Epson Perfection 3170 Photo Scanner

Not sure what problems "A PC Hardware Fan from Fort Collins" had, but I did a test.

I scanned a 4x6 color photo at 3200 dpi on a Dell computer running XP Pro. The machine has 512MB of memory and an 80GB hard drive. I started the scan with about 256MB of free memory.

The actual scan took 4 minutes and 20 seconds. Saving the HUGE 629MB file to disk and loading it into PhotoShop Elements took about another 15 minutes. Not sure how long as I had a cup of tea.

FYI, that single image is so large it nearly fills up an entire CD-ROM!

Anyway, the scanner works as advertised. Make sure to download the latest version of the scanning software (v1.25A) from Epson's website :)

Killer scanner!!!

The Epson 3170 is my second Epson scanner; the Epson 1250 PHOTO was my previous scanner. I like the software interface that Epson provides with the 1250, but the scanner is too slow and cumbersome in processing slides and negatives.

I purchased the 3170 because it can process 12 negatives or 4 slides in an automatic sequential manner. I have not been disappointed. The 3170 in conjunction with Adobe Photoshop Elements, which is included with the 3170, work very well together.

The scanner is a good value for the money, and it is an excellent choice for those people who have the need or desire to process slides or negatives/positives into a digital image.

A few caveats: The Epson Smart Panel software which shipped with the scanner is not compatable with OSX 10.3.x. I contacted the developer, and they provided me with a URL to download the latest version. The Epson Copy Utility software also needs to be updated. I downloaded the latest version from the Epson web site.

Bought a 3170 in 12/04. Hardware works as advertized. However, could Not scan pictures larger than 4" x 5" at dpi greater than 1200. Sent E-mails to Epson, used their hard to find E-mail/Tech support form. After a detailed series of questions that should discourage most, found their system clocked out after 5 minutes of air time. Second time thru was successful in submitting a E-mail request. Results, no return from Epson. Tried 3 more times over a month. And YES they don't give a phone call in number!! No return ever!
Found a young sales rep in our area. He thought my questions were good enough for further investigation. He got the run around by higher ups for a month. Final his persistance paid off. Epson scanning software has a memory management problem. The recommended 512 Meg requirement is NOT enough. Their software does not do disk cache. As a result, you can have many gigs of hard disk space, but RAM will severely limit high resolution scans. For lower resolution scans or smaller areas, the system is fine. With the advent of scanners greater than 2000 dpi I suggest you verify that the system (HP, Epson, or whoever) will meet your needs for higher resolution scans and for the size area you want to scan.

Quick setup with XP Professional with great scans out of the box. Have scanned Photos, 35mm negatives, and documents. Negatives scanned surprisingly well :)

Dust removal software ... does it really work? I can't say that it does, but touch ups are a breeze using PhotoShop Elements (included).

I like the Home and Professional modes for more control, but fully automatic is fine for the average Joe.

Bottom Line: A Bargain at $200!!!

The Epson 3170 is not the first scanner I've owned, but it is definately the best. Setup on Windows XP was very quick and easy (following the easy, included instructions). Scans are fast and clear. It recognizes several different images at once and has scanned as many as six different photos at one time, storing each image in a separate file. It copies documents (and routes them to my printer) so quickly and easily that I no longer need a copying machine. The automatic image enhancement also works extremely well. This scanner has been well worth the purchase price.