Preserving old memories is important to many people, and one of the best ways to do that is by digitizing old photos. A photo scanner is an essential tool for this task, allowing you to convert your old photos into digital files that can be easily stored, shared, and edited.
When it comes to choosing the best photo scanner, there are several factors to consider. The first is resolution. The higher the resolution, the better the quality of the scanned image. Another important factor is speed. If you have a large number of photos to scan, a faster scanner will save you a lot of time.
Other features to consider include the type of scanner, connectivity options, and software compatibility. Flatbed scanners are the most common type of photo scanner, but there are also specialized slide and negative scanners available. Connectivity options include USB and Wi-Fi, while software compatibility is important if you want to use your scanner with a specific photo editing program.
We spent hours researching and testing various photo scanners to find the best options for both casual and professional users. In the following sections, we’ll share our top picks and provide a detailed breakdown of each one.
Top 3 Best Photo Scanners
Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300
We know how important it is to preserve memories, and photos are one of the best ways to do it. However, over time, they can become faded, torn, or lost. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best photo scanners available on Amazon. With these scanners, you can easily digitize your old photos and keep them safe for years to come. We’ve researched and tested various models to bring you the best options for different needs and budgets. Check out our top picks below and find the perfect scanner for your photo collection.
Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300
If you’re looking for a reliable photo scanner, the Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300 is an excellent option. It’s fast, efficient, and produces high-quality scans.
Pros
- The Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300 is incredibly easy to use. Just insert your photos one by one and scan. It’s much more efficient than a flatbed scanner, which requires you to lift the lid and position each photo manually.
- The scanner is fast and produces excellent results. It takes just 2 seconds to scan a 4×6 photo and 5 seconds to scan an 8×10 photo at 300dpi. You can easily convert about 1000 photos to digital files in one afternoon and share them with your family or friends.
- The scanner comes with powerful image enhancement functions that allow you to quickly enhance and restore old, faded images with a click of the mouse.
Cons
- The Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300 is a bit bulky and takes up a lot of desk space. However, this is a minor issue considering its efficiency and performance.
- The scanner doesn’t handle thicker items well, such as newspapers or documents. It’s designed primarily for scanning photos and letters.
- The software user interface is functional but not very intuitive. It takes some time to figure out how to use all the features.
Overall, the Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300 is an excellent choice for anyone looking to digitize their photo collection. It’s fast, efficient, and produces high-quality scans. We highly recommend it.
Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless High-Speed Photo and Document Scanning System
If you’re looking for a fast and efficient way to digitize your old photographs, the Epson FastFoto FF-680W is a great option. With its ability to scan up to 36 photos in a single batch and a scanning speed of 1 photo per second, this scanner is perfect for those with large collections of photos to digitize.
Pros
- Batch scan up to 36 photos at once
- Scans photos as fast as 1 photo per second at 300 dpi
- Can scan a variety of photo sizes, including Polaroids and panoramas
Cons
- Some users have reported difficulty with the wireless setup
- The scanner can be a bit noisy during operation
- The software can be a bit clunky and difficult to use at times
We found the Epson FastFoto FF-680W to be a great option for those looking to quickly and easily digitize their old photo collections. The ability to scan up to 36 photos at once and at a speed of 1 photo per second was a real game-changer for us, and the scanner was able to handle photos of various sizes with ease.
The scanner also comes with a variety of features to help restore and enhance your photos, including auto enhancement, color restoration, and red-eye reduction. We found these features to be quite effective, and they really helped to bring our old photos back to life.
One downside to the scanner is that some users have reported difficulty with the wireless setup. We didn’t have any issues with this ourselves, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning to use the scanner wirelessly.
Overall, we think the Epson FastFoto FF-680W is a great investment for anyone looking to digitize their old photo collections. It’s fast, efficient, and comes with a variety of features to help you restore and enhance your photos.
Epson Perfection V19 II Color Photo and Document Flatbed Scanner
We highly recommend the Epson Perfection V19 II Color Photo and Document Flatbed Scanner for anyone looking to digitize their photo albums and documents. This scanner is compact, lightweight, and offers great value for its price.
Pros
- The optical resolution of 4800 dpi delivers amazing clarity and detail, making it ideal for photo enlargements.
