When you envision a scanner, chances are a flatbed immediately comes to mind. Resembling the upper portion of a photocopier, a flatbed scanner features a large flat glass base and a lid. You lay a photo, document, business card, or anything else that will fit on the glass, close the lid, and press a button to scan the item. There’s nothing else to it.
In addition to easily scanning various items, flatbed scanners generally offer higher resolutions than other types of scanners. While most offer a minimum DPI of 600, which is perfectly fine for scanning most photos and anything other than fine art, some have DPIs, or dots per inch, in the thousands!
Thanks to their high resolution, versatility, and ease of use, flatbed scanners are the best all-around solution for scanning albums of photos and light office use.
It is arguably true that technology is advancing at a tremendous rate. Over the years, different scanners are being incorporated into the market. It is crystal clear that different companies have joined in the manufacturing of scanners.
All in all, the Epson Perfection V600 is an impressive device for scanning documents, film negatives, slides, and prints. For the amateurs, avid photographers, or anyone in need of a scanner that scans all kinds.
Is a flatbed scanner suitable for you?
If you need to scan photos, film, bound materials, and 3D objects, a flatbed scanner is just what you need. Just place the item to be scanned on the glass plate, close the lid over the top, press a button, and watch as it converts an image of the item into a digital format.
Sure, you can run photos, stamps, and other items through a sheet feeder, but the results may suffer, and the items can be damaged. If you only need to print photos and the like every once in a blue moon, a sheet-fed document scanner with a plastic carrier may get you by, but the scan quality is likely to deteriorate.
With a quality flatbed scanner, however, there’s no need to worry about poor scan quality. Thanks to image enhancement technology, some flatbeds produce scans that look even better than the originals.
While scanner technology continues to evolve, it does so slowly, which means flatbed scanner models tend to stay on the market for years. That being said, we regularly update our buying guides, so if you run across an “oldie but goodie,” rest assured it’s still the cream of the crop compared to similar models.
How to Choose the Right Flatbed Scanner
Okay, so you know how flatbed scanners work and have learned a little about some of today’s top options, but now it’s time to choose the right one for you and your needs.
Most flatbed scanners can handle a variety of everyday office tasks. However, there are several different types and sizes to choose from, each fine-tuned for specific purposes.
Not sure which one to pick? Here are some questions to help you narrow down your options:
What items do you plan on scanning?
Knowing how often you expect to use your scanner and what you plan to scan will help you identify all the features you’ll need.
Most people use flatbed scanners for photos and documents. However, bound books, magazines, business cards, and film slides and negatives are common scan items.
Since some flatbed scanners are bigger and have larger scanning surfaces than others, you should also consider the size of the originals you’ll be scanning—more on this below and whether you will need to scan the front and back of document pages.
What size are the originals?
Choosing a flatbed large enough to handle the items you need to scan may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to overlook when scanner shopping.
Most flatbed scanners are designed to scan documents no larger than A3 or letter size. This will be an issue if you ever need to scan larger legal-sized documents.
While most flatbeds with an ADF function can scan larger pages, not all flatbeds have this function, and some that do can’t handle legal-sized documents.
You can find larger scanners with bigger flatbeds, but you’ll have to sacrifice some desk space, which for most, is a valuable commodity that’s difficult to part with.
Do you need high resolution?
For most scanning tasks, the resolution is a non-issue. In fact, for most documents, even a scan at 200 pixels per inch, or PPI, will be perfectly legible. Since nearly all flatbed scanners have a minimum PPI of 600, there’s no need to worry about document scanning resolution.
The same is valid for photos. Unless you plan to use a scan to print a larger photo, 600 PPI is typically more than enough to provide a crisp, clear, and vibrant image.
That being said, some items require higher resolution. For instance, film negatives and 35mm slides, often scanned to print much larger versions, require greater resolution. If you want to see tiny details in objects like stamps or coins, you’ll need a scanner with a PPI of 4,800 or higher.
Do you require a special-purpose scanner?
Most flatbed scanners are designed for general purposes, such as scanning photos and standard letter-size documents. Others, however, are specially designed for scanning books, business cards, and slides.
Book scanners are designed to let the pages lie flat, scanners for business cards, other small items are compact and portable in design, and slide scanners are smaller than flatbeds but have similar features. It’s worth noting that many of the top-quality flatbed scanners reviewed above have film and slide scanning capabilities.
What kind of software will you need?
Most flatbed scanners will work with almost any scanner program. However, if you need a scanner with specific software included, you’ll avoid having to pay extra for it.
Depending on your needs and what you plan on scanning, you may want to look for specific software features, such as optical character recognition, photo editing, and searchable PDF functionality.
From digitizing thousands of pages to bringing photo albums into the 21st century, here are
16 best flatbed scanners that can do it all yet shine bright in their own unique way.
Best Flatbed Scanners of 2021
1. Epson Perfection V600 – Best All-Purpose Scanner
The Epson Perfection V600 is a solid entry point for anyone in need of a quality photo scanner with the ability to handle documents, film negatives, and slides as well.
Resolution
While the V600 can’t exactly match the pixel quality of a much more expensive high-end photo scanner, it offers a high 6400 x 9600 DPI resolution and all of the functionality the average user could ask for.
Scans quality
Needless to say, it does an excellent job of living up to its name and creating near-perfect scans of the original. Sure, you’re going to lose some quality whenever you convert an image, but with the Epson Perfection, the scans are a near mirror image of whatever you lay on its glass flatbed. The scanner can produce fast, sharp, and crystalized images—this optical resolution allows you to create brilliant enlargements up to 17 inches by 22 inches.
Easy Photo Fix tool
Furthermore, the Easy Photo Fix tool will give you the added touch you need for restoring images and give them that glow and clarity that counts for each image. Remarkable DIGITAL ICE technology for both film and prints automatically removes defects erasing scratches and dust from the film and fixing creases and tears on prints saving you money on costly photo retouching.
Not only does it feature image correction and enhancement technology to remove damage and improve the vibrancy of older photos, but this budget-friendly flatbed is also easy to use. You can have it up and running in under 10 minutes.
