Scanner permits users to connect via Ethernet, wireless, or high-speed. Amazon's Choice for 'high speed scanners' Epson WorkForce ES-400 Color Duplex Document Scanner for PC and Mac, Auto Document Feeder (ADF). If you are looking for an automatic, high speed photo scanner, the FastFoto is a great option. Best Format for Scanning Photos When you scan a document or a photo, you are provided with a variety of file formats in which the scan can be saved.
There's no secret ingredient in determining the best scanner for your Apple desktop or laptop, as the factors that make a Mac-friendly model great are, by and large, the same as those that set the best Windows scanners apart from the pack. As with any tech product, prospective buyers look for the ideal combination of performance and features based on their needs, and set it against the price. For a document scanner, common criteria include speed, the ability to scan to various formats, the paper capacity of the automatic document feeder (ADF), optical character recognition (OCR) performance, the ability to scan and read business cards, the presence of a flatbed, the ability to scan over a network, and portability. Among the desired traits for photo scanners are speed, high resolution, the ability to scan slides and film, as well as prints, scan quality, and dust and scratch removal.
For most of these factors, it makes little difference if your scanner is connected to a PC or a Mac. But there is one area in which Mac users are at a distinct disadvantage, and that is in software. As popular as Apple computers have become, Mac users are underserved when it comes to scanners and some other peripherals. As a Mac owner myself, I'm keenly aware that it's still largely a Windows world out there.
Get the Right Driver
In order for a scanner to work at all with a Mac, it has to have a macOS driver. Beyond that, the software that's usually bundled with a scanner may or may not be Mac-compatible. Most recent photo scanners can work with Macs. Photo scanners often just come with drivers and a scan utility, leaving it to the user to provide a photo-editing program. Popular choices, including Photoshop Elements and Photoshop CC, are available in both Windows- and Mac-compatible versions.
See How We Test Scanners
It's All in the Software
Fewer document scanners are Mac compatible, and some are only partially so. Most document scanners (with the exception of some high-end models) come with a software suite that includes, at the minimum, document management, OCR, and business-card programs. A good bundled software package for a scanner intended for both operating systems should include a full suite of both Windows and Mac programs. However, it's not uncommon that an otherwise Mac-friendly scanner will be missing parts of the suite. You can buy the programs separately if they're even available, but that's an extra expense that you'll have to factor into your costs.
Statistically, there are far fewer Mac-friendly scanners than there are, say, printers, though their numbers are growing. It may take a bit more hunting to find the perfect scanner for your Mac than it would for a Windows-compatible model, but we've come across some excellent choices, which we present below. For more on what to look for when choosing a scanner, check out our scanner buying guide. And if you're in the market for a model specifically for photos, see our list of the best photo scanners.
Best Scanners for Mac Featured in This Roundup:
Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 Review
MSRP: $89.99
Pros: Vibrant photo scans. Excellent software bundle. Comes with kickstand for upright positioning. Very simple to use.
Cons: Lacks mobile device and wireless support. Could be more accurate when scanning serif fonts.
Bottom Line: The entry-level Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 is a software-rich flatbed photo scanner that also handles text documents with ease.
Read Review
Epson DS-870 Review
MSRP: $799.00
Pros: Fast scanning and saving to searchable PDF. Best video downloader for mac. Huge volume and capacity for the price. Highly accurate.
Cons: Networking is an add-on. No wireless or mobile connectivity.
Bottom Line: The highly capable Epson WorkForce DS-870 is a fast, no frills high-volume scanner ideal for heavy-duty scanning and document-archiving environments.
Pros: Fast scanning. Accurate OCR. Light and small. Easy to use.
Cons: Lacks ADF.
Bottom Line: The Epson DS-80W is a fast and accurate single-sheet-feed portable document scanner ideally suited for scanning short jobs to your laptop or smartphone on the road.
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Epson FastFoto FF-680W Review
MSRP: $599.99
Pros: Quickly scans stacks of photo prints. Decent as a document scanner. Scans to searchable PDF. Solid OCR performance.
Cons: Somewhat pricey. Slower at photo scanning than its predecessor.
Bottom Line: The Epson FastFoto FF-680W is a sheet-feed desktop scanner that excels at scanning stacks of snapshots while doing a credible job at document scanning.
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HP ScanJet Enterprise Flow N9120 fn2 Document Scanner Review
MSRP: $3999.99
Pros: Fast. Can scan up to tabloid-size paper from either flatbed or ADF. Connects by Ethernet or USB.
Cons: Large and heavy. A major investment.
Bottom Line: The HP ScanJet Enterprise Flow N9120 fn2 Document Scanner offers an excellent mix of features and performance for offices that do a high volume of scanning.
