We keep getting requests from our readers asking for the ‘Best Photo Scanner with Feeder 2023’ recommendations. As always, we heard you and here we are with the list of top photo scanners for every budget possible.
Don’t you all agree if I say that the memories are the most precious possessions in this life? I bet you do. We all remember the times that our grandmother sang us to sleep, the smells from the kitchen on an evening when our mother cooked our favorite dish after a tiring day at school, the innocent face of our pet puppy, or a cute kitten. We all cherish our memories. But the irony is that our memories keep fading with time. We keep forgetting them bit by bit. But what if I show you a photo associated with one of your favorite memories? Each tiny detail of your memory flutters incessantly through the great hall of your thoughts again without having to ruminate much.
Best Photo Scanner with Feeder in 2023 – Digitalize your Old Photos (Flatbed & Sheetfed Scanners)
Photos are a tangible connection to your past. They remind us of people, places, feelings, and can speak volumes about the moments they represent. They are the best storytellers that time has ever witnessed and ever will. Photographs constantly remind us of what we were to help us enhance what we are which in turn determine what we can be – they show the caterpillar to the cocoon and the cocoon to the butterfly which helps the fly stay grounded despite its wings.
Just like those fragile memories, the photos are also prone to depreciation over time. Let us digitalize and preserve them before they disappear. Below mentioned are a few of our top picks for the Best Photo Scanners that your money can afford in 2023. Each of them is put to intense testing before coming up with an opinion. As always, we broke the jargon at the end of this post and also tried explaining the sweet spots that make a scanner ideal for photo scanning.
#1. Epson FastFoto FF-680w – Best Photo Scanner with Feeder (ADF)
The Epson FastFoto FF-680w is by far the best photo scanner with auto feeder for scanning casual photos lying around your home.
Epson has done an incredible job in producing the industry class scanner the Epson FastFoto FF-680w. It is designed while keeping the average user in mind with a decent price tag. Scanning photos can be tiresome and time-consuming for the fact that we should feed in a photo one after the other. Epson had done the hard work to waive this pain of manually inserting a photo one after the other by incorporating the auto photo feeder technology. The scanning speeds on this machine are incredible which we shall learn in the latter part of the review. Speaking of aesthetics, the Epson FastFoto FF-680 feels very compact with a mere 1.8 x 8.7 x 8.1 inches and weighs about 8.8 pounds.
Brand | Epson |
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Scanner Type | Sheet Fed |
Resolution | 1200dpi |
Features | Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) |
Rating | 4.4 |
The input and output trays fold towards the scanner making it more convenient for storing when it is not in use. Opening the trays for usage is a swift pull. The body is made out of plastic and doesn’t look cheap. Overall, the build feels compact and should fit most workspaces without a hassle. Setting up the device is also easy with most of the process is self-explanatory. The connectivity options are also decent, from wired to Wi-Fi, it has everything to choose from.
Features of – Epson FastFoto FF-680w Photos Scanner
Fast and efficient
The Epson FastFoto FF-680 is one of the fastest photo scanners on the market with single-pass dual scanning support. It scans at a whopping 45 pages per minute in both color and monochrome.
Scanning Quality
The scanning quality of this nifty gadget is pretty decent for a sheetfed scanner in its price bracket. It has an optical resolution of 600 dpi which is optimum for casual photo scanning.
Versatility
The Epson FastFoto FF-680w is one of the most versatile sheetfed scanners in the Epson line-up. Scanned documents can be directly scanned to a computer by connecting the scanner via a USB cable or even upload the scans directly to a cloud service like Dropbox or Google Drive account.
Design and Build-quality
This scanner occupies less boot space and can sit comfortably well on any desk. The two paper trays on the scanner can be kept closed when the device is not in use saving additional desk space. The entire body is made up of plastic but seems durable.
Ease of use
The FastFoto FF-680W is easy to operate and doesn’t demand any operational knowledge. Most of the buttons present on it are self-explanatory. The device auto orients photos relieving us from additional stress.
