Customer Reviews

Epson Perfection V600 High Resolution 6400 x 9600 dpi Scanner

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am in the process of archiving all my old photographs and negatives to disc. So far the Epson Perfection V600 has done everything I have asked it to do. The scanning of multiple images certainly helps as I can scan 5 or 6 pictures at one time. The scanning of negatives and slides also seems fine. The only thing I would like is a negative holder for 110 film. To date I cannot find fault and the ICE technology certainly improves very old black and white photographs. Quality of scanned images is better than I expected.

Having worked in the graphic arts industry for over 20 years. A couple of years ago I moved on, and lost the facility to scan transparencies. After taking on a project with a significant number of colour transpaencies in it, I needed a piece of kit to handle it. Whilst I looked at the V700 the budget didn't stretch that far. So opted for the V600, as it met most of my criteria.

On arrival, which was earlier than the ETA, managed to get installed really easily, and get a few medium format transparencies on it to test it. And WOW! I wasn't expecting the performance which it gave. (Even on a G5 Mac). Whilst the quality isn't quiet upto high end pre-press/ repro drum scanner, it was better than acceptable. So much so, it has now created alot more work for me, scanning a significant library of transparencies.

For the price point, a product which performs really well (especially with my expectations!)

I bought this for home use, to scan in photos for a photo book being constructed in Aperture (on an iMac, Snow Leopard, 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and 3GB RAM). I knew I would be working with some very old photographs (more than 100 years old), old format B&W negatives, slide film and 1970s colour prints. With a lot of material, I didn't want to wait too long for each scan.

The scanner worked fine on all prints and negatives, but consistently introduced a red line down all of the colour transparencies. Thinking that a newer driver might solve the problem, I tracked down one on the Epson website (v 3.81, rather than the ver 3.80 supplied on the CD). It didn't solve the red line problem, but it did introduce some very strange 'light bars' across the preview image. These weren't replicated in the scanned images, but they did make it much more difficut to operate the scanner and were clearly not something to be lived with. I tried rolling back to the original installation using time machine, to undo problem No: 2, but could not get back to ver 3.80 of the software.

I called Epson, who were very helpful, and we agreed that the red line problem was probably a hardware fault - they hadn't heard of it before. Amazon were excellent about the return. DHL collected the old one the next day and Amazon had already despatched the replacement scanner, so I had a new scanner very quickly.

Undoing the software fault was problematic, but eventually successful. The short story is to use the Epson scanner installer, in uninstall mode, and then reinstall the software from scratch. It's not enough to just drag the Epson app folders into the bin. Now I'm running Ver 3.80 of the scan software, with no light bar artefacts in Preview and no red lines on the colour slides. Hooray.

Now that I'm running correctly, my comments are:

1. The scanner is excellent. Quick and does a great job. I've scanned about 300 images so far. I have played with all the various settings and concluded that, most of the time, the scanner does a great job all on its own.

2. Epson were very helpful - thank you! However be wary of the later driver on their website!

3. Amazon should be commended for the speed of replacing what turned out to be a faulty product.

Thumbs up all round. Great product, and I just write off my original 'red line' problem to bad luck.

In June 2010 I took delivery of an Epson V600 scanner from AMAZON. The scanner worked well for copying and photographs. On 17th May this year when the scanner was 11 months old. For the first time I attempted to scan colour negative film. Each scan resulted in a magenta line across the centre of the image. It was impossible to scan without the magenta line appearing.
On May 18th I contacted Amazon and explained the problem to them. They directed me to Epson and provided the E Mail link. I provided Epson with all the details they required including images of the problem.
On 21st May Epson required the scanner to be taken to one of their Express repair centres. The scanner would be repaired or exchanged for a serviced identical item.
On 23rd May I contacted AMAZON and expressed an opinion that this was an inherent defect as it had appeared before on the AMAZON site in a review for the same model.
I suggested that I should be provided with a new V600 scanner. They agreed and the same day dispatched a new one to me.
On 24th May the scanner was delivered.
The V600 is producing some excellent results and I am well pleased.
Full marks to AMAZON and their staff for resolving this matter so quickly
Within eight days this matter was very efficiently dealt with from start to finish.
All communication was by E Mail. Much better, quicker, easier and cheaper than using the telephone.
Regards
Glyndwr

I purchased this scanner mainly for medium format /120 negatives. (also some graphic sketches)

Default "EPSON Scan" scanning software: 4 out of 5 Stars
+ Setting is pretty straight forward, not too complicated / messy.
+ Scanning takes only 1-2 minutes for a 1200 dpi scan
+ No warm up time
+ Auto file naming like a digital camera
+ on/off button, no need to unplug the scanner
+ Scan 3x 120 negatives at the same time

- Dust removal option is useless, i compare both and they nearly came out same.
- Have to re-enter the options i wanted after using preview scan every single time even though i saved my scan setting.
- Size is a little too big and heavy.