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HP ScanJet Pro 3000 s3 Sheet-Feed Scanner Review
MSRP: $429.99
Pros: Excellent speed and accuracy for the price. Well-rounded software bundle, including document and business-card archiving software. High daily duty cycle.
Cons: Primary scanning utility is slow.
Bottom Line: The moderately priced HP ScanJet Pro 3000 delivers excellent speed and respectable accuracy, as well as an inclusive software bundle, making it a good value.
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Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 (2019) Review
MSRP: $229.00
Pros: Accurate OCR. Fast. Robust software bundle. Versatile connectivity options, including mobile. Reasonable price.
Cons: Lacks single-pass auto-duplexing.
Bottom Line: The Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 is a fast and feature-packed manual-feed document scanner designed for light-duty data capture on the road.
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Panasonic KV-N1028X Review
MSRP: $1495.00
Pros: Superb OCR accuracy. Customizable touch screen. Comprehensive software. Competitive speed when scanning to image files and searchable PDF. Wired and wireless networking, including Wi-Fi Direct. Three-year warranty.
Cons: Individual workstation licenses sold separately. A bit pricey.
Bottom Line: The Panasonic KV-N1028X is a snappy and exceptionally accurate networkable document scanner, designed primarily for enterprise environments.
Read Review
Scanning old photo prints and digitizing them for posterity has become a critical exercise in recent times.
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Though photo prints were meant to last for a hundred years, many of our old albums have now started to deteriorate and disintegrate. The result is priceless memories on the verge of getting lost in the sands of time. Thus, a high-quality photo scanner is a must-have for every home.
Today we are going to look at some of the best Epson photo scanners that you could buy. This list is not expected to be a comprehensive one. If you have any suggestions for other scanners, feel free to share it with us in the comment section.
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Scanning old photos with a flatbed (or even AIO printers) is a long drawn and extremely time-consuming process. The thought of having to feed thousands of photo prints (if your family is like mine) to a scanner and waiting for it to make a pass and digitize the memory, for days on end, can send shivers down the spine of any strong individual. The best Epson photo scanners, however, can be a big help here, making short work of an otherwise tedious chore.
✔ Our Picks (Best Photos Scanners)
Our Pick for Best Photo Scanner: Epson Perfection V850 Pro Scanner
Best Budget Photo Scanner: Epson Perfection V39 Photo Scanner
The Epson FastFoto FF-640 is a lightning fast scanner. It scans images of the size between 8.5” x 120” (for Windows users only) to a minimum of 2” x 2” at a maximum resolution of 600 DPI. Mac users can scan only scan up to the largest size of 8.5” x 14.5”. You can choose the standard 4” x 6” print, and the scanner will scan them at a maximum speed of 60 ppm at 300 DPI.
Though speed isn’t always the operative word here, resolution certainly is. You can scan larger documents at a speed of 45 ppm at a resolution of 300 DPI.
The scanner has the capability to render colors 48-bit internally and 24-bit externally. No matter how many colors your prints have the FastFoto FF-640 is capable delivering them accurately.
Moreover, the Single-step technology (which is a secondary scanner inside the scanner) is capable of scanning both the image and any handwritten notes on your images in a single pass.
Related Post: Comparing the Best Photo Printers
Scanning Images
Even when you are scanning documents, you have the ability to scan both sides at the same time which saves a considerable amount of time. Speaking of saving time, the built-in ADF has a capacity of 30 photo prints or about 80 documents. That saves you from the hassle of having to sit and feed the prints to your scanner. You can do other things while the scanner digitizes your prints/documents.
Some users have noted issues while scanning old Polaroid photos, but overall the FastFoto FF-640 is a good solution for scanning old photos. Certainly one of the best Epson photo scanners around.
Scan Utility
The scanner comes with an installation disk and an array of services. The installation process is simple. While scanning you can specify details like where you took the photos, which folder to store the photos too, what application to load up after the scan is done etc.
Entering a year allows the application to create an appropriate file name and entering a small description for each batch of photos ensure that the files are properly filed according to the year you took them and the keywords.
The utilities can even make minor adjustments like correcting red-eye or restoring colors that have faded over time. Everything happens seamlessly and smoothly.
Later on, if you prefer to add more photos to the same batch, you can do so by importing them to the specific batch of photos.
Epson FastFoto FF-640 High-Speed Photo Scanning System with Auto Photo Feeder
World's Fastest Photo Scanner (1) - scan thousands of photos as fast as 1 photo per second (2).
High-quality scans up to 600 dpi - scan precious images, from wallets to panoramic photos.
Preserve what's priceless - Restore, Save, Organize and Share images.
(1) In its class, as compared to other consumer photo scanners priced under $1,000 MSRP USD (sold into the United States..
(2) Based on average speed from start of scan to end, using Windows driver, scanning thirty 4' x 6' photos at 300 dpi in..
Product from Amazon. Updated on 2019-09-05. We may get a commission.
