Best Photo Scanner Reviews 2023

Everyone has a sad and regretful story about losing a precious photo album. It may be that set of holiday photos that you misplaced while moving into your first house after graduation or even the first images of your first-born. Fortunately, photo scanners offer you a solution to preserve those memories as soft copies, allowing you to access them anytime. Read on and discover the best photo scanner brands in the market and a great model from each one of them to make your purchase process as easy as possible.
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Overview
PROS
CONS
SPECS
Media Type
Resolution
Max Doc Size
Connectivity
Size/Weight
Our Top Choice
Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II Photo Scanner
Canon is a world leading brand in the digital imaging industry. Their products range from cameras and camcorders, to office solutions, printers, projectors and more.
Scans photos, documents and 35mm film. 9600 x 9600 max dpi. My Image Garden software. Super Toric Lens. Zero warm up time. Auto Scan Mode. Gutter Shadow Correction.
Some people have trouble with programming the EZ buttons.
Photos, documents, 35mm film
9600 x 9600 dpi
8.5 x 11.7-inches
USB 2.0
18.9 x 4.4 x 10.7” / 10.1lbs
Best Value
Plustek ePhoto Z300 Scanner
Plustek is a world-renowned imaging and surveillance solution provider. They manufacture a range of scanners for home, business and professional use.
Compact design. Scans 4x6” photos in 2 seconds. Automatically scans photos and ejects them. Auto deskew and crop. Supported by Windows and Mac. Scans documents too.
Some suggest the software doesn’t work well with Mac.
Photos, documents
600 x 600 dpi
8.5 x 11.7-inches
USB 2.0
11.4 x 6.3 x 6.2” / 3.26lbs
Epson FastFoto High-Speed Scanner
Epson makes a difference in the quality of life of its customers with its innovative products. The FastFoto-640 is one of the fastest scanners today, able to handle one scan per second!
World’s fastest scanner. Scans multiple size prints.
A bit pricey because of the high end features.
Photos
600 dpi
4 x 6-inches
USB
8.7 x 11.8 x 8.1”/ 8.8lbs
Fujitsu iX500 Color Duplex Scanner
Fujitsu has been around since 1935, giving them decades of experience in the ICT industry. Their products include servers, storage, scanners, printers and more.
Works via USB or wirelessly. 50-page ADF. Create searchable PDFs. Scans double-sided pages up to 25ppm. GI microprocessor. ScanSnap Cloud feature.
Cannot be used directly with Adobe Acrobat software.
Documents, photos, business cards
600 x 600 dpi
8.5 x 14.17” / 34” long paper
USB 3.0, wireless
11.5 x 6.2 x 6.6” / 6.62lbs
Doxie Flip Cordless Flatbed Scanner
Doxie is a brand under the Apparent company, founded in 1998. They manufacture convenient and functional portable and flatbed scanners.
Compact size. AutoStitch feature means you can scan large images. Removable lid for photo album scanning. Intelligent auto adjust. Perfectly designed for Moleskine notebooks.
Some suggest the colors aren’t accurate.
Photos, documents
300 x 600 dpi
4 x 6-inches
None, SD card used
10.23 x 6.46 x 16.4” / 1.26lbs

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What is the Best Photo Scanner?

Are you at odds with the idea of having a photo scanner at your desk? Well, there is that bag containing your graduation photos that you forgot in a taxi and can never recover them. You swore to be more careful with your stuff only to be a victim of a home robbery (we know, what kind of person steals photo albums?). With a photo scanner, you do not have to worry about such unfortunate events. Make use of the information in you have read in our guide to find the best photo scanner in one of our reviews below.
Our Top Choice
The Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II Photo Scanner can scan your photos, documents or 35mm film at incredible speed and clarity. If you don’t need a document or 35mm film scanner, then you might want to save a few bucks and go for the dedicated Canon LiDE120 Color Image Scanner instead!

Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II Photo, Film and Negative Flatbed Scanner


Features
Canon is a world-renowned brand with over 60 years’ experience in the digital imaging solutions industry. They’re expertise can be seen across the US, South America, Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Canon see the impossible and do the impossible.

The Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II Photo Scanner is an impressive all-in-one machine that’ll scan your photos, documents and 35mm film with ease and clarity. With 9600 x 9600 max dpi, this scanner produces clear, detailed images that would suffice in any home or corporate setting.

Here’s some more features to enjoy:
  • My Image Garden software is a simple way to organize files
  • Super Toric Lens for sharp scans edge-to-edge
  • Zero warm up time with low power consumption
  • Auto Scan Mode will automatically adjust settings to their optimum
  • Fare Level 3 feature removes scratches and dust
  • Easy to use control buttons
  • Gutter Shadow Correction removes the dark edge when scanning a book
  • Connects using a USB 2.0 cable
  • Scans color images in 7 seconds at 300dpi and film in 18 seconds at 1200dpi
  • Maximum document size of 8.5 x 11.7-inches
This photo scanner works with both Windows and Mac, so there really isn’t any reason not to snap up this impressive buy.
Best Value
The Plustek ePhoto Z300 Scanner is a compact scanner that can scan 4x6” photos in just 2 seconds and A4 documents in 5 seconds. If you want a dedicated 35mm film scanner, you should consider the Plustek OpticFilm 135 which has 3600 dpi resolution.

Plustek ePhoto Z300 Photo and Document Portable Scanner


Features
Plustek is a world-class surveillance solution provider and digital imaging product manufacturer. They dedicated to producing high-quality products for consumers, businesses and professionals. Included in their product range are a number of scanners including flatbed, film & photo, portable, network, book and departmental scanners.

The Plustek ePhoto Z300 Scanner has a stylish, compact design that will not take up much space on your office desk. This impressive portable scanner can scan a 4 x 6” photo in just 2 seconds! That means you could easily scan 1000 photographs in just one afternoon!

Here’s some more awesome features:
  • Automatically scans photos when they’re placed in the scanner
  • Ejects photos after scanning, making it more efficient than a flatbed
  • Auto deskew and auto crop functions
  • Easy to use Image Enhancement software
  • Supported by Windows and Mac
  • You can also scan documents like receipts and letters
  • Maximum scanning area of 8.5 x 11.7-inches
The Epson FastFoto-640 is the newest addition to the line of scanners by Epson, but already taking the world by storm. It’s one of the fastest scanners today, able to scan one photo per second and thousands of them in a day at a resolution of 600dpi. Want a model with 9600dpi that can handle panoramic film, slides and negatives as well? We recommend the Epson Perfection V600 Photo Scanner. It’s a best seller on Amazon and much more affordable

Epson FastFoto Image Scanner FF-640 With Auto Photo Feeder


Features
There’s no way we could have omitted Epson in our list of top photo scanners 2016 because the brand is a household name in the world of peripherals. The company has demonstrated that they deserve to be industry leaders thanks to their innovative products.

The Epson FF-640 photo scanner is touted as one of the fastest scanners in the market, capable of scanning one photo in every second and an incredible 30 photos in a single pass! This is clearly a godsend machine that we thought is worth every penny. It is made with an amazing technology that allows it to restore all faded photos, giving you an opportunity to upload your scans to the cloud.