What’s also great about this tool is the sound clip feature. This sound clip will notify you when the scanning has completed a job and allow you to focus on another task.
A built-in transparency unit accommodates slides negatives and medium format film, so you scan and preserve practically any image from your photo archives.
ABBYY FineReader
V600 even includes ABBYY FineReader Sprint Plus optical character reader software so you can easily convert scanned documents into editable text.
Nonetheless, the bare-bones operation of this Epson is, for the most part, clean and simple.
You can also reduce or even eliminate contaminants like dust particles and eliminate the appearance of scratches, tears, and creases. You may lose sight of the past in your mind, but your pictures will keep those memories vivid and original using the Epson Perfection V600 scanner.
Verdict
The Epson Perfection V600 is a brilliant photo scanner that works on both film and prints, as well as slides and negatives. It also comes with optical character reader software that can convert your scanned files into editable text right on your computer.
All in all, the Epson Perfection V600 is an impressive device for scanning documents, film negatives, slides, and prints. For the amateurs, avid photographers, or anyone in need of a scanner that scans all kinds.
- Able to scan a variety of documents and images
- Great scan quality
- Good value
- Not the fastest scanner around
- Software is a bit clunky
- Lacks native text recognition
2. Canon CanoScan Lide 400 – Best Value Flatbed Scanner
The Canon Lide 400 scanner has an elegant appearance that can be termed stylish. The design is also sophisticated, making it a sought-after scanning device for many people. There is no doubt that this scanner has lots of features that we should pay keen attention to.
Features
This great scanner has an optical resolution of 4800 x 4800 DPI. This optical resolution is higher compared to that of many scanners in the market. Due to its high optical resolution, the Lide 400 scanner can scan crystal clear photos, and you will enjoy its scanning capability.
This scanner is compatible with the USB type C interface. It is also worth noting that the scanner can also operate with the USB 2.0 and 3.0 interfaces. The CanoScan Lide 400 operates within a temperature range of between 5-35 degrees Celsius. In addition to that, the scanner has a humidity operating range of between 10-90% RH, excluding condensation formation.
Design
This scanner has a 3-color LED light source. The LED light source will automatically pass through your document to hasten the scanning process. In terms of scanning speed, the Canon company left no stone unturned. The scanner can scan a document within a mere 8 seconds.
The Lide 400 has ideal power efficiency. When in operation, the scanner has a power consumption of about 4.5W. In standby mode, it has a power consumption of 0.3W.
The scanner is compatible with the Scan gear and Scan utility software. The scanning software can operate both on Mac and Windows computers.
Upon purchasing this elegant scanner, you are given a USB cable, stand, and do not forget the necessary software drivers. The scanning glass of this device can only accommodate an A4 paper.
Verdict
When you add it all up, it’s an excellent value and a more than capable device for flawlessly scanning documents, photos, and more. If you want an all-purpose flatbed scanner that won’t break the bank, the Canon CanoScan Lide 400 might be an excellent choice for you.
- Space-saving design
- The scanner is power efficient
- Compatible with most the computers
- Enhanced scanning accuracy and speed
- Can not scan an A3 document
3. Canon CanoScan 9000F MKII – Best Epson Scanner for Photos
If you’re in the market for a top-quality flatbed scanner for digitizing an assortment of items, but especially photos, the Canon CanoScan 9000F MKII may be for you.
Right up there with some of the fastest and easiest-to-use premium flatbed scanners we tested, it’s our top recommendation for producing digital files of photos, book pages, and just about anything else not suitable for a document scanner.
Resolution
The CanoScan 9000F delivers professional quality with a spectacular color resolution for your documents and photos up to 9600 x 9600 DPI. Vibrant color depth provides up to 281 trillion possible colors for rich, vivid, accurate color reproduction every time you scan.
This scanner can handle up to 12 frames of 35-millimeter film, positives, negatives, or 4 slide frames concurrently.
Automatic image enhancement
While most scanners produce scans that look noticeably worse than the originals, the CanoScan utilizes automatic image enhancement to prevent loss of vibrancy and brightness. In many cases, we found its scanned images look even better than the originals.
On the downside, it’s a little slower than some flatbeds and a bit more expensive too. The automatic image enhancement produces scans of photos that look better but are a bit less faithful to the originals than the Epson V600.
Verdict
Nonetheless, as far as photo scan quality goes, the popular CanoScan is tough to beat.
- Great for photos
- Excellent scan quality
- Large scanning area
- Straightforward controls and software
- Automatic image enhancement may work too well for some
- A little pricey
4. Canon CanoScan Lide 300 – Best Slim Flatbed Scanner
The CanoScan Lide 300 is a prior version of the Lide 400 scanner. This flatbed scanner has a similar design to that of the Lide 400 scanner. Well, this scanner is ideal for light scanning duties, mainly in small offices. Despite its small size, this scanner has powerful scanning features.
Features
This flatbed scanner has a relatively high image quality. The image quality of the scanner is relatively lower compared to the Lide 400 scanner. It has a 2400 x 2400 DPI resolution, which is ideal for home use.
Since this scanner is meant for light duties, it has an elegant design. The Lide 300 has small in size; thus, it doesn’t occupy a lot of space. This scanner is also easily portable due to its lightweight. There is no doubt that this may be one of your most ideal scanners to work with.
The Lide 300 scanner can also scan colored documents. It has a length of 14 inches, a width of 9 inches, and a 1-inch height. The Lide 300 weighs approximately 1.5kgs. This scanner also comes with a stand, which aids in keeping its frame upright.
The scanner has a relatively high scanning speed. It can scan an A4 page within ten seconds. This speed is relatively high compared to other small-scale scanners. With Lide 300, you won’t require any power source to operate the scanner; just plug it into your computer via a USB cable.
Verdict
The Canon Lide 300 is an excellent flatbed scanner for light scanning activities. It has a 2400 x 2400 DPI resolution, which is higher than what you’d find in most small-scale scanners. However, some scanners can scan at exceedingly higher resolutions. This scanner can scan documents at a relatively high scanning speed, and it’s also very portable.
