14 Best Photo Scanners in the UK in 2022: Comparison Table
What is the best photo scanner? While all scanners are made with approximately the same components — mirrors, glass, belts, and rollers — they come in different designs based on the intended use.
One of the most important features of any photo scanner is resolution, measured in dpi (dots per inch). For general use, a 600dpi scanner may be sufficient, but if you are going to scan high-resolution images, go with the 1200dpi option. If you need to enlarge scanned images, we recommend buying photo scanners with a resolution of 4800dpi and more.
High-quality 6400dpi photo scanners like Epson Perfection V600 that are designed for professional photographers, effectively remove imperfections from scanned photos, allow for enlargements from film, and restore faded colors. They will give you sharper details, deeper colors, and can automatically improve the scan.
There is an excellent budget-friendly option for home use, the Plustek Photo Scanner - Ephoto Z300. This device supports photos of all common sizes, from 3x5 to 8x10 inches as well as the A4 paper size. It will take you just two seconds to scan an average-sized photo, so you can digitize a heap of photos in a matter of hours.
Read:
- Best Flatbed Photo Scanners for Hobbyists & Photographers
- Best Photo Scanners with a Feeder
- Best Photo Scanner for Mac
- Best Photo, Image, Film/Negative/Slide Scanners
- Best Portable and Compact Photo Scanners
- Best scanners for artwork
- Best photo scanners
Best-Selling Photo Scanners in the UK | Comparative Table
Customers' Choice
Plustek Photo Scanner - ephoto Z300, Scan 4x6 Photo in 2sec, Auto Crop and Deskew with CCD Sensor. Support Mac...
- The easiest way to scan photos and documents. Supports 3x5, 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10 in sizes photo scanning but also letter and A4 size paper.
- Fast and easy, 2 seconds for one 4x6 photo and 5 seconds for one 8x10 size photo. You can easily convert about 1000 photos to digitize files in one afternoon and share with your family or friends.
- More efficient than a flatbed scanner. Just insert the photos one by one and then scan. This makes ePhoto much more efficient than a flatbed scanner.
- Powerful Image Enhancement functions included. Quickly enhance and restore old faded images with a click of the mouse. Advanced editing functions are also available when needed.
- ePhoto Z300 works with both Mac and PC : Supports Windows 7/8/10 , Mac OS X 10.8.x to 10.15.x . User can download the latest version on Plustek website
Best Value
Types: Best Photo Scanners Compared
High-Quality Photo Scanners
For most demanding users, flatbed photo scanners are the best choice. The device is made with a flat fixed glass bed where you place photos for scanning. Depending on the model, they can scan at a medium to the highest resolution. Quite often, flatbed scanners can handle not only a standard A4 sheet of paper or a photo but also slides, negatives, and film. Another advantage of this option is that it allows for safe scanning of old photos. The major drawback of this type is inefficiency in handling large volumes as it will take you much time to scan a pile of photos.
We recommend the Epson Perfection V600 Home Photo Scanner that offers 6400 dpi optical resolution for high-quality scanning. Equipped with a film holder, it can handle a variety of photo and film formats. With this device, you can create multi-page searchable PDF files. It uses ICE technology to enhance images and restore the damaged film, while digital Ice technology allows for eliminating scratches and dust from images. The Epson Perfection V600 is fast and starts scanning immediately without warming up. The 4-kilogram product comes with a built-in transparency unit, a software CD, a power cable, and a USB cable.
If you are on a budget, you may go for the Epson Perfection V39 Color Photo & Document Scanner with an optical resolution of up to 4,800dpi. Not only does this device scan but it also restores and saves images to cloud services such as Google Drive or directly to emails. The device uses Easy Photo Fix technology to restore colour, something that makes this product a great choice for those who want to digitize old family photos. Additionally, this scanner weighs just 1.5 kg and is made with a kickstand for vertical placement. When scanning books, you can easily remove the lid for your convenience. For oversized images, there is special-purpose software.