For around $649.99, this scanner can accommodate any photo and document, from the fragile type to the large panoramic photos. Here are more features it offers:
  • Scans one photo per second, handling thousands of them in a day. This makes it one of the fastest scanners at the moment
  • Scans more than just your photos: the unit can scan and save your documents as well, operating at a speed of 45ppm
  • High quality scans thanks to the 600dpi resolution
  • Epson’s exclusive image-processing technology allows it to optimize image quality, even across other machines such as projectors and printers
  • It lets you restore your images, save and share them to the Cloud
  • Special design consisting of special handling sheet, paper path and custom rollers so that it can accommodate even fragile photos
  • Custom FastFoto software with color enhancement features and red-eye reduction
The Epson FastFoto-640 is just one of the many scanners that the brand offers in its line of photo and document scanners. If this is not the model for you, maybe because of the price and features, then do not hesitate to find out what else they have and you will surely find one that will suit your needs.
The Fujitsu iX500 Color Duplex Scanner can scan double-sided pages up to 25ppm! You can connect to your PC or Mac via USB or wirelessly connect to an Android device or PC. If you’re looking for a portable photo scanner, check out the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 Wireless Mobile Scanner instead!

Fujitsu iX500 Color Duplex Desk Scanner for Mac and PC, Available in 4 Styles


Features
Fujitsu was founded in 1935, giving them decades of experience. They are an innovative company passionate about information and communication technologies (ICT). Their products have made history throughout the world, from their IT products and systems to their software.

The Fujitsu iX500 Color Duplex Scanner is an effective tool to reduce clutter in your home or work office. It works seamlessly with a PC or Mac and you can now even scan wirelessly to your PC or Android device too!

Let’s look at some more features:
  • Create searchable PDFs with the touch of a button
  • 50-page automatic document feeder
  • Scans double-sided pages up to 25ppm
  • GI microprocessor built in
  • Connect with USB 3.0 or lower, or wirelessly
  • ScanSnap Cloud delivers scanned images to your favorite cloud service
  • 600 x 600 dpi optical resolution
  • Scan documents up to 8.5 x 14.17-inches in normal mode
  • Long paper scanning up to 34-inches
The Doxie Flip Cordless Flatbed Scanner is a compact, portable scanner that scans photos and documents up to 4x6”. The clever AutoStitch feature means you can scan multiple parts of a page and stitch them together to make a large scan. If you’d prefer a portable sheetfed scanner, check out the Doxie Go SE Scanner instead!

Doxie Flip Cordless Flatbed Photo & Notebook Scanner with Removable Lid


Features
Doxie is collection of scanners under the Apparent brand, who were founded in 1998. Apparent has a few award-winning brands apart from Doxie, including IntelliScanner and Barcode Producer. Doxie themselves have three different lines of scanners, the Doxie Go SE, the Doxie Q and the Doxie Flip.

The Doxie Flip Cordless Flatbed Scanner is the perfect mobile flatbed scanner for notebooks, photos, sketches, books and more. It’s totally portable, powered by batteries, and it can send you scans wirelessly to any cloud program you like (Evernote, OneNote, Dropbox etc.).

Here’s some more awesome features:
  • Removable lid makes scanning anything simple and easy
  • Perfectly designed for Field Notes and Moleskine pocket notebooks
  • Scan old photo albums with the clear scanning window and removable lid
  • Compatible with Windows and Mac
  • AutoStitch feature means you can scan large images
  • Intelligent auto adjust feature
  • 4 x 6” scanning area

How Do I Choose the Best Photo Scanner?

Anyone who was born before the age of digital photography knows how precious the surfeit of physical photos was, especially to parents and grandparents who loved to preserve them. They did it for a good reason: they wanted to preserve the memories and show their kids - or grand kids - how they lived in their days. But the problem was, the more photos accumulated in the house, the more they removed older ones from the albums to create room. The most organized parents went ahead to write notes at the back so that they do not forget when the photo was taken, and where it was taken from.

All this is now solved with photo scanners. Whether you want to preserve sets of snapshots, album of photos that you took with your digital cameras, rolls of negatives, or swatches of your kid’s preschool artwork, there is definitely a scanner out there for anything you wish to digitalize. You can get some scanners specially designed to digitize films, like the Pyle Media Instant Film & Slide Digitizer Scanner. It makes converting 35mm film, 135mm film, slides or negatives a breeze! There’s a couple of different types of photo scanners to choose from too. You could go for a traditional style flatbed scanner, like the conveniently portable Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner with 4GB SD Card. Or, you could opt for a sheetfed type scanner, for example the impressive Vupoint ST470 Magic Wand Portable Scanner, which even comes with a handy carry case too.

