We live in a world today where you can take a picture right on your phone wherever you are and it can live forever in the digital cloud, but there's not much point in taking your old photos of the family. That's where a good photo scanner can come in. If you're looking to archive your memories and share them more easily, a photo scanner is the best tool available on the market today.
But what differentiates the best photo scanner from an average model? That's what we came to find out. Below, I have listed the best photo scanner reviews consumer reports. All you need to do is go through the reviews and pick the best model. If you need help, then there is a detailed guide following the reviews that you can read to make an informed decision.
Reviewing 5 Best Photo Scanners
1. Plustek Photo Scanner - ephoto Z300
This photo scanner brings you the most convenient way to scan pictures and documents. You can scan photos of different sizes along with paper of A4 size. The scanner comes with two optical resolutions – 300dpi and 600dpi. The device takes just 2 seconds to scan a 4x6 photo, and 5 seconds for an 8x10 photo at 300dpi. It takes just a few hours to convert around 1000 photos into digital form and share it with others.
This type of scanner is better than a flatbed scanner in terms of efficiency. You just need to insert the photos one after the other and scan them. It also features highly impressive image enhancement that effortlessly restored old faded pictures with a mouse click. The device is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers. You can also download the latest software from Plustek website.
2. Epson Perfection V39 Color Photo & Document Scanner
Epson has come up with its own photo and document scanner, which features a 4800-dpi optical resolution for incredible detail and clarity. You’ll be able to preserve your priceless memories and restore and archive your photos for the next generation. The scanner works better with its Photo Scan software, which allows you to scan the pictures and store them on Google Drive or any other cloud service. The company has provided user-friendly buttons to carry out scan jobs along with a space-saving built-in kickstand for placing the scanner vertically.
The scanner can be used to scan oversized prints, artwork, and documents. If there are any faded photos in the album, then this photo scanner will easily restore color to those photos, thanks to Easy Photo Fix technology. The inclusion of an advanced digital dust correction technology helps in dust removal from scanned pictures. If you want to convert scanned documents into editable text, then this scanner would do that, courtesy of the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software that it comes with. You can charge it with a USB cable, so you don’t have to search for an AC adapter.
3. Canon CanoScan Lide 300 Scanner
Canon is known for its digital cameras, printers, and scanners, and this product is one of the top products being sold by the company. It can easily scan documents and images in seconds and digitize them. The scanner features a 2400x2400 dpi resolution and comes with image enhancements such as dust reduction and fade correction, just to ensure better-looking images.
The scanner is easy to use, thanks to 4 ‘EZ’ buttons. The company has provided the scanner with an auto-scan mode, which allows it to automatically detect the images or documents you’re scanning. You will also like the inclusion of a built-in PDF button, which scans and saves PDF files that you can easily search and edit.
4. Epson Perfection V600 Color Photo, Image, Film, Negative & Document Scanner
Check out the Epson scanner, which allows you to get large images and docs, thanks to 6400x9600 dpi resolution, which produces up to 17x22 inches of results. The scanner is capable of scanning a maximum area of 8.5x11.7 inches. If there are traces of dust or scratches on the pictures, then those won’t show up in the scanned results. Not just the dust and scratches, but the scanner will also remove the appearance of creases and tears from pictures. Thanks to Epson's easy photo fix, it takes just a single touch to restore photos with faded colors.
The scanner features ‘a ready scan LED light source, which is energy efficient and ensures that the scanner doesn’t need any warm-up time, plus it consumes lower power and offers faster scans. The company has incorporated ABBYY FineReader Sprint Plus OCR in the scanner that allows easy conversion of scanned docs into editable text. You can also edit and improve your digital images, courtesy of the ArcSoft PhotoStudio feature. You will love using this scanner, thanks to the incredible results it produces.
5. Fujitsu fi-7260 Professional Desktop Color Duplex Document Scanner
Ending the list with the Fujitsu duplex doc scanner, which is an ideal front office flatbed scanner that features excellent scanning capabilities along with long-term reliability for excellent ROI. You can use this product multiple times a day and you’ll get the same results even after years of use. The scanner features superior technology that allows proper handling of paper to reduce jams, which helps in fewer labor costs.
The company has provided PaperStream ClickScan software that makes scanning a breeze, as you just need to place the paper in the scanner, push the scan button, and print, email or save it to a folder or cloud services. The scanner can be integrated with ECM solutions across multiple industries via Kofas VRS and TWAIN/ISIS compatibility.
How To Choose The Best Photo Scanner?
The choice of a photo scanner must be made taking into account these few criteria:
The Type Of Scanner
The system used for scanning photos may vary from model to model. We distinguish:
The Optical Flatbed Scanner:
It is the most used model. It is capable of making black and white and color copies, even without a computer. Some more advanced models incorporate a lightbox that allows you to digitize opaque documents in reflected light. The latter is also capable of direct light scanning of transparent documents.
Flatbed scanners are classified into 2 types:
- Models with fixed sensors
- Models with mobile sensors
The Film Scanner:
It allows you to scan photos, film, and negatives in black and white or color and transfer them to a computer. It is a compact, easy-to-carry device that is suitable for scanning medium-format photos and film. Some models can be used without a computer. In this case, the scanned images are sent directly to an SD card or a USB key.
The Drum Scanner:
This is the model that offers the highest resolution with the highest level of digitization. Being a professional scanner, it costs much more than other models. It is used for the high-end reproduction of works of art in museums.
Resolution And Format
The choice of a scanner must be made according to the format of the photos or films to be digitized. For images in 24 x 36 mm format, it is advisable to choose a resolution of fewer than 4000 Dpi. For medium-format images, it is possible to choose a device offering high resolution.
To have quality images, you must also choose a scanner that offers high color bits, because the higher the number of bits per color range, the higher the quality of the images. A device with 24 bits and more offers beautiful shades of color.
Scan Speed
For frequent use or to digitize a large number of photos in a minimum of time, you must choose a high-performance and fast device. Some models are capable of processing up to 1,500 pages per hour. This type of scanner is equipped with an automatic page-scrolling system. Thus, it is not necessary to destroy the binding of the book or the album to successively scan the photos.
Software
Some scanners may work without a driver software. They arrange and recentre the photos automatically. In general, these are compatible with applications like Dropbox or iCloud Drive. For other models, driver software, supplied with the device, must be used to be able to modify or rework the scanned photos.
Functionalities
Many features can be integrated into a photo scanner:
- Anti-scratch or anti-dust mode
- Connection via Wi-Fi
- Connection via Bluetooth
Wrap Up
Now that you know what a photo scanner does, there seems to be no reason why you shouldn’t have one. So, make up your mind and get a photo scanner from the list of 5 best photo scanner reviews consumer reports. You will not have to worry about your precious pictures being lost or damaged after you have them in a digitized form. So, make your purchase today!
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