Technical Specifications, Pros & Cons of – Epson FastFoto FF-680 Photography Scanner
Tech Specs
Brand | Epson |
---|---|
Model | FastFoto FF-680W |
Scanner Type | Sheetfed Scanner |
Dimensions | 1.8 x 8.7 x 8.1 inches |
Weight | 8.8 pounds |
Optical Sensor | CIS (Contact Image Sensor) |
Optical Resolution | Main 600 dpi x Sub 600 dpi |
Scanning Speeds | Monochrome: 45 pages/min – Colour: 45 pages/min measured with size: A4, resolution: 300dpi |
Automatic Document Feeder | Yes, single-pass dual scanning |
Output Formats | JPEG, TIFF, PDF, searchable PDF, PDF/A |
Connectivity | USB 3.0, Wireless LAN IEEE 802.11b/g/n |
Final Review
If you are looking for a good photo scanner with Auto Feeder for causal photo scanning chores, the Epson FastFoto FF-680w is an ideal choice. It is not the best in terms of build quality but it appears to take quite a bit of abuse. Speaking of connectivity, you can choose to connect to it via the USB or can access it over Wi-Fi. It also supports popular cloud services for directly saving your scans to the cloud drives.
#2. Epson Expression 12000XL-PH – Best Overall for Photos Scan
The Epson Expression 12000XL-PH is a mammoth in the rodent trap. It has everything that you would typically imagine in a 21st century’s scanning machine.
The price of the Epson Expression 12000XL-PH might have taken you by surprise. If you could pass the affordability factory, this photo scanner can be an ultimate beast. This scanner supports media as wide as 12.2 by 17.2 inches. The scanner itself feels very sleek and compact with the dimensions 25.8″ x 18.1″ x 8.5″ (W x D x H) and weighs about 45.2 lbs. Epson Expression 12000XL has a maximum resolution of 2,400 by 4,800 dots per inch (dpi) which makes the best photo scanner in 2023.
Brand | Epson |
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Scanner Type | Flatbed |
Resolution | 2400 x 4800 dpi |
Features | Great Optical Resolution |
Rating | 3.4/5 |
The 1200XL-PH comes bundled with a transparency unit that can be installed on the scanner for scanning slides, transparencies, and negatives. If you have a bunch of old school negatives lying around your home, give them the life they deserve with this nifty scanning machine. The one-touch color restoration works flawlessly with the bundled software, fixing your photos is a cakewalk. The device isn’t the fastest out there, it has moderate scanning speeds.
Features of – Epson Expression 12000XL-PH Flatbed Scanner
Scan Quality
The Epson Expression 12000XL-PH boasts an incredible 2400 x 4800 dpi optical resolution that ensures rich details in the scanned pictures. It has a decent color depth and the color accuracy is also great. The scanned images are sharper and vivid.
Wide-format capability
The scanner has a flatbed size of 11 by 17 inches which makes it an ideal tabloid scanner.
Versatility
This scanner is highly versatile with support to different media sizes up to 11 by 17 inches and comes equipped with a transparency unit that supports slides and negative batch scanning. Digitalizing the old school negative film is made simple with the Epson Expression 12000XL-PH.
Build and design
For the fact that this scanner holds a flatbed size of 12.2 by 17.2 inches, it has bigger footprints with its dimensions 25.8″ x 18.1″ x 8.5″ (W x D x H) and weighs over 31.5 pounds with the transparency unit installed. The entire body is made up of hard plastic and feels sturdy and durable.
Scanning Speeds
The Epson Expression 12000XL-PH isn’t the fastest scanner out there. It takes a little longer for capturing all the details of the image for a flatbed scanner and the 12000XL-PH isn’t an exception here. However, the scanning speeds are acceptable on this device.
Productivity
If being productive is like the air you breathe, the Epson Expression 12000XL-PH isn’t going to put you down. It offers batch scanning mode for escalating your scan job and also comes with a one-touch color restoration tool to fix your photos within the reach of a tap.