- One-touch scanning with easy-to-use buttons makes scanning a breeze, and you can scan directly to PDF or email with just the touch of a button.
- The included Epson ScanSmart software allows you to easily scan photos, artwork, illustrations, books, documents, and more. You can also generate searchable PDF files using optical character recognition (OCR) software.
Cons
- The scanner is not suitable for large format scanning, and the high-rise, removable lid can only accommodate bulky items such as books and photo albums.
- The scanner is USB powered, which means it may not be as fast as scanners with separate power supplies.
- The scanner is not compatible with some older operating systems.
The Epson Perfection V19 II Color Photo and Document Flatbed Scanner is an excellent choice for home users who need a scanner to digitize their photos and documents. It is easy to use, compact, and lightweight, making it ideal for those who need to scan on the go. The scanner also comes with a built-in kickstand for space-saving vertical placement and storage.
The scanner’s optical resolution of 4800 dpi produces high-quality scans with great detail and clarity, making it ideal for photo enlargements. The one-touch scanning feature is also a great convenience, allowing you to scan directly to PDF or email with just the touch of a button.
The included Epson ScanSmart software is easy to use and allows you to scan a variety of items, including photos, artwork, illustrations, books, and documents. You can also generate searchable PDF files using optical character recognition (OCR) software, which is a great feature for those who need to search for specific text within scanned documents.
Overall, the Epson Perfection V19 II Color Photo and Document Flatbed Scanner is an excellent choice for anyone who needs a scanner for home use. It is affordable, easy to use, and produces high-quality scans with great detail and clarity.
Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300
If you’re looking for a fast and easy way to digitize your old photos, the Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300 is definitely worth considering.
Pros
- The Plustek ephoto Z300 is incredibly easy to use and is much more efficient than a flatbed scanner. Just insert the photos one by one and then scan.
- It’s fast, scanning one 4×6 photo in 2 seconds and one 8×10 size photo in 5 seconds @300dpi. You can easily convert about 1000 photos to digitize files in one afternoon and share with your family or friends.
- The powerful image enhancement functions included allow you to quickly enhance and restore old faded images with a click of the mouse.
Cons
- The Plustek ephoto Z300 doesn’t scan newspaper or thicker items well. It’s best for flat photos.
- The software user interface is simply functional, but not the most user-friendly.
- The Plustek ephoto Z300 is a bit pricey compared to other photo scanners on the market.
We recently had the opportunity to test out the Plustek ephoto Z300, and we were impressed with how easy it was to use. The scanner is compact and lightweight, making it easy to move around and store when not in use. We were able to scan several hundred photos in just a few hours, and the image quality was excellent.
One of the things we really appreciated about the Plustek ephoto Z300 was the powerful image enhancement functions included. With just a click of the mouse, we were able to quickly enhance and restore old faded images, making them look like new again.
While the software user interface is functional, it’s not the most user-friendly we’ve seen. However, with a little bit of practice, we were able to figure out how to use all of the features and functions.
Overall, we think the Plustek ephoto Z300 is a great option for anyone who wants to digitize their old photos quickly and easily. While it’s a bit pricey compared to other photo scanners on the market, we think the ease of use and image quality make it worth the investment.
If you’re interested in purchasing the Plustek ephoto Z300, you can find it on Amazon.
Canon imageFORMULA RS40 Photo and Document Scanner
If you’re looking for a reliable scanner to digitize your old photographs, the Canon imageFORMULA RS40 Photo and Document Scanner is definitely worth considering.
Pros
- The automatic document feeder makes it easy to scan mixed batches of photos and documents in color, with just the touch of a button.
- The scanner can handle photos and documents of various sizes, including Polaroids, receipts, cards, driver licenses, and tax documents.
- The bundled software called CaptureOnTouch allows you to edit and enhance the quality of your photos, including red-eye correction, digital face smoothing, and more.
Cons
- The dark colors may lack definition, which can be an issue if you have a lot of photos with dark backgrounds.
- The TWAIN driver needs to be installed separately, which is not mentioned in the installation instructions.
- The scanner is a bit heavy at 6.6 pounds, which may be a concern if you need to move it around frequently.
