Epson Perfection 3170 Photo Scanner

EPSB11B161011 Perfection 3170 Photo Scanner, 3200x6400dpi
Excellent workhorse for all scanning tasks. I've used mine for documents, pictures, slides and negatives with great results. The color correction in most cases provides better scanned images than the original, although there are some cases where the features need to be turned off.

The included PaperPort software (version 8) was very good, but did not recognize Windows folders. However, Scansoft offered a very reasonable "upgrade" to Version 9 Deluxe, which I see as as excellent scan manaement package. Their user interface leaves a lot to be desired, and you'll need to go into professional mode for most tasks. (The default "idiot" mode just doesn't provide the features you'll need) I wish they had a better way of saving profiles, like being able to give them names. I haven't upgraded to version 10 since there are no more features I need.

While the hardware appears fine, let me be frank - EPSON software is useless. Clunky, crashy, and worst of all it won't even work with Adobe CS3 unless you run it in Rosetta mode.

If you like the polish of function and form that comes with a mac, you will be particularly irked by the software that comes with this scanner.

Buy this scanner. Sure it's not the latest model, but it is half the price and the sensitivity and resolution are as good as models costing a lot more! You can toss the scanning software. Use the software that came with your photo application like Adobe PhotoShop or PaintShop Pro or whatever. The Epson software is OK but other apps are easier to use. We scan a lot of negatives and slides. This scanner works great and the resulting scans are great. We have been using it over a year now with no problems. This is a terrific value in a photo/slide scanner.

This was the worst computer hardware I have ever experienced. The scanner actually provided good scans the little time the software was functional. I am an electrical engineer, I have written a lot of software myself. This is a total joke. Spend your money on something besides epson.

The Epson 3190, a pick by the people at CNET, turns out to be a very solid performer for basic scanning. It takes a little over a half a minute to "warm up" once you flip the switch, but rewards you with attractive images. While capable of scanning slides, it's generally recognized that its forte lies in full-size images.

I was particularly impressed with its ABBYY text recognition, which achieved 100% in my test runs. You might have more difficulty with heavily formatteed pages, or when the text is not clear. Otherwise, one can only be pleased.

The 3170 isn't a speed demon, but it does its job admirably. Clear, well-defined, well-colored images are the norm. I particularly liked its ability to separate postcard-type images into separate files - an artifact of its slide scanning software.

The software, which must be installed before use, is certainly adequate for its job. It offers multiple ways to scan, depending on your needs and proficiency; By using separete Smart Scan and standard scan features, you can process images depending on your needs. And Epson has a reputation for rigorously supporting its software - an experience that, sadly, I didn't have with UMAX's 2000U scanner.

Your satisfaction may hinge partly on how much you end up spending. With Epson-warrantied refurbs available from their website, you can score an amazing value. (I paid only $65.) Discount prices elsewhere are somewhat more, but the scanner is still worth the price. In the sub-$100 category, the 3170 shoulod be considered as one of your top picks.