Bought Jan / Feb 2011 with the sole intention of scanning Medium Format (120) roll film, since buying i've decided to go to the Ilford B+W system and now i'm developing all my own film aswell... lots of negatives to scan...
Excellent product, some comments about the frames to hold the negatives could be true - they do feel a touch flimsy but be careful and they don't fall apart, the software however is a let down, the software sees the framing of 35mm well enough but it applies the same mask to 120 film... pointless... Get a copy of Vuescan - so much more control over the variables and scan rates)

Incidentally - on a 120 format film a 12800DPI scan yields a 400MB TIFF file, stick to 6400DPI and convert into JPEG (using Adobe lightroom to sort exposure compensation etc...) and you'll be left with approx 8MB depending on how much of the image you crop out

The depth of resolution is excellent on this scanner, i struggle to see how the next scanner up can improve - maybe it makes coffee aswell??

I have just bought one of these to replace my old Perfection 3200. The 3200 was a really good scanner but when I upgraded to Win7 64bit the Epson scanning software was not compatible. Epson provided a driver but could not offer an upgraded software package. So for me, the scanner was rendered useless. I tried various third party scanning software such as Vu-Scan and Laser Soft but there really is no substitute for the proper stuff. I found that even simple copying was a labourious task with poor results. I really had no option other than to replace the 3200.

The 3200 had given me excellent service so I wanted a scanner that gave at least as good a performance. Trawling through reviews I zoomed in on the V600 and the many positive comments settled it and I decided to buy one. I am absolutely delighted with my purchase. I thought the 3200 would be hard to beat but this scanner is light years ahead. I scan lots of photographs and negatives of classic cars and had up until now been happy with the results but wow, every little gleam, every piece of chrome and shiney bodywork simply leaps off the screen in a way that I didn't think possible from a scanner in this price range. I am so impressed that I am actually re-archiving many photographs, negatives and slides that I had previously thought to be of a very good standard.

Scanning slides and negatives was always a bit of a trial. It was really difficult to eradicate dust and spots. Epson's own dust removal tool was pretty lame and often removed fine details in addition to dust. So, I would spend literally hours cleaning images up with Photoshop and this would take the pleasure out of the whole exercise. I had read many articles on Digital Ice and despite general praise for it, I was quite cynical. Boy did I get a suprise. It actually works and the amount of time spent cloning on Photoshop has drastically reduced. I keep it set to the default, 'medium' setting and this produces excellent results. It should be mentioned at this stage that Digital Ice will not work with Kodachrome slides. This is something, as I understand it, to do with the yellow dyes in this type of film. This is a pity as I have many Kodachrome slides.

Now you will note that I have only given four stars rather than five. This is due to the fact that the scanner is made of some very, VERY cheap looking and feeling plastic and I really do wonder how robust over time it will be. The 3200 was built like a bus and weighed a ton but you got a feeling of solidity and reliablity with it that simply is lacking in the V600. The flims carriers too are of poor construction in comparison to the 3200. I seriously doubt that they will endure long, daily scanning sessions. Shame on Epson for this and in my view they have tarnished an otherwise great product. Clearly there have been some major cost reductions. They should realise that scanners at this end of the market get much more use than the cheaper ones and quality of build does count. If you buy one, and I hope you do, exercise real caution when using it or you could find yourself with a big, expensive broken toy.

For the money this scanner costs (£212), the Epson Perfection V600 lives up to its name... perfectly! not only is the scanning excellent with resolution levels my computer cannot handle (not enough memory) so I have to set the levels to produce on average images of about 10MB (will scan up to 50GB+ if you want), but the software that comes with it is amazing. After scanning a large painting my wife had just finished(she is a professional artist), in 10 segments x A4 size scans, I thought I was then going to have the job of manually stitching the different scans together to make one picture as I have in the past(extremely time consuming and very fiddly work). Instead all I had to do was click a button and as if by magic, all the different images had stitched automatically and seamlessly together... totally amazing piece of software!!

Not just that, but the kit comes with an up to date version of Photoshop Elements 9, I bought Elements 8 a couple of years ago at a promotion price of £70, now I have a newer version, as I look on it for Nothing, as I did not know I was getting it.

I cannot stress strongly enough how brilliant this piece of kit is and how impressed I am with it. If you are looking for an all-rounder scanner that will scan so you can zoom in and see every dot of a printed picture, and every fibre of the canvass on a painted picture, with colours matching in a way I have never attained with past scanners & cameras, then you cannot go far wrong than buying the V600. It even scans your old negatives and slides if you want (separate holder comes with the scanner for this too).

In short... buy it, it's worth every penny & you will not be disappointed.

Epson Perfection V600 High Resolution 6400 x 9600 dpi Scanner

I have used a Nikon Coolscan for my 35mm slide and negatives to archive and reproduce photos for many years and was well satisfied with same.
It broke down last year and I have reviewed new scanners to replace it. Nikon Coolscan which are now very expensive, the HP scanners and the Epson range of scanners. After a great deal of research I have purchased the Epson V600 Scanner. I am by no means disappointed it has scanned the 35mm slide and negative film far better than I have gained from the Nikon scanner and at a third of the price. With the associated software and the multiple document size scanner software I am very well pleased and satisfied.

Highly Recommended

Brilliant scanner that can be used to scan all my old black and white + colour photos plus 35mm slides and old negatives. Easy to use and great results.