Technical Specifications, Pros & Cons of – Epson Expression 12000XL-PH
Tech Specs
Brand | Epson |
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Model | Expression 12000XL-PH |
Scanner Type | Flatbed color image scanner |
Dimensions | 25.8″ x 18.1″ x 8.5″ (W x D x H) |
Weight | 45.2 lb (with transparency unit) |
Optical Sensor | Color Epson MatrixCCD line sensor |
Optical Resolution | 2400 dpi |
Scanning Speeds | Color: 16.0 msec/line (approx.) Grayscale: 5.3 msec/line (approx.)Line Art: 5.3 msec/line (approx.) |
Automatic Document Feeder | Yes |
Output Formats | JPEG, TIFF, PDF, searchable PDF, PDF/A |
Connectivity | USB 2.0 |
Final Review
The Epson Expression 12000XL-PH is one of the costliest options in the Epson line-up. However, if you go past the affordability factor, this scanner can be the best you can ever have. You should witness to believe in its magic. The scanned photos are rich in detail, vivid and sharp. Color reproduction is top-notch. Speaking of the build quality, the Epson Expression 12000XL-PH is one of the toughest scanners on the market. Large scan jobs are a cakewalk for this scanner, thanks to its batch mode functionality.
#3. Epson Perfection V850 Pro – Best Premium Photo Scanner
Now get unparalleled scans with the Epson Perfection V850 Pro Photo Scanner. The V850 is a perfect balance between functionality and price.
The Epson Perfection V850 Pro is one of the best professional-grade yet affordable photo scanners available from the Epson house. Don’t judge me for using the term affordable here. The V850 isn’t for everyone, it is designed specifically for the perfectionists who care about the smallest possible detail. On the scanning quality note, the Epson Perfection V850 is a beast that does visual wonders for you.
Brand | Epson |
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Scanner Type | Flatbed |
Resolution | 6400 dpi |
Features | Optical Density: 4.0 Dmax |
Rating | 4.2/5 |
The one thing that makes this device stand out in the crowd is its versatility. This photo scanner also doubles up as a film scanner that can accept 35mm slides to positives or negatives as large as 8 by 10 inches. It has a Dmax rating of 4.0 and an optical resolution of 6,400 PPI which adds up to its pros section. If there is a disappointment about the Epson Perfection V850 Pro, it is in the connectivity section of the scanner. There is no networking capability on the V850. Epson could at least have thought of incorporating an Ethernet port for the price.
Features of – Epson Perfection V850 Pro Premium Photo Flatbed Scanner
Dual Lens System
Epson has cleverly incorporated a dual-lens system in this scanner. The lens swaps automatically depending on the type of media that is being scanned. For slide films, a 6400dpi resolution lens is equipped and for photos, a 4800-dpi lens is used.
Scan Quality
The Epson Perfection V850 Pro does impeccably well when it comes to scanning quality. The colors are vivid, tones are perfect and the dynamic range is splendid, thanks to its 4.0 Dmax.
Digital ICE Technology
Epson boasts its digital ICE technology that eliminates dust and scratches from the scanned media to give you the cleaner scans that you deserve.
Ease of Use
Though the device appears to be like an alien technology gadget, operating it is pretty much straight forward and doesn’t demand any operational expertise.
Build and design
The build quality of the Epson Perfection V850 Pro is top-notch with an ergonomic form factor. However, it has larger footprints as it has a larger flatbed. The V850 measures 19.8″ x 12.1″ x 6″ (W x D x H) and weighs about 14.6 lb.
Technical Specifications, Pros & Cons of – Epson Perfection V850 Pro Flatbed
Tech Specs
Brand | Epson |
---|---|
Model | Perfection® V850 Pro |
Scanner Type | Flatbed color image scanner |
Dimensions | 19.8″ x 12.1″ x 6″ (W x D x H) |
Weight | 14.6 lb |
Optical Sensor | Matrix CCD with Micro Lens and High Pass Optics |
Optical Resolution (Dual Lens System) | Super Resolution Lens: 6,400x 9,600 dpi High-Resolution Lens: 4,800x 9,600 dpi |
Scanning Speeds | Full color/monochrome 10.8 msec/line (approx.) at 4800 dpi |
Optical Density | 4.0 Dmax |
Output Formats | JPEG, TIFF, PDF, searchable PDF, PDF/A |
Connectivity | Hi-Speed USB 2.0 |
Final Review
The Epson Perfection V850 Photo Scanner isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It is specifically for those photo enthusiasts and perfectionists. If you happen to be one of them, take my word, you will instantly fall in love with this little monster. Besides the scanning quality, the versatility of this scanner deserves the crown. However, the flatbed size is limited to 8 x 10 inches. If you plan not to go beyond this size and love to scan your photos to perfection, the Epson Perfection V850 can be the best photo scanner you will ever have.