We humans are just wired to keep memories alive and photos are one of the best ways to do it. With a photo scanner, you can preserve all these precious images in digital form and preserve your life memories.
Price
Photodegradation is one of the biggest enemies of memories. After several years, a swanky image of you wearing a black cardigan may turn into one of you donning a pink hand-me-down. A photo scanner may help to preserve your sense of fashion. With it, you will not only scan photos, but also slides, small documents, and negatives. But there’s one problem; if you go for a cheap photo scanner, you might not get to enjoy these incredible features, which is where price comes in. For the best speed, quality, and technical support, we suggest that you go for the pricey photo scanners.

Photo scanners range from around $100 to $650, with the difference being accounted for by number of scans per minute, number of photos stored, as well as image quality. In addition, high-end features will weigh in on the price. For example, a photo scanner that allows you to directly share your images to the cloud is going to cost you more than one which does not.
Features
Photographs are props for a life story. It, therefore, makes sense to preserve them by backing them up in digital form. For this task, a photo scanner is necessary. Some of the features to look out for while selecting your machine include:
  • Media Type - This is the types of documents that your device can scan
  • Resolution - A high resolution photo scanner produces high-quality scanned documents
  • Scanning Speed - The number of photos you can scan per minute is an important feature
  • Connectivity - How easily does your photo scanner transfer the digitized images to another device?
  • Image Restoration - Some photo scanners can restore faded photos
  • Storage Capacity - What is the maximum number of photos that the device can hold?
Construction and Design
The range of items that a photo scanner can process is also a crucial factor to keep in mind while purchasing one. For an individual who is only interested in scanning photos, a simple photo scanner will do. However, if you want to also scan negatives, books, and documents, we recommend you choose one that can process these media forms.

When it comes to the connectivity, all photo scanners will come with a USB port that allows you to connect your flash drive or connect the machine to your PC. However, there are other photo scanners that come with SD card slots, giving you more convenience in case you need to access files in your memory card.
Performance and Ease of Use
Quality is the most important component of an image. A photo scanner that produces high-quality ones will most likely find space on a busy office desk or in a home office setup. If you are serious about the quality of your photos go for options that offer you around 600 dpi. If you just need to scan job related photos that don’t need much clarity, you can go for options with a lower resolution, say 300 dpi.

Scanning speed is in important feature in a photo scanner. If you are a laid-back Joe who is not petrified by deadlines, a normal photo scanner will do the job. However, if you are looking at a Mission Impossible moment where high stakes necessitate speed of operation, go for a photo scanner that will process images at the rate of 1 photo per second!

Long-term exposure of photos to sunlight causes them to fade. As such, what was once a lovely black gown may look like an old brown garb. We are here to tell you the good news that this will no longer be a problem. Some of our photo scanners can help restore old photos to their original state.

Get the Best Photo Scanner of 2023!

The relative unfamiliarity of people with photo scanners makes buying them an overwhelming task. Most people just click on a familiar name with the hope that it will deliver what they want. This may prove to be a costly mistake once you find out that your photo scanner does not have the features you were looking for. Don’t just skim over the price, image, and, perhaps, a summary of the features and call it research. You might end up being disappointed with your acquisition later on. As you can see from our selection, we have carefully examined an array of factors, which we hope you have considered before picking your desired product. We are delighted you have selected a great photo scanner to help you preserve those precious moments!

Our Top Choice
Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II Photo Scanner
Best Value
Plustek ePhoto Z300 Scanner
Epson FastFoto High-Speed Scanner
Fujitsu iX500 Color Duplex Scanner
Doxie Flip Cordless Flatbed Scanner