This scanner is ideal for light duties like scanning texts or images but not for heavy-duty activities such as scanning transparencies. But, if you need to do some simple scans on the go, this scanner might be what you need. This is a lightweight scanner that’s also very easy to bring along with you wherever you go.
- Enhanced scanning speed
- Light-weight
- Can operate with power from a computer
- Easy-to-use
- Can’t scan an A3 document
- Not ideal for large scale scanning
5. Xerox XD-COMBO – Best Flatbed Scanner with ADF
The Xerox XD-COMBO Duplex Combo Flatbed Scanner is the perfect device for anyone who needs to scan documents. It’s fast, easy to use, and has an automatic document feeder that can handle up to 35 pages at once!
Features
The scanner offers a fast and easy way to get organized, with the ability to convert paper documents into searchable PDF files quickly. The automatic document feeder makes it easy to scan multiple pages without manually inserting each page one by one. This way, users can save time and energy when scanning hundreds of pages at a time. In addition, the scanner also includes OCR software that enables users to search their PDF documents.
The machine is compatible with any Windows or Mac computer and can provide up to 300 dpi resolution scanning. It can handle ID cards, passports, photos, receipts, checks, etc., which makes this an excellent choice for any business!
The Visioneer Acuity technology is a game-changer for those who need crisp, clear scans. It enables the scanner to find its best settings instantly, so you get perfect images from imperfect originals. For example, if the document has faded ink or is written in pencil, Acuity will brighten it up and make the text readable.
Verdict
Overall, the Xerox XD-COMBO is a phenomenal device for those who need to scan documents regularly. It’s easy to use and has a mighty OCR function that makes your life easier. Furthermore, the automatic document feeder allows you to save time with multiple-page scanning so you can quit wasting time doing so yourself. If you are looking for a scanner to boost your productivity and save time, this might be the right choice for you.
- Easy to use
- Automatic document feeder
- Powerful OCR function
- Compatible with Windows and Mac
- The 300 dpi resolution is optimal for documents but not enough for scanning photos
6. VIISAN 3240 – Best A3 Flatbed Scanner
The VIISAN 3240 scanner is the perfect device for high-quality scanning of artworks, photos, painting albums, books, magazines, newspapers, and other large document items up to 304 x 426 mm (11.98″ x 16.8″) in size. It also works excellent with CAD drawings!
Features
This powerful scanner has an ultra-fast scan speed of 4 seconds per A3 size page. It provides a maximum optical resolution of 2400 x 2400 dpi, which delivers an ultra-vivid, true-to-life image and stunning color variations. It supports Windows TWAIN, WIA drivers, and MacOS ICA or Linux XSANE ones for seamless compatibility with all scanning applications out there on the market.
The VIISAN 3240 scanner has the Auto-Scan function to scan automatically when the lid is closed. This function is helpful in situations where scanning speed and high image quality are required for a continuous flow of work like bookkeeping, cataloging, digitizing time slips, or photo albums.
Verdict
The VIISAN 3240 scanner is a high-precision scanner that will help you digitize your valuable photo, art, and document collections easily and quickly. It has an ultra-fast scan speed of 4 seconds per A3 size page and provides an excellent 2400 x 2400 dpi resolution for stunningly detailed images. It features the Auto-Scan function that enables it to scan automatically when the lid is closed, and it has a frameless and ultra-thin glass design, which makes scanning thick, bound books easy.
- 4 second scan time per A3 page
- 2400 x 2400 dpi high resolution
- Auto Scan function detects lid closure and triggers the scanner to start scanning automatically
- Frameless design for easy insertion of thick, bound books after scanning
- A little bit pricey
7. Plustek OpticSlim 2680h – Fastest Flatbed Scanner
We know that for some people, scanning is a tedious task. The Plustek OpticSilm 2680h scanner makes it as easy as possible. It scans quickly and easily for up to 3 seconds (300dpi / Color mode). You can now convert any document into digital format with just one click!
Features
With its built-in PDF button, the OpticSlim 2680h quickly scans and saves PDFs that are editable and searchable – making workflows faster than ever before. It’s equipped with an auto-rotate function, which helps to ensure that every image will be correctly oriented. This saves time and ensures that you get the best possible picture. The bundled software also can deskew images and crop them.
The OpticSilm 2680h is designed with four easy-to-use buttons that allow you to copy, scan, and save in PDF format, all without fussing about it. This makes this device great for personal and office use, and with its various functions and easy-to-use plug-and-play interface, it’s perfect for students.
Verdict
If you’re looking for a scanner that can scan quickly and easily, then the Plustek OpticSlim 2680h Desk Scanner is ideal. It’s quick, easy to use, and performs well, courtesy of its built-in PDF button. You can now convert any document into digital format with just one click!
- Scans quickly and easily
- Built-in PDF button for easy documents conversion to PDF files
- Auto-rotation
- Not a very high resolution (300 dpi), not the best option for scanning photos
- Not compatible with Mac
8. Doxie Flip – Best Portable Flatbed Scanner
The Doxie Flip is cute, compact, and runs on batteries for absolute portability. Unlike many other portable scanners designed to slide across documents to capture images, this nifty device works just like a flatbed scanner.
Keep in mind that you do not need any computer or cables attached to use it. This is purely an independent little machine that can virtually scan anything.
Design
The lid flips up to reveal a 4×6-inch glass scanning surface. You’ll find the power button, scan button, and an SD card slot for easy, intuitive operation on the right side of the Flip.
Meanwhile, there are five navigation buttons and a small color LCD screen up top. The latter has a handy status bar showing the battery level and the number of scans remaining. If that weren’t impressive enough, the LCD also gives a live view of what is being scanned.
Сompact size
Unfortunately, with the Flip’s small size comes poorer scan quality. While it has an adjustable DPI setting, which is nice, it only goes from 300 to 600 DPI.
Another drawback to its small size is it limits the items it’s capable of scanning. Unlike larger scanners, it’s not designed to scan documents, books, and the like.
Verdict
However, if you already have a flatbed scanner but want something to scan business cards, index cards, pictures, stamps, and so on while out and about and on the go, it’s an option worth considering.