#4. Canon Canoscan 9000F Mark II – Best High-End Photo Scanner
The Canon Canoscan 9000F Mark II is one of the top photo scanners available on the market under the 1000$ segment.
Canon doesn’t need an introduction in the printing and scanning industry. The Canon products have got a special fan base in the industry. The Canon Canoscan 9000F Mark lI is undoubtedly the top photo scanner under the $1000 mark. If you plan to digitize a bunch of precious family photo albums or old school film negatives, look no further than the Canon Canoscan 9000F Mark II. It is important to note that the scanner does little enhancement work on each photo it scans. However, these enhancements are at the positive bar end almost every time. However, if you consider retaining the originals as they are, the Epson Perfection V600 can be a good deal in a similar price range.
Brand | Canon |
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Scanner Type | Flatbed |
Resolution | 4800×4800 dpi |
Features | Comes bundled with Softwares |
Rating | 3.9/5 |
This is undoubtedly the fastest, easier to operate, and a decent flatbed scanner that we have ever tested. The scan quality came out to be surprisingly well in our initial testing. The colors are vibrant, the dynamic range turned out to be decent and the overall image appeared to be sharper. With the little touch of enhancement, the Canon Canoscan 9000F Mark II appeared to be slightly better than the original itself. We also tried our luck with scanning some documents. The text on the documents appeared sharper and clearer. However, the scanner struggled slightly with smaller text. All and all, this can be a decent choice if you choose to scan a lot of photos and text documents occasionally.
Features of – Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II Color Pics Scanner
Build and design
The Canon Canoscan 9000F Mark II is made up of hard plastic and feels very sturdy. The device itself feels lighter compared to most other scanners in the line-up. It weighs about 4.6kg and has the dimensions 270 x 480 x 111mm.
Faster Scanning
The scanning speeds are decent with an A4 Color photo taking about 7 seconds when scanned at 300 dpi while a 35 mm negative film took about 18 seconds when scanned at 1200 dpi. There is no preparation time, the scanner starts scanning the documents straight away.
Automatic Image Enhancement
This is especially helpful if you are trying to digitize your old photos. In most cases, the scanned images are looking better than the original ones. However, if you are into professional artworks or replication of the original image as it is, you might run into trouble with the automatic enhancement feature.
Versatility
The Canon Canoscan 9000F Mark II is one of the most versatile photo scanner options available on the market with a built-in film adapter that can scan 12 x 35mm filmstrips and 4x mounted slides – either positive or negative.
Comes bundled with Software’s
The 9000F Mark II comes bundled with My Image Garden and Scanning Utility software, which offers a wide range of useful functions. Auto document fixing and the management of scanned files is a cakewalk with the included software tools.
Ease of Use
Operation of Canon Canoscan 9000F Mark II feels extremely simple with quick button presses. The 7 EZ buttons present on the device helps you access different functions of the device. The ‘Auto-Scan’ button when pressed recognizes the type of media automatically from photo, document, and film.
Technical Specifications, Pros & Cons of – Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II
Tech Specs
Brand | Canon |
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Model | CanoScan 9000F Mark II |
Scanner Type | Flatbed color image scanner |
Dimensions | 270 x 480 x 111mm |
Weight | 4.6kg |
Optical Sensor | CCD 12-line color |
Optical Resolution | 9600×9600dpi (film)4800×4800dpi (photo and document) |
Scanning Speeds | 1.2 msec./line (300 dpi), 12.1 msec/line (4800dpi) |
Software Included | ScanGear, Scan Utility, My Image Garden |
Output Formats | JPEG, TIFF, PDF, searchable PDF, PDF/A |
Connectivity | Hi-Speed USB 2.0 |
Final Review
The Canon Canoscan 9000F Mark II is a decent choice for those who are looking for a photo scanner to digitize their old school films lying around the house or to produce high-resolution scans on their old photo memories. It has decent scan quality and the speeds are also great with zero preparation time. However, the connectivity options are limited to USB only. But that should not be a deal for most of us.
