A photo scanner is a device used to convert physical photographs into digital images. It works by scanning the printed photograph and creating a digital file that can be saved and shared electronically. Photo scanners come in different types, including flatbed scanners, sheetfed scanners, and portable scanners. They are often used by photographers, archivists, and individuals who want to preserve and digitize their printed photos. Photo scanners can produce high-quality images and allow users to edit and enhance photos using various software programs. They are a convenient and efficient way to digitize old photographs and preserve them for future generations.
Best Photo Scanners of July 2024
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Rating is 5 out of 5
Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless High-Speed Photo and Document Scanning System, Black
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World’s Fastest Personal Photo Scanner (1) — scan thousands of photos as fast as 1 photo per second at 300 dpi (2); batch-scan up to 36 photos at a time
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Preserve Your Priceless Photos — restore, organize, protect and share photos; scan Polaroid photos, panoramas, postcards and photos up to 8" x 10"
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Single-step Technology — capture both the image and any handwritten notes on the back of a photo in a single scan
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Easy Auto-upload and Backup — instantly share your memories as you scan via Dropbox and Google Drive(6)
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Rating is 4.9 out of 5
Epson Perfection V600 Color Photo, Image, Film, Negative & Document Scanner
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Remove the appearance of dust and scratches from film: Digital ICE for Film
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Remove the appearance of tears and creases from photos: Digital ICE for prints
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Restore faded color photos with one touch: Epson easy photo fix included
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Scan slides, negatives and medium format panoramic film: Built in transparency unit
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Convert scanned documents into editable text: ABBYY FineReader Sprint Plus OCR
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Take your photos further: ArcSoft PhotoStudio included, to help edit and enhance your digital images
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Rating is 4.8 out of 5
ScanSnap iX1600 Wireless or USB High-Speed Cloud Enabled Document, Photo & Receipt Scanner with Large Touchscreen and Auto Document Feeder for Mac or PC, Black
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DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT AT YOUR COMMAND. Easily select your scanning destination with up to 30 scanning profiles. Send to PC, Mac, mobile devices and cloud services
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WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY FOR CONVENIENCE. Built-in Wi-Fi allows direct connection to smart devices or cloud services without a computer and allows for placement wherever it’s convenient
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PHOTO AND DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION MADE EFFORTLESS. ScanSnap Home all-in-one software brings together all your favorite functions. Easily manage, edit, and use scanned data from documents, receipts, business cards, photos, and more
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Rating is 4.7 out of 5
Canon imageFORMULA RS40 Photo and Document Scanner, with Auto Document Feeder | Windows and Mac | Scans Photos - Vibrant Color - USB Interface - 1200 DPI - High Speed - Easy Setup
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FAST AND EFFICIENT – Scans both sides of photos and documents at the same time with just the touch of a button, at up to 40 items per minute, through an automatic feeder
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BUNDLED SOFTWARE – Includes software for enhancing photos, red-eye correction, digital face smoothing, and more; also scan, create, convert, and edit paper documents
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BROAD COMPATIBILITY – Supports Windows and Mac; TWAIN driver included
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PEACE OF MIND – Backed by a one-year limited warranty and US-based technical support for imageFORMULA scanners
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Rating is 4.6 out of 5
KEDOK Photo,NameCard,Slide & Negative Scanner with Large 5" LCD Screen,Film and Slide Digitizer-Convert 35mm,110 Film/Photo(3R,4R,5R)/NameCard to 22MP Digital JPEG-8GB SD Card Included
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5”LCD DISPLAY FOR VISUAL ENJOYMENT: Features Large, Crystal-Clear Screen with Wide Viewing Angle for Instantly Previewing & Shareing Photos/Negatives/Name Card.Great for Sharing with Friends & Family or Using as an Elegant Digital Picture Frame in Home or Office
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4 IN 1 FILM & SLIDE SCANNER: No Computer Required.22MP Digital Film Scanner Lets You View & Convert Your Old Color & B&W Negatives [135, 110mm] & 135 Film Slides & Name Card & Photo[5R, 4R, 3R] to Digital Files & Save Directly to Unit With The Internal 128MB Memory & 8GB SD Card ( included)
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Rating is 4.5 out of 5
ClearClick QuickConvert 2.0 Photo, Slide, and Negative Scanner - Scan 4x6 Photos & 35mm, 110, 126 Film - No Computer Required - 22 MegaPixels
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No Computer or Drivers Required! Just Turn It On & Start Scanning. Scans At 14 MegaPixels (22 MegaPixels Interpolated) & Saves Photos As Digital JPEG Files on SD Memory Card (Scanning Quality: ~ 3824 x 2512 Pixels)
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Built-In Rechargeable Battery For Cord-Free Scanning (Please Fully Charge Before Using) & 5" Instant Preview LCD Screen
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Rating is 4.4 out of 5
Kodak Slide N SCAN Film and Slide Scanner with Large 5” LCD Screen, Convert Color & B&W Negatives & Slides 35mm, 126, 110 Film Negatives & Slides to High Resolution 22MP JPEG Digital Photos