Fast & Easy: Photo Scanner for Large Quantities of Photos
Designed for handling large quantities of photos on a daily basis, a sheet-fed scanner quickly transforms them into organized and easy-to-search-for digital files. Unlike flatbed scanners that require laying photos on the surface, this device feeds them and then rolls them out. This type of scanner is particularly popular among office workers because of the speed and convenience it offers. Another advantage over flatbed photo scanners lies in the fact that sheet-fed models are a more compact and space-saving solution.
There is an excellent budget-friendly option for home use, the Plustek Photo Scanner - Ephoto Z300. This device supports photos of all common sizes, from 3x5 to 8x10 inches as well as the A4 paper size.
It will take you just two seconds to scan an average-sized photo, so you can digitize a heap of photos in a matter of hours. All you need to do is to insert photos one by one and they will quickly appear on your PC. The software automatically detects the size of the paper and rotates it if needed as well as crops the blank area. The device incorporates image enhancement and advanced editing functions. Customers highly appreciate this product for ease of use as it is button-free and user-friendly.
35mm Slide Scanner
If you are going to focus on negatives and slides, you should better buy a dedicated film scanner. At present, film photography is gaining in popularity so there are special devices allowing you to effortlessly convert the film into digital files to archive them and share with others. There are also top-notch models able to create large-scale files that can be printed in high quality. Anyway, film scanners are designed in approximately the same way. They are built with a light source and an image sensor. The device works by illuminating the film and then scanning it with the help of the sensor.
More advanced film scanners not only have a higher resolution but also enhanced sharpness, colour balance, and higher Dmax. Different models vary by film format and capacity or the volume they can process at a time. Designed for 35mm film, the Plustek OpticFilm8100 Film Scanner boasts a 7,200dpi resolution and 48-bit colour depth. It is made with a highly sensitive colour CCD sensor, two film holders, and an ICC profile for colour management.
All-In-One Scanner Printers
This is the most versatile type of scanners, the major advantage of which is that it combines printing and scanning functions. Some models have copying and faxing capabilities integrated into the unit. Used for scanning and printing both documents and photos, all-in-one printers usually have a resolution of up to 1200 dpi and a high speed of printing. They deliver greater convenience but have less function in terms of scanning.
If scanning is your primary purpose, multifunctional printers are not the best choice for you. They have limited resolution options and cannot handle film and negatives. A good example of an all-in-one printer is the HP OfficeJet Pro 9020 that prints up to 18 colour pages per minute and creates searchable documents.
Scanners for Book Pictures
What separates book scanners from other types is the ability to easily and efficiently scan bulky objects like books. That said, these devices are not created equal and, depending on what your priority is, you can choose a flatbed, an overhead, or a portable book scanner. If accuracy and quality is your main focus, a flatbed book scanner will be the best option as it allows for removing shadows at the binding and image distortion. Professionals often prefer overhead scanners like the CZUR ET16 Plus because they can handle books and magazines of all sizes as well as safely scan fragile materials.
Composed of a lamp and a mat, these devices are highly flexible and versatile. You can also use handheld scanners for this purpose, especially if you cannot take the book away from the library.
Handheld Photo Scanners
Perfect for travellers, portable photo scanners are lightweight, compact, and easily fit into a bag. They are also useful for scanning books in libraries as well as large-sized drawings and artwork. These devices work pretty simply and start scanning with the push of a button, and run on batteries that can be rechargeable or disposable. Of course, portability comes at the expense of quality and power. The average resolution of a decent portable scanner is 600dpi. This is sufficient for scanning photos in good quality but not for enlarging them. Many models can be connected to a PC via USB to transfer files.
You may like the Portable Scanner that scans images quickly and stores them within seconds. It offers a resolution of 900dpi and 32GB of storage. To scan the image, you need to press the button, select the desired resolution and move the device by hand over the material being captured.
