epson 3490 flatbed scanner

I recently purchased the Epson Perfection 3490 scanner. I wanted to digitize some funny photos for a slideshow that I hoped would accompany a wedding toast. Unfortunately, the wedding coordinator disapproved of my plan; however, my acquisition was not in vain. I’m very happy with the scanner, and after two weeks of use I am ready to give it my seal of approval.

The Epson 3490 is a high quality flatbed scanner at a budget price as these reviews suggest: PC Magazine, X-bit labs, cnet, and PC World. I picked mine up at Fry’s for $99; Newegg sells it for less.

I’ve discovered that having a scanner is quite convenient for documents, especially now that it is tax time. It also scans transparencies (slides, negatives) and it has 1-touch buttons for copies, emails and PDF production. But, the Epson really excels at prints. It did a great job with the 35mm 4x6 prints I tried, producing high-resolution digital versions in less than 1 minute. And, the 3490 did well with older 3x3 prints from small 110 film cartridge negatives. An un-retouched black and white example from 1966 is on the left.

Installation of the scanner was simple, and both drivers and software are included on the CD. The Epson Scan package is easy to use: pick your document type, select an output format and press scan. (View product tour.) An added feature is it has the ability to perform color restoration for a scan simply by checking a box. Older color prints often lack vibrancy but the Epson easily fixes that. The insert for the photo from 1970 on the left has been enhanced using Color Restoration.

One tip: having a can of Dust-Off handy will reduce your time in Photoshop eliminating imperfections.