handle photos of numerous sizes simultaneously. Supported sizes include 3.5 x 5 inches, 4 x 6 inches and 5 x 7 inches for photos, 10 8 x 10 inches, single polaroids, 10 panoramic shots below 12 inches and single panoramic prints up to 36 inches. However, if handling very delicate images, Epson advises against directly feeding images through the input tray without placing them in the protective carrier sheet one at a time. The company also provides a detailed list of cleaning instructions to prevent stacks of photographs from sticking together and potentially jamming the feed. In that sense, despite the FF-690W’s speedy batch scanning prowess, scanning older images might take a considerable amount of time.
Pros:
- Wi-Fi
- Scans 36 photos at a time
- 1-second scanning at 300 DPI
Cons:
- Pricey
- Old photos could require more time to scan
Best Photo Scanner For Professionals
A Well-Rounded Option For The Advanced User
Epson Perfection V850 Pro
Type: Flatbed | Resolution: 4,800 DPI (flatbed), 6,400 DPI (film) | Connectivity: USB-A 2.0 to USB-B | Film scanning: Photos, 35mm slides, 35mm film, medium format film | Operating systems: Windows, macOS | Software: Epson Scan, Lasersoft Imaging Silverfast SE Plu, X-rite
Best for: A premium, albeit pricey, splurge with every single feature you could ask for.
When considering an upgrade pick, according to Fischer, the, “V850 is hard to beat for the prosumer that wants the best all around quality.” This model is an investment, but it’s easy to understand why pros like Fischer recommend it for advanced scanning. Like the V600, the V850 supports film and negative scanning. Specifically, you get holders for 35 mm film or slides, medium format film and custom sizes up to 8 x 10 inches. Unlike the V600, the V850 also offers Epson Fluid Mounting for support of film sizes up to 5 x 9 inches, though this option requires a separate purchase. This method could be preferable to some considering the amount of dust that needs addressing when placing film negatives in the holder. Another highlight of the V850 is the resolution: 4,800 DPI for flatbed scanning and 6,400 DPI for film. The V850 also comes with a 4.0 Dmax, surpassing the 3.4 Dmax of the V600, which is another indication that this model can output high-resolution and high-quality imaging results.
The V850 has numerous basic conveniences available in lower-level models in the Perfection lineup—like a removable lid for thicker originals, the ability to place multiple originals on the scanning bed for automatic recognition, plug-and-play USB connectivity and OCR features. These features match what you’ll find in the entry-level Epson Perfection V39 II and the intermediate Epson V600 via the Epson Scan software. This program is fairly robust with multiple modes, including a Professional Mode that includes histogram adjustment and Digital ICE Technology for dust and scratch removal.
Epson Scan can present a bit of a learning curve and might not offer the robust level of control advanced users want. However, the built-in SilverFast software could be an easy workaround if you’re more familiar or prefer this scanning program, as many experienced users and professionals do.
Pros:
- 6,400 DPI
- Multiple film formats supported
Cons:
- Dust on film can be an issue
- Costly
For this story, tech contributor Yoona Wagener conducted hours of research on photography forums and reviewing customer reviews on Amazon and manufacturer sites and used her personal experience with flatbed and sheetfed scanners to narrow down the list of top photo scanner recommendations for most people.
Yoona also consulted Xander Fischer, a professional printmaker and imaging technician who has over 12 years of experience as a specialist in color management and scanning technologies. In addition to his day job doing digital work at Printlab Chicago, Fischer dedicates his time toward devising new ways to blend modern technology with archaic photographic techniques.
How We Chose The Best Photo Scanner
To assemble our list of recommendations, we used our firsthand knowledge of photo and document scanners to identify the top priorities users might want to consider for dedicated photo scanning. We also looked at the most reputable names in this category and weighed each brand’s offerings, putting emphasis on selecting models that meet our top buying criteria for price, resolution, features and usability.
We started with a general price range of $100 to $500 for most categories. Models within this range serve most purposes for the average customer seeking a device to archive old photos or digitize some images to share online. We also researched professional-level models to arrive at the best option for intermediate to advanced home users. As for resolution, we sought scanners with at least 300 DPI and with varying options for more high-resolution scanning.
We gave priority to models with intuitive software and compatibility with expert-recommended scanning and photo editing programs such as Vuescan and Silverfast. Finally, we sought to curate a list of photo scanners that cover varying scanning functions from handling slide film to negatives, bulk-scanning and accommodating larger images.
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