Photo scanner recommendations


Sophia

Sophia

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12:31 AM
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Windows11
Hi!
I’m looking for a compact photo scanner for home use, with a budget of around $150.
Does anyone have recommendations or experience with a good one in this price range?
I’d really appreciate any advice!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows11

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
    Motherboard
    Erica6
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    Micron Technology DDR4-3200 16GB
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    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
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    Realtek ALC671
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    Samsung SyncMaster U28E590
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    SAMSUNG MZVLQ1T0HALB-000H1
How compact?

"FreeBooter" offered links to portable scanners.

Here's a small, inexpensive flatbed scanner that does 8.5" x 11.7":


I might prefer a flatbed scanner to scan photo prints.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 26200.8116
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    homebuilt
    CPU
    Amd Threadripper 7970X
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte TRX50 Aero D Rev. 1.0
    Memory
    128GB (4 X 32) G.Skill DDR5 6400 (RDIMM)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Gigabyte RTX 4090 OC
    Sound Card
    none (USB to speakers), Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Innocn 32" OLED
    Screen Resolution
    3840 X 2160 @ 60Hz
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    Crucial T700 2TB M.2 NVME SSD
    WD 4TB Blue SATA SSD
    Seagate 18TB IronWolf Pro
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    BeQuiet! Straight Power 12 1500W
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    Lian Li 011 Dynamic Evo XL
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    windows 11 26200.8116
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    homebuilt
    CPU
    Intel I9-13900K
    Motherboard
    Asus RoG Strix Z690-E
    Memory
    64GB G.Skill DDR5-6000
    Graphics card(s)
    Gigabyte RTX 3090 ti
    Sound Card
    built in Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Philips 27E1N8900 27" OLED
    Screen Resolution
    3840 X 2160 @60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WDC SN850 1TB
    8TB Seagate Ironwolf
    4TB Seagate Ironwolf
    PSU
    eVGA SuperNOVA 1300 GT
    Case
    Lian Li 011 Dynamic Evo
    Cooling
    Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    Cherry Streaming (wired)
    Mouse
    Logitech M500s (wired)
Sophia said:
Hi!
I’m looking for a compact photo scanner for home use, with a budget of around $150.
Does anyone have recommendations or experience with a good one in this price range?
I’d really appreciate any advice!
Click to expand...
Do you want to scan prints? or slides and negatives? If the latter you will need to spend significantly more than $150 to get decent image quality. For negatives and slides, the scan must be enlarged at least 4X and maybe much more, either for screen viewing or prints. For Facebook uploads, you can probably get away with 4X enlargement. See this page. What is the Best Negative Film Scanner for 35mm? | ScanCafe

You will probably need third-party scan software. A good choice is VueScan. Purchase VueScan for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Just be aware than photo scanning can be a slippery slide into photo-nerd-dom and a busted budget, speaking as one who has already arrived there.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 2H25
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    DIY
    CPU
    AMD 9900X
    Motherboard
    MSI X870E Carbon
    Memory
    64 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD 9070 XT
    Sound Card
    built-in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 24"
    Hard Drives
    Sabrent 1 TB NVMe, 4 x SSD (need to check models), 4 x 3.5" HDD, 8-16 TB, all WD
    PSU
    Seasonic 850
    Case
    Fractal Design North XL (which I likw)
    Cooling
    Corsair AIO for CPU, fans for case
    Keyboard
    Das Keyboard 4
    Mouse
    Corsair M65 (white)
    Internet Speed
    1 TB download
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender
    Other Info
    Also have Lenovo T14S laptop (me) and Lenovo Slim 71 (wife)
x509 said:
Do you want to scan prints? or slides and negatives? If the latter you will need to spend significantly more than $150 to get decent image quality. For negatives and slides, the scan must be enlarged at least 4X and maybe much more, either for screen viewing or prints. For Facebook uploads, you can probably get away with 4X enlargement. See this page. What is the Best Negative Film Scanner for 35mm? | ScanCafe

You will probably need third-party scan software. A good choice is VueScan. Purchase VueScan for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Just be aware than photo scanning can be a slippery slide into photo-nerd-dom and a busted budget, speaking as one who has already arrived there.
Click to expand...
I need to scan prints. I have a lot of old photos without preserved negatives, and they’re valuable to me. I want to save them digitally.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows11
bobkn said:
How compact?