- Portable design
- Battery-powered
- Easy to use
- Decent scan quality for its size
- Limited battery life
- Small scanning area
9. Plustek A3 1180 – Another Great A3 Flatbed Scanner
The Plustek 1180 is another scanner you should contemplate purchasing. Its elegant design makes it notable from a far distance. There is no doubt that this scanner has powerful features.
Features
The Plustek 1180 is an A3 format flatbed scanner. It has 1600 dots per inch image resolution capability. Well, this scanner is pretty fast since, in only eight seconds, it can scan a document at 300 DPI. The Plustek 1180 is easy to set up and use.
You can connect this fantastic device to your Mac or Windows computer via the 2.0 USB port. This scanner can scan black and white documents, not forgetting the colored documents. Well, a one-touch operation feature is incorporated in the Plustek 1180.
This smart device has four buttons that you can configure to suit your needs. In terms of image quality, the Plustek company left no stone unturned. The Plustek 1180 has an accurate and powerful image processing capability. With this scanner, you can be able to edit your image even after scanning.
The Plustek 1180 is ideal for commercial uses. This scanner weighs approximately seven kilograms, thus not easily portable. It supports TWAIN software and protocol. TWAIN interface plays a crucial role in ensuring compatibility between image hardware and scanning software.
Verdict
The Plustek 1180 is a good and powerful scanner. The scanning technology incorporated in the device is awe-inspiring, although it’s bulky and not easily portable. It can scan large images, which makes it ideal for commercial purposes. This device has flexible interface options; TWAIN compatibility makes it suitable for both Windows and Mac users.
- Ideal for large scale scanning
- High scanning speed
- Compatible with most the computers
- The high image processing capability
- Has the one-touch feature
- Ideal for commercial use
- The scanner may be expensive
- It’s heavy, thus not easily portable
10. Epson Perfection V550 – Best Scanner for a Heavy Workload
The Perfection V550 has been a staple in Epson’s portfolio for several years, and for a good reason. As one of today’s most popular flatbed scanners, it’s found in offices around the world.
Resolution
The V550 produces outstanding image reproduction with 6400 by 9600 DPI optical resolution allowing you to create brilliant enlargements from photos beyond 13 by 19 inches.
It features a built-in transparency unit that produces high-quality scans from slides, negatives, and even medium-format panoramic films.
Scanner size
At the opposite end of the spectrum from the Doxie Flip, this beast of a flatbed is larger than an A3 sheet of paper and takes up substantial desktop real estate. However, when it comes to scanning, it does its job very, very well.
It also features four scan modes, including Home, Office, Full Auto, and Professional. Combined with Epson’s ReadyScan LED technology, it can scan virtually anything and makes the process easy as it can be.
Verdict
All things considered, the Perfection V550 provides an excellent solution for any photo or document-heavy workload. Despite its bulky size, it’s affordable, produces high-quality scans, and is suitable for various applications.
- Quality design and construction
- Very versatile
- Good scanning speed
- Great value for the money
- Big and bulky
- Not ideal for small desks or office spaces
11. Plustek OpticSlim 2610 – Best Scanner for Books
If you have stacks of books to scan, the Plustek OpticSlim 2610 may be the flatbed you’ve been looking for.
Unlike traditional flatbed scanners, which struggle with books and other thick items, the OpticSlim makes scanning virtually anything a breeze. Just place the item on the scanner’s glass base, close the lid, press a button, and watch it work its magic.
Resolution
If this weren’t impressive enough, its DocAction software allows you to scan images at up to 4800 x 4800 DPI resolution, which is pretty awesome for a scanner in its price range.
Verdict
With an auto-crop function, the OpticSlim is designed to make slim work of any scanning task.
- Excellent value
- Great for scanning books and other large items
- Simple and easy to use
- Scanning and saving images takes some time
- Image quality is good but not great
12. Epson Perfection V850 Pro – Best Professional Flatbed Scanner
If you have a healthy budget and want professional-quality results time and time again, the Epson Perfection V850 Pro might be the flatbed scanner for you.
Dual lens system
Not only does it provide unparalleled scans with ADV and an impressive 6400 DPI resolution, but it also features an exclusive dual-lens system for optimum results regardless of what it’s scanning.
The tonal range of this pro-style Epson is also top-notch. Thanks to its use of 4.0 Dmax technology, it offers fine shadows, details, and smooth gradations; many other flatbeds can’t match.
Verdict
- Excellent image quality
- Ability to scan books, photos, and even film
- Easy to use
- Sleek, modern design
- A little pricey
- Software could be easier to use
13. CZUR ET18 PRO – Best Scanner for Large Items
The CZUR ET18 PRO has revolutionized the scanning experience by bringing life a flatbed scanner unlike any other. Not only can it scan thick books, magazines, and every kind of paper document not exceeding A3 size, but it can do so without any need for cutting or unbinding at a whopping 1.5 seconds per page.
Incredible scanning time
Yes, you read that right. It scans items 10 times faster than traditional flatbed scanners. It can scan a 150-page book in under five minutes! A powerful 32-bit MIPS processor provides fast scanning.
3D objects
Still not impressed? Did we mention it can scan 3D objects as well? Thanks to its unique lidless design, you can use it to scan and create a digital rendering of sculptures and a variety of other physical objects.
It does so by utilizing innovative side lighting. Lay a book or anything else underneath the camera on the glass tray, press a button, and watch it do its thing in the blink of an eye.
The CZUR’s OCR software is another nice touch. With it, you can convert scans into editable WORD and PDF formats and make adjustments right after they’re scanned.
Verdict
The CZUR ET18 Pro is, by leaps and bounds, one of the complete scanners we’ve ever tested. It can scan anything from books to newspapers, paintings to 3D objects. Add in its fast and effortless operation, and you get a scanner that stands head and shoulders above other high-end flatbeds.
- Unique design
- Great for scanning books and large items
- Breakneck scanning speed
- Software can be difficult to install and use
- Customer service is a bit lacking
14. Epson Perfection V39 – Advanced Budget-Friendly Scanner
If you’re on a tight budget and need a scanner more for photos than text documents, the Epson Perfection V39 might be right up your alley.