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SAVE OLD PHOTO MEMORIES: 1422MP Digital Film Scanner Lets You View, Edit and Convert Your Old Color and BandW Negatives 135, 110, 126mm and 50mm Slides 135, 110, 126mm to Digital Files and Save Directly to SD Card (NOT INCLUDED)
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EDITING WITH A SINGLE TOUCH: Advanced Capture Software Enhances, Resizes and Converts Photos Via Easy ‘Scan’ Button—No Complex Screens or Settings | Easy Options Let You Choose Film Type, Adjust ColorBrightness and Assign DateTime
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Rating is 4.3 out of 5
DIGITNOW Film & Photo Scanner,4-in-1 Film Scanner, with 2.4" LCD Screen Converts 35mm/135 Slides & Negatives Film, Photo, Business Card for Saving to 16MP Digital Images,8GB Memory Card Included
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Smart Converter: Effortlessly Scan Your Photos, Postcard, Slides, and Negatives to the scanner (128MB built-in memory) or SD card(Included-4G). no computer needed. Digital JPG Pictures in Fast and High quality 16 Megapixel Scanning Instant Capturing Technology Digitizes High resolution JPG Files Within Seconds
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Convenient Editing: Ocr Cd(only for win): Includes Easy Image Transfer and Editing Software, Color Screen for Viewing Your Pictures
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USB Transfer: The Photos Can Saved onto SD Memory Card. After Scanning Your Photos, Simply Plug the Scanner into Any USB Port on Your PC or Mac and Put the Scanner in "USB Transfer" Mode to Transfer the Digitized Photos to Your Computer
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Rating is 4.2 out of 5
Brother DS-640 Compact Mobile Document Scanner, (Model: DS640)
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FAST SPEEDS - Scans color and black and white documents a blazing speed up to 16ppm (1). Color scanning won’t slow you down as the color scan speed is the same as the black and white scan speed.
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ULTRA COMPACT – At less than 1 foot in length and only about 1. 5lbs in weight you can fit this device virtually anywhere (a bag, a purse, even a pocket).
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READY WHENEVER YOU ARE – The DS-640 mobile scanner is powered via an included micro USB 3. 0 cable allowing you to use it even where there is no outlet available. Plug it into you PC or laptop and you are ready to scan.
How to convert scanned photos to different file formats?
Converting scanned photos to different file formats can be done using image editing software like Adobe Photoshop or online converters such as Zamzar or OnlineConvert. Follow the steps below:
- Open the scanned photo in the image editing software or upload it to the online converter tool.
- Once the photo is loaded, go to the "File" menu and select "Save As" or "Export" option.
- Choose the file format you want to convert the photo to (e.g. JPG, PNG, TIFF, etc.).
- Set the desired quality and resolution settings for the output file.
- Click "Save" or "Convert" to save the photo in the new file format.
- Check the output file to make sure the conversion was successful.
Remember to always make a copy of the original scanned photo before converting it to a different file format to avoid losing any important information.
How to set up a photo scanner?
Setting up a photo scanner is a relatively easy process. Here are the general steps to set up a photo scanner:
- Unpack the scanner and all accompanying cables and software from the box.
- Connect the scanner to a power source using the power cord that came with the scanner.
- Connect the scanner to your computer using the USB cable that came with the scanner. Make sure to connect it to a USB port on your computer.
- Install the scanner software on your computer. This software is usually included on a CD or can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation process.
- Once the software is installed, launch the scanning application on your computer.
- Place a photo on the scanner bed face down. Adjust the photo so that it is aligned with the edges of the scanner bed.
- Close the scanner lid.
- In the scanning application, select the type of scan you want to perform (color, black and white, etc.) and set any desired scan settings (resolution, file type, etc.).
- Click the "Scan" button to initiate the scanning process.
- Once the scan is complete, save the scanned image to your computer.
Your photo scanner is now set up and ready to use. Remember to consult the user manual that came with your scanner for specific instructions on setting up and using your particular model.
How to create a digital archive of scanned photos?
Creating a digital archive of scanned photos involves the following steps:
- Gather all the photos that you want to digitize. Ensure that they are clean and free of any dirt or debris.
- Use a scanner to digitize the photos. Place each photo on the scanner bed and scan at a high resolution (300-600 dpi is recommended for most photos). This will ensure that the digital copies have good quality.
- Save the scanned photos to your computer or external storage device. Organize them into folders based on categories or themes to make it easier to find specific photos later on.
- Consider using image editing software to enhance and correct any imperfections in the scanned photos, such as adjusting the brightness or removing dust or scratches.
- Backup your digital archive to multiple locations to ensure that it is safe and secure. This could include storing copies on cloud storage services, external hard drives, or DVDs.
- Consider creating metadata for each photo, such as the date, location, people in the photo, and any other relevant information. This will make it easier to search and organize the photos in the future.
- Regularly update and maintain your digital archive by adding new scanned photos and organizing existing ones. Consider creating a system to keep track of new additions and changes to the archive.
By following these steps, you can create a digital archive of scanned photos that is organized, easily accessible, and preserved for future generations.