"FreeBooter" offered links to portable scanners.

Here's a small, inexpensive flatbed scanner that does 8.5" x 11.7":
Click to expand...
Thanks, that’s exactly what I needed.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows11
If you have major issues getting whichever scanner you purchase to work, then look at the previous suggestion for "VueScan software".
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    25H2 10.0.26200 26200.2584
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink SER8 Mini
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS
    Motherboard
    AZW SER8 AMD Promontory/Bixby FCH
    Memory
    DDR5-5600 / PC5-44800 DDR5 SDRAM SO-DIMM32G
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon 780M
    Sound Card
    AMD Zen - Audio Processor - HD Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 LG HDR 32"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial NVMe
    2TB Crucial NVME
    WD 1TB SSD SATA to USB3
    1 Seagate BUP Slim 2TB SATA to USB3
    1 Seagate BUP Slim 4TB SATA to USB3
    Samsung SSD 1TB SATA to USB3
    Samsung 500G SATA to USB3
    500G Crucial SSD to USB3
    PSU
    Beelink Proprietary
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    Beelink Proprietary
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    Beelink Proprietary
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    Logitech Backlit USB
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    Logitech M510
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    Edge, Firefox, Chrome
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    Microsoft Security 1.451.235.0 version created 6-2-2026
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    Macrium X Build 10.0.8843
    Minitool Pro Ultimate 13.6
    REVO Pro 5.5.0.0 Portable
    JAM Treesize 9.7.2.2203 Perpetual Outdated.
    JAM Ultrasearch Pro 4.9.1.1204 Perpetual Outdated.
    Malwarebytes Pro 5.5.7.255 Update 1.0.110434 Component 157.0.5633
    Screenpresso Pro 2.2.12.3 beta (.Net 4.8) 2026-5-026
    Hamrick Vue Scan Pro 9.8.51.13
    Visio 2021 Pro 2021 MSO (Version 2605 Build 16.0.20026.20076) 64-bit
    Droid Transfer-Android 26.2.26.0
    Thunderbird 151.0.1
    em Client 10.4.5326
    Affinity Suite 3.2.1
    Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2605 Build 16.0.20026.20076) 64-bit
    Adobe Creative cloud Version 6911 Apps 6.9.0.618 CCLibrary 4.16.2 (Photo subscription)
    HXD Hex Editor Version 2.5.0.0
    DAW Software Reaper-Izotope Plugins
    TGRMN Software ViceVersa Pro Build 6015 and VVEngine 3 Build 3000
    ISOBuster Pro 5.8.0.0
    Microsoft Visio Pro 2021 Version 2605 Build 16.0.20026.20076
    Many Other free and paid applications
    WYSIWYG Web Builder 21.07
    Filezilla 3.70.5
    Putty .83 and Putty Gen .83
    System Informer 4.0.26144.416 Stable
    O&O Regedit Version12 Build 2172
    WINRAR 7.22
    Lockhunter 3.4.3.146. x64
    Advanced IP Scanner 2.5.1
    Epson Eco Tank Printers and Epson Scanners.
    Bluestacks for Ring Cameras
    PEAK DCA Transistor Graphical USB Interface for Viewing Transistor Operational Curves. Win 10 Version and has functioneded on Win11 perfectly. Version 1.1.1963.
    Games - Card Games -Microsoft FSX "Pro Gold Flight Sim with add ons. Still works perfectly.
    Still run a few older onese successfully on win11 as well with no graphic issue.
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro OEM 25H2 OS Build 26200.7019
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    PC/Desktop
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    Beelink
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    AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS
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    AMD
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    DDR5 32G
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    Beelink SER7
    Sound Card
    Beelink SER7
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    Dell
    Screen Resolution
    Native
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial NVMe SSD 2G SATA
    PSU
    Beelink Proprietary
    Case
    Beelink Proprietary
    Cooling
    Beelink Proprietary
    Keyboard
    gaming keyboard
    Mouse
    MS
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    T-Mobile 5G
    Antivirus
    Defender Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    Microsoft 365 Family Office
    Macrium X Subscription1 Version 10
    Mini-Tool Ultimate 13.0 Lifetime
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    Roboform 9.7.7.
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