Not only is it one of the most inexpensive and effective flatbed scanners on the market, but we were pretty surprised with its performance in our testing. Despite costing much less than many scanners on this list, we found it to produce vivid, crisp scans with minimal fuss or hassle.
Resolution
The V39 offers high-quality scans at 4800 DPI optical resolution capturing your photos and documents with excellent precision.
Design
The scanner can scan books, photo albums, and other large objects – thanks to the V39 removable lid.
The V39 easy front panel buttons make simple jobs a breeze allowing you to scan directly to email and create PDFs quickly.
Сompactness
The Epson V39 is also surprisingly slim and compact, so you can place it on any desk and stash it away when not in use. Plus, it features a nifty kickstand, which allows it to stand vertically and take up even less space.
Nonetheless, its scanning times aren’t exactly the best, so if you need to scan a book, it may take a while. It also isn’t suitable for scanning film negatives.
Verdict
However, the reviews speak for themselves, and as far as inexpensive flatbeds go, the Epson V39 is quite simply one of the best around.
- Budget-friendly price
- Easy setup and operation
- Good scan quality
- Versatile design
- Software could be easier to use
- Takes a while to scan long text documents
15. Xerox DocuMate 3220 Duplex – Best Ease-to-Use Scanner
The Xerox DocuMate 3220 Duplex is an entry-level flatbed scanner that’s super easy to use. It’s also an ADF and features OCR technology, making it a document scanner worth checking out.
Geared towards both individuals and office environments, it isn’t the fastest flatbed scanner around, but it provides a lot of bang for the buck.
The 3220 Duplex measures 17.9 x 13.2 inches and features a letter-sized flatbed and a 50-sheet document feeder with an ultrasonic feed detection sensor for ultimate scanning versatility.
Verdict
If you need a sleek, easy-to-use, all-in-one scanner that can copy and scan both sides of a paper document with the press of a button, the DocuMate 3220 Duplex from Xerox is worth checking out. It is a flatbed scanner that’s super easy to use. It’s also an ADF and features OCR technology, making it a document scanner worth checking out.
- Easy to use
- Flatbed and ATF
- Solid OCR performance
- Wide-variety of OneTouch scan destinations
- Poor default OCR performance
- Scans slow in searchable PDF
16. Epson Perfection V19 – Best Basic Scanner
If you’re on the hunt for a rock-solid flatbed scanner for basic high-resolution scanning jobs, the Epson Perfection V19 is worth a look. This entry-level color scanner doesn’t produce professional quality photo scans, but it’s priced right and should serve the average individual or household quite well.
The lightweight, semi-portable flatbed scanner measures slightly more than 8.5 x 11 inches, which means it can scan almost any document yet doesn’t take up too much desk space. It also comes with a handy kickstand, allowing it to work while standing upright and taking up less space.
Despite its low price, scanning with the Epson V19 is remarkably easy. Each of its four one-touch buttons allows you to scan, scan to PDF, copy, print, and share each scan with the press of a button. It even features an Easy Photo Print option, which is pretty neat, especially for a scanner at this price point.
However, unlike more expensive scanners, it doesn’t include an OCR program, so it can’t convert scanned documents into editable text. Other than this, it can just about do it all.
Verdict
If you want a great all-around flatbed for scanning photos and occasional documents, the Epson Perfection V19 may be the perfect scanner for you.
- Excellent price and value
- Creates high-quality document and photo scans
- Scans to searchable PDF
- Easy to use one-touch operation
- Lacks an OCR function for editable text
- Resolution is good but not great
Conclusion
Recently, the positions of flatbed scanners have noticeably squeezed out the hordes of MFPs (multi-function printers). However, it concerns mainly inexpensive mass models designed to solve office tasks: digitization of paper documents, forms’ input, text recognition, etc. If we consider the category of products aimed at advanced users, the situation here is entirely different.
How many models of MFPs can you find that allow you to scan transparent originals and obtain satisfactory quality results? To count them, one hand is enough. That’s why scanners with these features are still in demand.
When shopping for a flatbed scanner, or any electronics for that matter, research is critical. It’s one of those instances when putting in a little time on the front end will result in a lot fewer headaches on the back end.
By going over the information in this guide one more time and selecting the suitable scanner for you and your needs, you’ll save yourself a ton of stress and set yourself up for scanning success.
REFERENCES
https://epson.com/
https://www.xeroxscanners.com/
https://www.getdoxie.com/
https://plustek.com/
https://www.czur.com/
https://www.usa.canon.com/
The proud owner and lead writer of OFFICE-EQUIP.COM
Office equipment seller since 2011. Started writing in 2018 and sharing his experience and knowledge with love and respect.
I have already scanned about 2/3 of my 4000 35mm slide and am still very satisfied.
With the Epson v600, with the space that will be freed up and because the images are much easier to view and search.
A slide scanned at 3200 dpi gives with this scanner a good result that corresponds with about 10 Megapixels.
The color recovery function is impressive : 25 years old, purple colored slides are delivered back with the real colors, without having to start photoshopping time-consuming slide by slide.
Color recovery has to be switched off manually for night shots, with blue pool in the middle of the picture or title slide with solid background, that’s where it goes wrong. Sometimes it’s really impressive, some films had become unnatural purple. I had already considered them to be lost, but after scanning everything is with original colours again. Even dias where you don’t see the purple at first sight, will look better with color recovery. And that almost without any extra effort.
I use 2 working methods:
Slides that were scheduled by the lab at the time, go with a window per 4 on the scanner.
Dias are removed from the window and go per 10 on the scanner. I put the slide loose on the holder, works just as well, attaching it with the supplied plastic frame is a bit too cumbersome. Especially dias framed with anti-newton glass have to be removed from the window.
The professional mode gives the best control over the process.
Then a sample scan, rotate the slide where necessary, tick where you want color restoration (usually all) and ready.