Other Popular Photo Scanners
Most Popular
DIGITNOW! All-in-One High Resolution 16MP Film Scanner, with 2.4" LCD Screen Converts 35mm/135slides&Negatives...
- 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
- Convenient Editing: Ocr Cd(only for win): Includes Easy Image Transfer and Editing Software, Color Screen for Viewing Your Pictures
- Faster Speed: touch Operation Takes Just 1 to 2 Seconds, Standalone Operation, No Computer Necessary. No Warm up, Calibration or Scan Head Pass Needed, Scans 35mm and 135mm Negative/Slide and Scans Photo of Size 3 1/2x5 inches, 4x6 inches and 5x7 inches, 2.4 inch Color Screen, Mac and PC Compatible
- 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
- Easy to Use: This All-in-One Digital Scanner Is Designed for the Average Person, so You Don't Have to Be a Computer Genius to Use It. No complicated computer software or driver installation needed. Start editing your photos right out of the box with the easy to use plug-and-play interface. The manual includes English ,Germany,French ,Italy and Spanish
Best Budget
Kenro 4-in-1 USB Film Scanner for Photos Slides and Negatives High Resolution with LCD Screen for Windows 10 -...
- GIVE NEW LIFE TO OLD MEMORIES – Bring old film, slides and photographs into the digital era with this simple-to-use scanner. Converting your precious memories into JPEG format not only allows you to edit and enhance old images, bringing them back to life, but also gives you important back up in case the originals degrade over time.
- VERSATILE – Scan film, slides, photos and business cards in one versatile unit. Supported formats include: photos 3.5x5”, 6x4” or 7x5”, standard business cards, 35mm negative or positive film strips, and 35mm slides.
- HIGH SPEC – This scanner boasts a 5.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, 8MP (16MP interpolated) resolution, auto or manual colour balance and exposure, and a 2.4 inch LCD screen to allow you to preview your scans and make basic edits before saving
- USE WITH OR WITHOUT A COMPUTER – Connect to a Windows computer (supported OS: 98, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10) via the USB 2.0 port, or use independently of a PC by storing scanned images to an external SD card (not included) which can then be used in any computer with an SD card reader.
- JUST WHAT YOU NEED – This comprehensive scanner kit from Kenro includes the KNSC302 4-in-1 Scanner, USB cable, negative film holder, positive slide holder, 4-in-1 photo tray, OCR (optical character recognition) CD, power adapter, and user manual. Supplied with a 2-year limited warranty.
Most Discussed & Reviewed
Plustek Ephoto Z300 Sheetfeed Scanner
- The easiest way to scan photos and documents. Supports 3x5, 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10 in sizes photo scanning but also letter and A4 size paper. Optical Resolution is up to 600 dpi ( PS: two setting: 300dpi/ 600dpi).
- Fast and easy, 2 seconds for one 4x6 photo and 5 seconds for one 8x10 size photo@300dpi. You can easily convert about 1000 photos to digitize files in one afternoon and share with your family or friends.
- More efficient than a flatbed scanner. Just insert the photos one by one and then scan. This makes ePhoto much more efficient than a flatbed scanner.
- Powerful Image Enhancement functions included. Quickly enhance and restore old faded images with a click of the mouse. Advanced editing functions are also available when needed.
- ePhoto Z300 works with both Mac and PC : Supports Windows 7/8/10 , Mac OS X 10.8.x to 10.15.x . User can download the latest version on Plustek website.
Best Trusted
Aibecy Film Scanner, Protable Negative 35mm 135mm Slide Film Converter Photo Digital Image Viewer with 2.4" LCD...
- ✦ 512MB of built-in memory can save up to about 500 images or you can directly use SD (max.32GB) card slot expansion, no computer or software needed.
- ✦ Vibrant full-color 2.4 Inch LCD screen for your scanned slides and films, convenient to watch.