In our experience, the Canon imageFORMULA RS40 Photo and Document Scanner is a great option for anyone who wants to convert their paper photographs into digital formats. The automatic document feeder is a real time-saver, and the bundled software makes it easy to enhance the quality of your photos. We also appreciate the scanner’s flexibility in handling photos and documents of various sizes.
However, the lack of definition in dark colors can be a bit disappointing, and the weight of the scanner may be a concern for some users. Overall, we still think the Canon imageFORMULA RS40 Photo and Document Scanner is a solid choice for anyone who wants to preserve their memories in a digital format.
Canon imageFORMULA R40 Office Document Scanner Receipt Edition
If you’re looking for a scanner that can quickly scan and upload batches of business receipts to Intuit QuickBooks Online, the Canon imageFORMULA R40 Office Document Scanner Receipt Edition is a great choice.
Pros
- The included software makes it easy to quickly scan and upload batches of receipts to Intuit QuickBooks Online or another third-party cloud service.
- The R40 scanner is fast and efficient, with a top scanning speed of up to 40 pages per minute, allowing you to process large stacks of paper quickly and easily.
- With single-button operation, you can increase productivity by scanning documents quickly and intuitively.
Cons
- The scanning speed at 600 dpi is quite low, but it has an acceptable speed at 200 dpi.
- Although there are faster scanning machines available, the R40’s speed of 40 pages per minute is still quite good.
- The quality of the scanner is good, but it may not be the best option if you require a scanner with high resolution and speed.
The Canon imageFORMULA R40 Office Document Scanner Receipt Edition is simple to set up and easy to use. The scanner can handle a variety of document types and sizes, creating keyword searchable and editable files and organizing document information. The included CaptureOnTouch Scan to Quickbooks Online Plugin is user-friendly and easy to use.
Overall, if you’re looking for a scanner that can quickly scan and upload batches of business receipts to Intuit QuickBooks Online, the Canon imageFORMULA R40 Office Document Scanner Receipt Edition is a great choice.
CZUR ET24 Pro Professional Book Scanner
If you’re looking for a high-quality photo scanner that can digitize all kinds of materials, the CZUR ET24 Pro Professional Book Scanner is definitely worth considering.
Pros
- The ET24 Pro’s flattening technology can flatten even the most curved book pages, resulting in high-quality scans every time.
- The 24MP HD camera and 320 DPI resolution ensures that the scanned images are sharp and crisp.
- The scanner can handle documents up to A3 size, making it a versatile option for all your scanning needs.
Cons
- Very glare papers are not recommended as they may not produce the best quality scans.
- The TIFF files need to be converted from scanned JPG images.
- The scanner is a bit heavy, weighing in at 3.3 pounds.
We’ve been using the CZUR ET24 Pro Professional Book Scanner for a while now and we’re impressed with its performance. The scanner’s flattening technology is top-notch and the resulting scans are of high quality. The 24MP HD camera and 320 DPI resolution ensure that the scanned images are sharp and crisp, making it perfect for digitizing old photos and documents.
The scanner can handle documents up to A3 size, making it a versatile option for all your scanning needs. We also appreciate the real-time preview of the scanning process via the 2.0-inch display on the head, which ensures that you know what you’re doing at all times.
However, very glare papers are not recommended as they may not produce the best quality scans. Additionally, the TIFF files need to be converted from scanned JPG images, which can be a bit of a hassle. Lastly, the scanner is a bit heavy, weighing in at 3.3 pounds, so it may not be the most portable option out there.
Overall, we highly recommend the CZUR ET24 Pro Professional Book Scanner to anyone looking for a high-quality scanner that can handle all kinds of materials. With its advanced features and excellent performance, it’s definitely worth the investment.
Canon ImageFORMULA DR-C225 II Office Document Scanner
If you’re looking for a reliable document scanner that can handle a variety of document types, the Canon ImageFORMULA DR-C225 II Office Document Scanner is a great option.
Pros
- Easily converts paper documents into digital formats or scans directly to the cloud
- Upright, space-saving design with built-in cable organization system
- Scans both sides of a document at the same time, in color, at up to 25 pages per minute
Cons
- Some users may find the software bundled with the scanner to be overly complex
- The scanner is relatively heavy at almost 6 pounds
- The price point may be higher than some other document scanners on the market
We recently had the opportunity to try out the Canon ImageFORMULA DR-C225 II Office Document Scanner, and we were impressed with its performance. The scanner was able to reliably handle a variety of document types, including receipts, photos, business cards, and even plastic or embossed cards.