Time needed as soon as there are 10 slides on the scanner: scanner connected to a desktop PC of 1 year old and without using Digital ICE:
30 sec for the sample scan, 60 sec to set everything for the 10 slides, then the scanner is working for 13 minutes to scan everything at 3200dpi. Then Epson scan opens the folder where you can check the result – which is almost always okay, but you want to see it before the slides are thrown away.
Because I had a lot of analogue photos and slides I came to the purchase of this scanner.
After reading many reviews I came to the conclusion that this scanner was the best value for money.
It was my first order at Amazon, and I must say that I am very satisfied with the clarity, term, and quality with which the transaction was handled! Highly recommended shipping time, clarity of the order procedure to follow, and very safe way of packaging.
I found the scanner itself to be quite large after unpacking, but that was soon forgotten after seeing the performance.
As I am used to from Epson, there was a very clear and easy manual, and the software installed itself (to my great surprise) without any problem on the latest Apple system.
The included software is good, clear and powerful to give the older images a nice touch without the need for the necessary knowledge. The buttons on the front work properly. The speed at which the scanner works is more than satisfactory, and what is especially a very good asset, are the many possibilities that are realized by the various supplied templates.
In short, both Amazon and this scanner I would recommend to anyone!
I had been looking for a long time for the possibility to digitize old photos, negatives and slides. After browsing the internet for a long time, I was struck by two scanners: the 9000F Mark II from Canon and the V550 from Epson. The possibility of Digital ICE dust filter (would work less well for black and white and Kodachrome films) and the reviews on “alatest.nl”. (score of 9.2 against 9.0 for the 9000F) were finally the decisive factors to choose the slightly more expensive V550.
Ordered on Sunday evening, in the house on Monday (super). Monday evening I had already scanned the first slides and negatives. During this ‘experimentation’ it soon became clear that the standard dust filter did not remove all dust particles and fibers, but after making the scan again with Digital ICE, the result was astonishing: no more fibers and fibers visible! Now I scan everything with ICE. This will take much longer, but I want a perfect result.
Advice: regularly clean the glass plates with a suitable cloth!
The settings I have been scanning with so far are:
– Professional mode
– 48-bit colours
– resolution 2400 dpi
– Digital ICE Technology
With these settings, scanning negatives takes 35 minutes for 10 negatives.
I bought the Epson V600 scanner for digitizing medium format (120) film, this goes very smoothly and sharpness and colors remain nicely intact. The only thing that bothers me is that the supplied software (apart from the fact that it is already very limited in functions) occasionally loses the scanner completely for no reason and wants to restart it or the package just gets stuck without doing anything special (for example when creating a new folder to store the scans in within the “save as” screen). Signs with red arrows to tell the computer where the scanner is were of no use for the first mentioned problem.
It’s a good thing, it’s solidly built and it has a good scan speed/resolution ratio.
The Epson Perfection scanner does seem to scan slow but I’m never scanning a lot all at one time. Also, it fits really nicely on the edge of a desk of a countertop for easy access.
If you are looking for a good scanner, specifically for photos, slides and negatives, the V550 is the perfect choice. Of course there are also cheaper devices, but they leave much to be desired in terms of quality. With an optical resolution of 6400dpi, the V550 scans your slides and photo negatives with extreme precision, so the only limit for image quality is the grain of the carrier. The scanner also comes with two attachments in which you can clamp both framed slides and different sizes of negatives. Even large black-and-white negatives from the 1970s were scanned flawlessly. The included scanning software is very extensive and offers different modes, from a standard mode for the less experienced user to a professional mode for those who want control over all aspects of the scanning process. The software has some functions to optimise the images, but I prefer to run them through a good photo editing program afterwards. Slides from 30 years ago suddenly look like they were made with a digital device yesterday.
In short, for those who have a large collection of slides and negatives in their closet, but don’t want to pay a thousand euros or more for a professional scanner, the V550 is the best choice.
To scan the old slides of my father (about 3000 in 15 boxes) I bought the Epson V550 after advice. I scanned the first box (245 pieces), slides from the period 1963-1971. There were a lot of discoloured slides in this series and the Epson knows how to pick up these colours well. Even slides that are too dark can be easily repaired. The Epson V550 is not very good at correcting the overexposed slides, which remain light in colour during the scanning process.
The Epson is easy to use, with the setting possibilities you can also vary the scanning time, that works very well. The Espon does take up some space, with the laptop and slide box next to each other it takes some space on the dining table.
While scanning, the Epson makes some noise, which is not disturbing.
For those who, like me, want to digitize old photos from the family album, the scan quality is more than sufficient – so to say for photos of 10 by 15 cm. Scanning is easy. But on one computer I can use the scan button on the device itself, on the other I always get an error message that there is no connection – which could eventually be solved by clicking on the icon on the desktop. I always digitize 4 photos – sometimes I get 4 different photos, other times I get twice two photos, which I still had to separate, in my case by cropping in Photoshop. But that is also possible with other programs of course.
I bought the Epson Perfection V39 as an Amazon recommendation and the predominantly positive reviews. Purchased because my 7,5 year old CanoScan Lide 700F was not recognized anymore after the W10 updates. I scan a lot of documents in my private environment. At first the Epson was disappointing until I saw that this was because I was not used to the other scan procedure. After some practice I finally got used to it and then I saw the possibilities this scanner has to offer. Occasionally still a twelve error which disappears when the PC is restarted. The cause of this error is in my opinion in the situation that people subconsciously want to load the driver more than once. In other words: when scanning multiple documents, only start the scanner once and then continue scanning in that mode. The delivery by Coolblue went smoothly although the large Coolblue box should have been filled up a bit because the smaller box of the scanner now “rattles” a lot during transport.
Meanwhile almost 3000 slides and negatives scanned with the Epson V550 in less than 2 months time, usually in groups of about 12 at a time (maximum number of negatives = 2×6), it takes a few minutes. I like that tempo very much because I can archive, label, etc. the previous badge in the meantime. The plastic windows look vulnerable but so far no problems. Good quality scans, you can also set the dpi yourself, but the slower the higher the dpi. Most of the different formats from the 60’s can also be used, although some of them have to be glued together later in Photoshop. But maybe I overlooked a setting option because there are many possibilities.