- ✦ Supporting multiple languages, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese.
- ✦ Made of ABC material, portable and durable. Perfect device to help you easily organize and externalize your old pictures and always keep memory alive.
- ✦ Convert 35mm/ 135mm positive, negative and slide films(color and monochrome) into digital JPEG format in seconds.With several buttons on the top, supporting preview, playback, adjust functions.
Best Cheap
MUNBYN WiFi Portable Scanner, Handheld LCD HD Display Document Scanner A4 Photo Color Scan Mobile Scanner 1050DPI...
- [Wifi Connection]: Switch on the WiFi, portable scanning that you can take and sync anywhere - no computer and USB cable required.Send the image to your phone or Laptop via WIFI, then you can upload it to Facebook, Evernote, Dropbox, Google Drive, email.
- [High Resolution]: 300x300dpi ;600x600dpi; 1050x1050 DPI. Pictures and documents are showed clear as it is. Freely choose your favorite resolution on document scanner.
- [OCR Software]: Optical Character Recognition software allows you to convert saved documents into text editable and searchable files compatible with popular word processing and spreadsheet software 💡【Software is Windows only; not compatible with Mac OS】【.Please remember that don’t update the software. If you have updated it, which makes you can’t use the scanner normally, please uninstall the software and install the software again.】
- [JPEG/PDF MODE]: 16G Mirco SD Card Included, Scan document/magazine/poster quickly,Store JPEG/PDF files within seconds, plug and play, no need any software preinstalled.
- Suitable for attorney lawyer, medical doctor, student notes, financial accounting report, bank notes, business correspondence
Epson Perfection V850 Pro A4 Flatbed Scanner with ReadyScan LED Technology - 6400 x 9600 dpi
- Professional quality scanning: Slides, film, medium format & prints
- Dual lens system: Swaps between 6400dpi for slides and film, and 4800dpi for photos
- High productivity: One second warm up time and two sets of film holders
- Dynamic range: Accurately reproduce tonal range and gradation of the original
- Removes imperfections: DIGITAL ICE (Image Correction and Enhancement)Technologies clean up old film and photos
Rybozen Mobile Film Scanner, Converts 35mm Slides & Negatives into Digital Photos with Your Smartphone Camera,...
- 【Foldable and Space Saving Design】This scanner is foldable and do not take up much room, you can Fold it into the Size of a Small Box, so it's very convenient to storage and travel.
- 【Relive Those Old Memories】Compatible with 35mm Slides and Film Negatives. No More Complicated operation and expensive fees.
- 【Simple and Super Easy to Use】Insert a slide or negative into the tray, turn on Built-In LED backlight, place the lens of your smart phone over the hole and then click to capture. Please note: the quality of photos will be limited to the resolution of your phone's camera.
- 【FILM TO JPEG with Your Phone】 Rybozen mobile film scanner allows you convert old 35mm Films and Slides With Your Smartphone. This scanner is a great gift for parents and interesting toy for kids.
- 【Free APP to Scan Edit and Share】Use free Rybozen App to Capture, Crop, Rotate and Filter; Adjust Color and Contrast; Share on Social Media!
Portable Document Scanner, 900DPI Hand Held USB Image Scanner A4 Colour Photo Mobile Scanner Handy Scan (JPG/PDF...
- WIDE COMPATIBLE - Compatible with Windows XP/7/Vista/Mac OS 10.4 or above version. Scan images or pictures quickly and store files within seconds, plug and play, no need any software preinstalled.
- 3 IMAGE RESOLUTION - 3 modes of resolution for your options: 300dpi/600dpi/900dpi, you can save it in the clearest way, picture and document are showed clear as it is. Freely choose your suitable resolution.
- UP TO 32GB STORAGE - Great storage capacity as it supports 32G Micro SD card, JPEG/PDF format is all available, total meet your need for business trip or daily use. Store and Share your scans and information via searchable PDF files or JPEG into a micro SD/TF card.