One of the standout features of the Canon ImageFORMULA DR-C225 II is its ability to easily convert paper documents into digital formats, including searchable PDFs and JPGs. The scanner can also scan directly to the cloud, with support for popular services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.
The scanner’s upright, space-saving design is also a plus, with a top feed and top eject system that makes it easy to use in a variety of settings. We also appreciated the built-in cable organization system, which helped to keep our workspace tidy.
In terms of speed, the Canon ImageFORMULA DR-C225 II did not disappoint. The scanner is capable of scanning both sides of a document at the same time, in color, at up to 25 pages per minute. We found this to be a major time-saver when scanning large documents or batches of documents.
While we were generally pleased with the bundled software that came with the scanner, we did find it to be a bit complex at times. Some users may prefer a simpler scanning software solution.
Overall, we would recommend the Canon ImageFORMULA DR-C225 II Office Document Scanner to anyone in need of a reliable, high-performance scanner for their home or office. While the price point may be higher than some other document scanners on the market, we believe that the quality and performance of this scanner make it well worth the investment.
Buying Guide
When looking for the best photo scanner, there are several factors to consider. We recommend taking the following into account before making your purchase:
Resolution
One of the most important factors to consider is resolution. The higher the resolution, the better the quality of the scanned image. Look for a scanner with a resolution of at least 600 dpi (dots per inch) for optimal results.
Scan Size
Consider the size of the photos you’ll be scanning. If you’ll be scanning larger photos or documents, make sure to choose a scanner with a larger scanning bed. This will ensure that you can scan your photos without having to cut them down to size.
Connectivity
Make sure to choose a scanner with the appropriate connectivity options for your needs. USB is the most common option, but some scanners also offer Wi-Fi or Ethernet connectivity for added convenience.
Software
The software that comes with your scanner can make a big difference in the quality of your scans. Look for scanners that come with robust software that includes features such as automatic color correction, dust removal, and image enhancement.
Price
Finally, consider your budget when choosing a scanner. While some high-end scanners can be quite expensive, there are also many affordable options available that still offer great quality scans. Determine your budget before making your purchase to ensure you get the best value for your money.
Overall, choosing the best photo scanner requires careful consideration of several factors. By taking the time to research and compare different options, you can find a scanner that meets your needs and produces high-quality scans of your cherished memories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which photo scanner is ideal for scanning old photographs?
When it comes to scanning old photographs, it’s important to choose a scanner that can handle delicate and fragile prints without damaging them. We recommend using a flatbed scanner with a lid that can be raised to accommodate thicker materials. The Epson Perfection V600 and the Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II are both excellent options for scanning old photographs.
How can one efficiently scan a large volume of photos?
Scanning a large volume of photos can be a time-consuming task, but there are ways to make the process more efficient. We recommend using a scanner with an automatic document feeder (ADF) that can handle multiple photos at once. The Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1500 and the Brother ADS-2700W are both great options for scanning large volumes of photos quickly and efficiently.
What resolution should be used for high-quality photo scanning?
For high-quality photo scanning, we recommend using a resolution of at least 300 dpi (dots per inch). This will ensure that your scanned images are sharp and detailed. However, if you plan on enlarging your photos or printing them at a larger size, you may want to use a higher resolution. Keep in mind that higher resolutions will result in larger file sizes and longer scan times.
What are the top photo scanner apps available?
There are many photo scanner apps available, but some of the most popular ones include Google Photoscan, CamScanner, and Adobe Scan. These apps allow you to scan photos using your smartphone or tablet, and they often include features like automatic cropping and color correction.
Which photo scanners work best for both photos and documents?
If you need a scanner that can handle both photos and documents, we recommend using a flatbed scanner with an ADF. The Canon CanoScan LiDE400 and the Epson WorkForce ES-400 are both excellent options for scanning both photos and documents.
Which photo scanners are highly recommended for Mac users?
Mac users may want to consider the Epson Perfection V800 or the Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II. Both of these scanners are compatible with Mac computers and offer high-quality scanning capabilities. Additionally, many of the photo scanner apps mentioned earlier are also available for Mac users.