The only disadvantage is that it sometimes produces a penetrating sound which is disturbing late in the evening.
My Imac recognizes him without any problems, if I want to do something else at the same time, the epson sometimes claims to come on front.
All in all a good device at an affordable price
Because multifunction printer had some problems again, I bought this stand-alone Epson V39 scanner. Software almost always works, but I don’t see the difference with Epson’s software about 20 years ago.
Home mode has mandatory preview (takes a long time and is not very intuitive), office mode is allowed without preview, but also here time has stood still. Distinguish home-office rather nonsensical, because it depends on what you want to scan.
Well, it scans and if you liked Windows XP, then this will probably work too. You can’t expect too much for 9 tenths of a second. 20 years ago you paid more than 300 guilders for such a thing, so there is an advantage.
Because my old (25 years) negative scanner no longer worked under Windows 10, I had to switch to a new one.
Because I put quality first and I already had experience with the Epson-scanner (A3-format) at the local community, I preferred the V600. It can also scan other negative formats. You don’t have to update all the photos with a photo shop or anything else. Even 50 year old negatives and slides give great results when showing in a room (projection with beamer). Good quality always has a price, but the V600 is worth it.
My previous scanner was almost at the end of its lifespan after very intensive use. After some searching I came up with the Epson V550 as the most suitable replacement. Unpacking and connecting went smoothly. The operating system could be installed quickly and easily on a desktop PC with Windows 10. Scanning is fast. The desired resolution and document type are easy to select with the supplied s/w. Scanning photos gives nice results. The option of de-scratching often gives an enormous improvement in illustrations. Other settings you just have to try out what works best. For example, I had little faith in the option to scan negatives beforehand because I had bad experience with earlier scanners. But wrongly so. The V550 delivers 4800 dpi results which I am very happy with. Scanning 10 negatives takes about 25-30 minutes. But once the negatives have been placed correctly and the scan program is running, you don’t have to worry about that anymore. Conclusion: highly recommended! I’m really only sorry that I haven’t bought this device before…
The setting possibilities of the Epson V550 scanner are very good. The quality of the scans are of excellent quality. You can choose from fully automatic scans, preset settings or you can configure everything yourself.
However, the included software is NOT suitable for Windows 10. The scan program continues to crash during normal use. Only when you start the software as Administrator and in Windows 7 compatibility mode the software will continue to work. This is caused by the fact that the underlying software is from 2013…you can expect more effort from a company like Epson to keep it at least up to date so that you don’t have to look for solutions as a user.
After I got the program stable, it’s a good device.
Order and delivery of Canon V600: excellent services, nothing to be said about. Then I went to install the device on my Windows 10 PC… After complete installation and start-up I immediately try to scan a 6×6 cm black and white negative, with the intention of finding the grain of a real pellicle again – which was the intention of ‘my project’.
Oh, my God! No communication between the PC and the V600! What to do now… to the site, see if a new driver had been published. I try with the latest driver. Idem, no success… Two hours further: instead of scanning a movie image, I try to scan a ‘document’. It turns out: from now on the scanner is recognized and there is no problem at all and I can now also scan film negatives. With amazing results.
Conclusion: I leave my suffering behind me. But good advice for all: FIRST scan a DOCUMENT!!
The reason for buying an Epson V600 was the purchase price. A V750 is 3 to 4 times more expensive. For me it doesn’t pay off. Don’t have so many negatives and limit me to the automatic function when scanning. It’s not fast, but the V600 delivers the quality I’m satisfied with. If you have more time and want quality, choose the professional functionality. This allows you to take better photos and larger files.
My brother has 10,000 negatives that he wants to scan. The V600 is one size too small for that. Hope for him that a V750 will process more in a shorter time.
I bought the Epson v550 scanner because my previous slide scanner (Nikon) was worn out. Because I work on Linux, I looked for a way to see if that works. Linux drivers can be found on http://support.epson.net/linux/en/iscan.php?model=perfection-v550&version=1.0.1 and after running the RPMs through rpm2tgz they could also be installed on Slackware.
I don’t like Epson’s Iscan software to work. If you want something more, Sane under Linux is an option, or try Vuescan directly.
Scanning goes well, as expected. The ICE does indeed remove scratches from photos. The effect on slides is not as good as I was used to from my previous scanner. In addition, the scans with slides are slightly out-of-focus, which I think is due to the type of window (hamafix: in focus, GEPE, in glass and standard fuji windows out of focus) . For scanning (photo)books it is possible to open the lid, which is also easy when changing slides.
After being out of use for a while, the V550 automatically turns off. This saves some power, but it can also be very annoying.
The product meets my wishes very well! Because I use various images as a basis for my visual work, I was looking for a scanner with many possibilities. Sometimes I want to scan photos with a low dpi or I want to move them during the scanning process in order to manipulate the scanning process.
Because I already used an epson scanner during my training, I was already familiar with the brand. However, that model was quite a few years older than this model and already met my expectations. However, the epson v550 exceeds those expectations even more. A sublime scanner with a fast response time, removable lid, handy negatives cassettes and the easiest of all, it’s plug & play.
If you are looking for a good option for scanning slides and negatives and you do not require speed and super high resolution, then the Canon v550 scanner is your answer.
After a bad experience with another small scanner of a German brand, this Epson is recommended. For quality and for convenience. In automatic mode, the method is “arms over each other” to reasonable quality (for a professional a little too little resolution), but in professional mode, that can also be delivered!
Only the automatic dust removal I could not detect. Also the automatic color correction is sometimes not correct. The advice is: do the color correction yourself with a professional package. In any case, the resolution is good! But it can take a bit of time. Four slides at once is possible. Two strips of negatives also go at once. The slides and negatives are searched by the software itself and can then be selected, corrected and scanned separately.
In short: a good scanner for an attractive price!
I always come to Epson for the printing of photos. So I had good expectations for the v600 scanner, partly due to other good reviews on the internet. And they are more than fulfilled.