#5. Doxie Go SE – Best Portable Photo Scanner
Don’t let the size of the Doxie Go SE fool you. It is compact yet the ultraportable photo scanner that your money can afford.
The one thing that makes the Doxie Go SE stand among the best photo scanners list is its form factor and portability. It is one of the best, if not the best portable photo scanners that are available on the market. It is not necessarily connected to a computer to make it work. The Doxie Go SE can work as a stand-alone device and can save the scanned documents directly on to the mounted SD card. It comes with an internal battery that can be charged via the USB cable provided in the package. On the other hand, this nifty scanner does work even while plugged in and charging which makes it more work efficient. However, on a single charge, the Doxie Go SE can yield up to 400 scans at 300 dots per inch.
Brand | Doxie GO |
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Scanner Type | SheetFed |
Optical Resolution | 600 dpi |
Features | Rechargeable Battery |
Rating | 4.5/5 |
The software that comes bundled with this portable photo scanner is very intuitive and includes a built-in basic image editor which ensures photo enhancement capabilities. Given its size, the Doxie can be carried comfortably in any laptop backpack. This is more ideal for those who will have to scan a lot of bills, documents, and other stuff on the go. On the plus side, the device is extremely simple to use and scanning photos and documents is a cakewalk. Just align the document and push the button, the device does the rest for you. The scanning speeds aren’t great but are acceptable for a portable scanner of such a form factor. Scanning an 8.5 by 11-inch page takes a little over seven seconds when scanning at 300 dots per inch, and about 11 seconds at 600 dots per inch.
Features of – Doxie Go SE Wi-Fi Portable Picture Scanner
Size and Form Factor
The Doxie Go SE is by far the best portable scanner that is available on the market with the decent build quality and stunning aesthetics. For the size of the Doxie Go SE, carrying it is made easy.
Battery Backup and Portability
The Doxie Go SE can run for about 400 scans each performed at 300 dpi resolution before it needs to be charged. The battery backup is pretty much impressive. Charging it is no hassle, just plug-in the cable and you are good to go. The best part is that the scanner can run even when it is plugged-in and is charging.
Storage and Transfer
The Doxie comes included with an 8 GB SD card which can roughly accommodate over 4000 scans at 300 dpi each, this is incredible. Transferring the scanned documents is no hassle. Removing the SD Card from the scanner and plugging it in the computer should do the job or just use the USB port on the scanner for a direct connection to your computer.
Software tools
The Doxie Go SE comes bundled with a set of surprisingly intuitive software tools. They come with a built-in basic image editor that makes image enhancement easier.
Ease of Use
Using the Doxie is a cakewalk and doesn’t demand you to be a tech genie. All you gotta do is to insert the media that you wish to scan. Once you have aligned it carefully, push the Scan button on the device. You are good to go!
Technical Specifications, Pros & Cons of – Doxie Go SE Photo Scanning Device
Tech Specs
Brand | Doxie GO |
---|---|
Model | Go SE |
Scanner Type | Sheetfed color image scanner |
Dimensions | 12.2 x 2.3 x 1.75” (31 x 5.8 x 4.5 cm) |
Weight | 1.3 lbs (0.59 kg) |
Optical Sensor | CIS (Contact Image Sensor) |
Optical Resolution | 600 dpi |
Scanning Speeds | 8 seconds per page @ 300 dpi |
Software Included | Doxie for iOS, Doxie for MAC+PC, Doxie Web Viewer for Linux + Chrome OS |
Output Formats | JPEG, PNG, or multi-page PDFs |
Connectivity | Hi-Speed USB 2.0, Memory Card Slot |
Final Review
The Doxie Go SE is one of the best portable photo scanners that you can get on the market today. It isn’t meant for producing professional scans. However, if casual scanning is all you care about, the Doxie Go SE can be your magic wand. However, if you can shell out a little extra money, you might want to consider a Wi-Fi variant of the Doxie Go. The scanner is also versatile and can accept different media types like the standard 8.5 inch by 11-inch paper, business cards, game cards, etc.