Related Post: What is a Megapixel? (and How many You need for Prints)
2. Best Negative Scanner: Epson Perfection V600 Color Photo, Image, Film, Negative & Document Scanner
The Epson Perfection V600 is a color photo scanner designed to scan 35mm and medium format film, photo print and take care of other general scanning tasks.
The V600 is a flatbed scanner, and that means the design and its functionalities have certain disadvantages that outweigh the advantages.
By the company’s admission, the film scanning is not in the same league as some of the higher quality products that Epson makes, however, the overall package is a better bargain than traditional cheap flatbeds.
Related Post: Fujitsu Scansnap iX1500 Review
Digital ICE
The V600 is a model that is priced between the more economically priced V500 and the higher priced V700. We will discuss the V800 (the upgraded version of the V700) later in this discussion.
An important addition on the V600 is the Digital ICE technology. This is a hardware technology that is aimed at removing scratches and dust elements on prints and films that degrade the quality of the scans.
The V500 also has this feature. So, what’s new on the V600? Digital ICE on the V500 could manage this correction only for films while the V600 does the same for both film and prints. There is, however, a downside to this technology. It being that artefacts are introduced into the image due to the nature of the dust removal technique which involves multiple scans and comparing the images.
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Scan Sizes
But let’s first take a look at the bright side, namely the best features of this scanner. The maximum resolution at which the scanner can make copies of prints is 6400 x 9600 DPI. It can scan 35mm film as well as 120 / 220 film size (medium format).
On the downside, the V600 can scan only four 35mm slides at one go. There is no multi-feed option. This greatly increases the time frame if you have several of these films in your collection and you need them to be scanned.
The largest document width that the scanner can handle is 8.5” and the largest document length being 11.7”.
The integrated software comes with an array of Auto and Manual features. A lot of times poor exposure settings under difficult lighting situations can result in bright backgrounds and under-exposed faces. The V600’s Auto mode can automatically correct these. It can also do a professional of adjusting tones, restoring color and contrasts which is a major problem with old prints with washed out colors.
The surprising thing is that the V600’s scanner can pick up subtle details like the luster of fabric in direct light etc. much quicker than other comparable flatbed scanners.
Create extraordinary enlargements from film : 6400 x 9600 dpi for enlargements up to 17 Inches x 22 Inches
Remove the appearance of dust and scratches from film : Digital ICE for Film
Remove the appearance of tears and creases from photos : Digital ICE for Prints
Restore faded color photos with one touch : Epson Easy Photo Fix included
Scan slides, negatives and medium-format panoramic film : built in Transparency Unit
Product from Amazon. Updated on 2019-09-05. We may get a commission.
3. Epson Perfection V800
The Epson Perfection V800 is a flatbed photo scanner with a maximum scanning resolution of 6400 DPI. The V800 is capable of scanning prints, film, slides as well as documents.
Just like the V600 above, the V800 also has a built-in transparency unit. The one on the V800 can scan 8 x 10” films.
There is also a built-in film holder for four different types of films – 35mm slides, 35mm film strips, medium format 6 x 20cm / 4” x 5” film. There is also a film area guide that measures 8 x 10”.
Slide Holder
The slide holder can accommodate up to 12 slides, allowing you to automate at least a dozen of scans. The 35mm film holder accepts up to three strips of film, each with up to 6 films, i.e., a total of 18 films.
The V800 is a flatbed scanner. It can scan both films and prints. However, it gives its best performance as a film scanner where it can produce excellent results with both negative and positive films. For anyone looking for a high-quality 35mm film and for that matter slide film scanner, the v800 can provide professional results.
It comes with 4.0 Dmax rating. In plain English, that means the V800 is capable of picking up even the smallest changes in the shading areas. That inherently promises a greater range of contrast between white to black. This feature works particularly well for the shadow areas of your images bringing out details that are difficult for other scanners to reproduce in the scans.
New Lamp
A noticeable difference between the older V700 and the new D800 is the new LED lamp. This practically eliminates the need for ‘warming up’. The scanner is ready in a jiffy to scan your prints/films. There is, however, no change the quality of scanning from the previous version of the scanner.
There are three scan modes on the V800, the Auto mode, the Home and the Professional mode. The names are self-explanatory. In the “Auto Mode”, the scanner sets all the settings on its own. Any contrast or color adjustment, any correction, etc. are all auto set. On the other hand the “Home Mode” is for slightly more advanced users. You would be able to manually adjust elements like brightness and contrast, reviewing the scan before saving it.
The Professional mode is for expert users who prefer to change all settings, much like RAW processing manually. Contrast, brightness tonal curve adjustments; all of these and more can be manually adjusted.