Several options can be set (as default): from automatic to more professional use, from saving in PDF, jpg to tiff, and from sharpening to color recovery and dust removal. Also with a wide choice of image type (up to 48-bit colours) and resolution (up to 12800).
It’s handy that the flap and the piece ‘move along’ in a horizontal position, so you can also put a reasonable sized book or photo album on it.
With Windows8 the installation was a piece of cake.
You can hear the scanning (of course).
I have been using the scanner for six months now, for documents and especially for (old) analogue photos. I am very happy with it.
The Epson Perfection V39 is slightly larger (and much thicker) than necessary. Most of that space is taken up by air and very thin plastic, so the device weighs very little (and feels a bit fragile and wobbly). A handy built-in base makes it possible to store the scanner in an angled position (not quite on its side), so that the device takes up less space.
With the standard software it is not even possible to make a preview (let alone a scan) of a full page. This is quickly solved with the help of a free drawing program. But even then I can’t retrieve scans of more than 1200DPI under any program (while the specs promise 4800 DPI).
The image quality of the scans is poor. Especially with black-and-white scans this is clearly visible. There seems to be some scattering, causing all pixels (in both axes) to shift. This makes lines that are tight on paper in the scan (even they are 1:1 in size) extremely vague and lumpy.
Too bad my 12 year old BearPaw 1200CU doesn’t work anymore under Windows 10. I regret this purchase and would advise against the device.
My HP-Scanjet 7400c needed to be replaced after seventeen years of loyal service.
I bought a Mustek ScanExpress A3 2400S from Amazon.
When I started using it, it turned out to work exclusively with “Twain-compliant software (e.g. Photoshop)”.
I didn’t have that and the purchase of Photoshop exceeded the budget.
On the advice of a Coolblue employee I exchanged the scanner for the Epson Perfection V550 Photo.scanner.
And I like it very much.
My first experiences:
I use it to scan my old photos, magazine articles (with or without photos) and that is simple and with excellent results.
Especially the ease of use is striking with the buttons on the scanner for PDF, E-mail and copying.
In addition, there is another button that allows you to select a Scan mode, such as the Fully Automatic Mode (fast scanning without having to make any settings) or the Office and Home Mode (adjust scan settings and check the result in a sample scan) and finally the Professional Mode that allows me to do as much as possible so that I have not yet gotten around to trying it out completely.
I found a flaw in the Manual (Online Guide) on the CD.
A good user manual would be extremely useful to be able to quickly and efficiently find out all the possibilities of this scanner.
Finally, a compliment for the service Coolblue offered with the final purchase of this scanner.
Epson V600 – costs a few pennies, but you do have something!
Some time ago I received old footage from grandfather. This was a lot of everything, photo in color/black and white, slides standard but also slides on glass (6×6 cm) and negatives. The matte color pictures sometimes show a grid over the scan with a standard scanner. Looks like image noise. When these photos are scanned in combination with ICE, there is hardly anything to see. Damaged or dirty slides clean ICE for 95%. It may be that there is still a lot of damage left, but these can be removed with your photo editing program.
You can also have all your images scanned professionally, but if you have time this is definitely worth the investment. (100 scans at 20Mp is already worth the investment.)
I used to use a Rolleiflex camera with negatives of 6 x 6 cm; unfortunately, most of the scanners on the market today are only suitable for 35mm films and slides.
So I bought the EPSON V600 SCANNER and am very satisfied with this scanner since it was installed; all 6 x 6 negatives are perfectly scanned and also 6 x 9 cm negatives are no problem. Also 35 mm negatives can be scanned with 12 pieces at the same time; the only point that is disappointing is the price, but that will undoubtedly have to do with the fact that this scanner was not produced in large numbers.
The Epson Perfection V550 Photo is a beautiful device that delivers a very good quality at a reasonable price. The included moulds make it easy to quickly scan slides and standard size negatives. The inclusive software also makes it possible to remove dust and (to a certain extent) restore colours. Scanning is fast unless you set high resolutions. I have scanned about 1000 negatives and am very happy with the result. Unfortunately I have negatives of very different sizes that don’t fit in the standard moulds. But still I was able to scan them with a small practical intervention; I didn’t use the moulds, but I did use a small glass plate (from an old photo frame). Working method: put the negative in the right place on the scanning plate and put the glass plate on top of it. Move the plate a bit more to put the negative in the right place and close the scanner. The result is perfect!
Gear is sturdy on the Canon V600 with soldered valve and parts. The film holders could be a bit firmer, I think, but they are good enough.
Installation on Win 7 went without a hitch, but keeping an eye on the order of first installing the driver and only then connecting the device via USB2. Scanner also works flawlessly with other scan software such as Vuescan, which can offer more possibilities for scanning work.
Scanning itself, with the Epson interface, is a piece of cake. Fast and relatively quiet. Scans are good sharp and correction of color deviation and elimination of photo scratches by the software filters are very satisfactory.
I haven’t tried all the possibilities with the transparencies for example, but this device does a perfect job so far. Very satisfied, for such a quality/price ratio.
After connecting the Epson V550 scanner to my macbook pro (this requires a transition from usb to the mac connection), it is possible to scan within a few minutes. The operation is simple. The standard mac software gives (for me) sufficient possibilities to set up the scanning process. The photo scans are of excellent quality. The speed of each scanner depends on the chosen dpi, with my choice (1600 dpi) the speed is not top, but acceptable. It is possible to put multiple photos on the “screen” at the same time and with the help of the recognition function you can scan this as separate files. That makes up for a little changeover time.
I’ve got the Epson V600. I’ve scanned slides and negatives before, but never satisfied with the quality. This is very good and brings the old meuk back to the new requirement.
I’m now scanning family dias from the 60’s and they look very nice. Of course that also depends on the slide itself. An eventful picture doesn’t straighten you out anymore.
The whole family is very happy to see the old pictures again and asks me to get along with the rest of them.
Just timed: 4 slides out of a sled, on scanner, scanning, saving, and slide back again: 4 minutes. And in the meantime you take a look at the newly scanned copies.
I hope it rains this weekend. I continue to scan.
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