- EASY OPERATION - Switch on, select color mode and resolution, press the "SCAN" button until the green LED lights up, scan the document, press it over (finished automatically after 3 minutes without operation).
- MULTI PURPOSE - It is applicable in bank, insurance business, real estate agency,home, office, library or outdoors. suitable for lawyer, businessmen, students, travelers and amateur archivists. Scan your important files and save them immediately, no struggling in finding a printing shop, keep it confidential.
Plustek Ephoto Z300 Sheetfeed Scanner
- The easiest way to scan photos and documents. Supports 3x5, 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10 in sizes photo scanning but also letter and A4 size paper. Optical Resolution is up to 600 dpi ( PS: two setting: 300dpi/ 600dpi).
- Fast and easy, 2 seconds for one 4x6 photo and 5 seconds for one 8x10 size photo@300dpi. You can easily convert about 1000 photos to digitize files in one afternoon and share with your family or friends.
- More efficient than a flatbed scanner. Just insert the photos one by one and then scan. This makes ePhoto much more efficient than a flatbed scanner.
- Powerful Image Enhancement functions included. Quickly enhance and restore old faded images with a click of the mouse. Advanced editing functions are also available when needed.
- ePhoto Z300 works with both Mac and PC : Supports Windows 7/8/10 , Mac OS X 10.8.x to 10.15.x . User can download the latest version on Plustek website.
Aibecy Film Scanner, Protable Negative 35mm 135mm Slide Film Converter Photo Digital Image Viewer with 2.4" LCD...
- ✦ 512MB of built-in memory can save up to about 500 images or you can directly use SD (max.32GB) card slot expansion, no computer or software needed.
- ✦ Vibrant full-color 2.4 Inch LCD screen for your scanned slides and films, convenient to watch.
- ✦ Supporting multiple languages, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese.
- ✦ Made of ABC material, portable and durable. Perfect device to help you easily organize and externalize your old pictures and always keep memory alive.
- ✦ Convert 35mm/ 135mm positive, negative and slide films(color and monochrome) into digital JPEG format in seconds.With several buttons on the top, supporting preview, playback, adjust functions.
MUNBYN WiFi Portable Scanner, Handheld LCD HD Display Document Scanner A4 Photo Color Scan Mobile Scanner 1050DPI...
- [Wifi Connection]: Switch on the WiFi, portable scanning that you can take and sync anywhere - no computer and USB cable required.Send the image to your phone or Laptop via WIFI, then you can upload it to Facebook, Evernote, Dropbox, Google Drive, email.
- [High Resolution]: 300x300dpi ;600x600dpi; 1050x1050 DPI. Pictures and documents are showed clear as it is. Freely choose your favorite resolution on document scanner.
- [OCR Software]: Optical Character Recognition software allows you to convert saved documents into text editable and searchable files compatible with popular word processing and spreadsheet software 💡【Software is Windows only; not compatible with Mac OS】【.Please remember that don’t update the software. If you have updated it, which makes you can’t use the scanner normally, please uninstall the software and install the software again.】
- [JPEG/PDF MODE]: 16G Mirco SD Card Included, Scan document/magazine/poster quickly,Store JPEG/PDF files within seconds, plug and play, no need any software preinstalled.
- Suitable for attorney lawyer, medical doctor, student notes, financial accounting report, bank notes, business correspondence
Epson Perfection V850 Pro A4 Flatbed Scanner with ReadyScan LED Technology - 6400 x 9600 dpi
- Professional quality scanning: Slides, film, medium format & prints
- Dual lens system: Swaps between 6400dpi for slides and film, and 4800dpi for photos
- High productivity: One second warm up time and two sets of film holders
- Dynamic range: Accurately reproduce tonal range and gradation of the original
- Removes imperfections: DIGITAL ICE (Image Correction and Enhancement)Technologies clean up old film and photos