Digital ICE
High-speed Scanner Ratings
Color prints get faded over the years, and dust and scratch set it. The V800 has Digital ICE, a hardware based auto adjustment technology that tends to correct dust and scratches in your images. Digital ICE is available only in Home and Professional modes though.
The V800 could have won the race for the best Epson photo scanners but it’s not the final entry on this list.
Epson Perfection V800 Photo scanner
Precise color and detail - get extraordinary scans with 6400 dpi resolution. Grayscale Bit Depth: 16-bits per pixel..
Remarkable tonal range - 4.0 Dmax for smooth gradations & fine shadow detail
Exclusive Dual Lens System - selects from 2 lenses for optimum results
Operating Systems: Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and..
Refer to the PDF attached below in Technical Specification for User Manual
Product from Amazon. Updated on 2019-09-05. We may get a commission.
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4. Epson Perfection V39
The Epson Perfection V39 is a flatbed photo scanner with a maximum resolution of 4800 DPI. The maximum scan area of the V39 is 8.5” x 11.7”. This is a photo scanner only with no ability to scan film/slides. When it comes to features, the V39 isn’t in the race for the best. It, however, is one of the best Epson photo scanners in the economy range.
Specialist Flatbed Scanner
High-speed Scanner Comparison
The role of a specialist flatbed photo scanner is somewhat dubious as rarely do people look for one. They either go for an All-in-One which gives them the ability to scan and print or a flatbed that also comes with a transparency option for scanning slides and films.
The V39 in that sense is a rarity. It does one job and does it well. Color depth possible on the V39 is a respectable 48-bit giving you richer and smoother colors. It comes with Epson’ Easy Photo Fix Technology.
There are some drawbacks to the V39 like other cheaper flatbed scanners; the V39 does not come with too many utilities in an installable CD or USB drive. The application has included an Epson Scan, Scan to PDF, Arcsoft’s Scan-n-Stich Deluxe and the Document Capture Pro. We are, however, interested in the quality of the photo scanning feature.
Scanning Utility
The V39’s photo scanning utility – Easy Photo Scan gives you a simple interface to scan a photo, make some minor adjustments to it and then save to your preferred drive. There is not much regarding corrections or adjustments that you could do with it.
The Arcsoft’s Scan-n-Stich Deluxe utility comes in handy when scanning oversized documents / panoramic images. These images are difficult to scan in one run. This utility is, thus, very handy.
Epson Perfection V39 Color Photo & Document Scanner with scan-to-cloud & 4800 optical..
High Speed Scanners For Computers
High quality scanning for photos and documents : 4800 dpi optical resolution (1) for amazing clarity and detail
Preserve priceless memories : restore, archive and share family photos for generations to come
Scan to Google Drive and other cloud services (2) : Epson Document Capture Pro and Easy Photo Scan software included
Convenient : easy to use buttons for scan jobs, plus a space saving built in kickstand for vertical placement
Scan over sized prints, documents and artwork : ArcSoft Scan n Stitch Deluxe 2 included (3)
Product from Amazon. Updated on 2019-09-05. We may get a commission.
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5. Our Pick: Epson Perfection V850 Pro Scanner
The Epson V850 is Epson’s top of the line photo scanner, a notch above the Epson Perfection V800 that we mentioned above. Interestingly, however, when it comes to photo scanning quality the V800 and the V850 are almost the same Both offer an optical resolution of 6400 DPI.
The V850 is capable of scanning prints, films, and slides. The largest image it can scan is 8.5” x 11.7”. It has a maximum color depth of 48-bit. There is a built-in transparency unit which can scan a maximum size of 8” x 10”. Internally a built-in film holder can hold up to two sets of film.
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Film Holders
These film holders can accept a variety of film types. These includes 35mm slides, cuts of 35mm films, a variety of medium format films and even 4 x 5” films. Additionally, there is also a separate film area guide that can hold extremely large films of a maximum size of 8 x 10”.
The convenience of these two set film holders is that you can continue to scan one set while loading film into the other. This greatly increases the speed of the film to digital conversion.
Performance wise the V850 has 4.0 Dmax rating means the V850 promises very high dynamic range. Dynamic range performance is best in the regions which are in shadow, and here the V850 performs admirably.
Digital ICE
Our pick, the V850, just like the V800 we discussed above, comes with hardware-based Digital ICE technology. This technology helps correct scratches and dust in your old worn out photos as much as possible when scanned.
The V850 retailing at $999.00 is no doubt one of the best Epson photo scanners around, if not the best.
Epson Perfection V850 Pro scanner
High Speed Scanners For Business
Pro quality color & detail - get unparalleled scans w/ 6400 dpi resolution & adv
Remarkable tonal range - 4.0 Dmax for smooth gradations & fine shadow detail
Exclusive Dual Lens System - selects from 2 lenses for optimum results
Operating Systems: Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and..
Product from Amazon. Updated on 2019-09-05. We may get a commission.
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