Also Read:
Best Picture (Photos) Scanners 2023 – Buying Guide
Now that you have gone through our ‘Best Photo Scanners 2023’ list, we also advise you to go through our detailed guide to understand what are the things that are to be considered before taking a final dig at the best photo scanner on the market.
Flatbed or Sheetfed? –
In the case of a sheetfed scanner, the documents are fed automatically into the scanner. These scanners are ideal for scanning loose papers and documents. While flatbed scanners have an advantage when it comes to photo scanning. The scanning takes place via a charge-coupled sensor (CCD Sensor) which ensures greater details in the scanned output. In simpler words, the flatbed scanners can produce greater details and quality when it comes to scanning photos. Sheetfed scanners, on the other hand, can also produce decent images especially but are not advisable for professional photo scanning chores. However, they do well for casual photo scanning.
Scanner Resolution –
Another biggest consideration is resolution. It is measured in dots per inch (DPI) which is a count of the total number of dots present in an inch of area. The greater the resolution, the better will be the quality of your scanned image. However, the resolution is again categorized into three, based on the type. The optical resolution, the hardware resolution, and the interpolated resolution.
Optical resolution in shorter words is the actual number of pixels that are read by the sensor of your scanner whereas the hardware resolution is the pixels obtained by the sensor by double-stepping or quadruple-stepping of the carriage using a precision stepper motor. For instance, a scanner has an optical resolution of 600 dpi and a hardware resolution of 600 x 1200 dpi (it is because of double-stepping the carriage to increase the vertical resolution). In coarse words, the hardware resolution is related to the quality of detail that can be captured vertically by increasing the carriage.
Interpolation is a technique to increase the resolution of an image using a complex algorithm. They do not add any further detail to the original scan, it simply adds (gradient) pixels based on the mathematical probability of surrounding pixels, horizontally/vertically.
Scanning Speeds –
The speed of your scanner comes to play especially when you have a lot to scan. Usually, as the limitation by the mechanism, the flatbed scanners are slower compared to the sheetfed scanners.
Connectivity –
Every scanner that you encounter on the market can be connected to a computer via the USB port. However, there are a few scanners that come with additional wireless capabilities. In general, wireless capability on a scanner doesn’t make much sense. So choose the one according to your need.
Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) –
Auto document feeder comes handy especially when you have a larger workload. Most modern scanners incorporate the ADF feature. However, a decent photo scanner with Auto Document Feeder should cost you a fortune.
How to Choose Good Photo Scanner in 2023 -FAQs
The following are the questions that we keep hearing a lot about the ‘Best Photo Scanners 2023’.
If you wish to scan multiple photos without a hassle, choose a scanner that comes with batch scanning support. For instance, the Epson Expression 12000XL-PH Flatbed Scanner is a good photo scanner with support for batch scanning.
The Epson Perfection V850 Pro is the best scanner for photos available on the market.
The Epson Perfection V850 Pro is an ideal choice be it for scanning the old photos or negatives.
The fastest way for scanning photos is to invest in a good photo scanner with great scanning speeds. The Epson FastFoto FF-680 is an ideal choice if scanning photos faster is your only concern.
A minimum of 300 dpi should do the job. However, if you require to capture better details, scanning your old photos at 600 dpi can yield optimum results.
JPEG uses an image compression technique that means some of the image data is lost when the file is compressed whereas TIFF doesn’t involve compression. Hence there is no data loss. However, photos saved in TIFF format are larger in size compared to that of JPEG. If the size isn’t a concern, TIFF is an ideal choice for archiving your images.
Epson FastFoto FF-680w is by far the best photo scanner with an Auto feeder that you can afford in the market today.