ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

I also use VueScan on my Canon 9000F flatbed scanner. VueScan is excellent.

bw79st Loc: New York City

I have been using Vuescan for years with my Epson V700 and also with my Canon FS4000US film scanner. I have no complaints and find it so much better than the supplied software that came with my scanners. Of course, in some cases the supplied software/driver will no longer work with my OS, but Vuescan always will!

I can't compare it to Silverscan as I have never used that program. Vuescan is very flexible. I have setups for scanning prints as DNG files, both color and b&w. I also have setups for scanning documents as PDFs, and many other setups that I have saved for various film types. My most used setups appear on my keyboard's function keys.

I have had no real problems but on occasion when I can't get something right I can get help from Hamrick on what I have been overlooking! I have even given them a hint or two, successfully, on what to include in the next update! They are very responsive.

I use Vuescan everyday to scan docs to save for tax purposes, plus I scan and print the NY Times crossword daily so my wife and I have our own copies to work on! Just about every piece of paper that comes in the household gets scanned and saved.

jcboy3

I also use VueScan. SilverFast may have been improved, but was not as well liked in this review:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/comparison-review-can-vuescan-or-silverfast-archive-your-film-better

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Did you click the "Professional" box? I think that's what it's called.

bw79st Loc: New York City

So with the Epson software you can't save multiple setups?

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

VueScan is a popular one.

Bill_de Loc: US

I don't no. Once I got it set up where it worked for me, I didn't look any further.

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burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

https://www.silverfast.com/silverfast9/

https://www.hamrick.com

If you buy a V600, there is a link on Epson's website for a free download of a Lite version of SilverFast. You need your serial number for the download and the installation.

Tote1940 Loc: Dallas

Vuescan hamrick.com
Best in class one purchase upgrades for life
Have used it over 20 years many scanners
As good as Silversoft

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

If you are on Windows, the original Epson Scan is quite decent.

Unfortunately, when Apple "purified" their MacOS and Macs to run ONLY 64-bit software, that made the original Epson Scan on the Mac obsolete.

The replacement, Epson Scan 2, is very basic and does not make use of the infrared scratch-and-dust locator hardware in the scanner the way that Digital ICE software (in Epson Scan) did. (Digital ICE is formally dead as a product, but still comes with the V600 and will run on most Windows machines.)

Epson provides a link to a Lite version of SilverFast, which has "ISRD" compatibility with the V600 scratch-and-dust removal hardware. It is here:

https://epson.com/Support/Scanners/Perfection-Series/Epson-Perfection-V600-Photo/s/SPT_B11B198011?review-filter=macOS+10.15.x

JeffL Loc: New Jersey

I have been using Silverfast 9 for several months on an Epson V550 and have scanned about 1000 slides and the same number of negatives. This software provides what are essentially post processing capabilities before the image is saved: brightness, contrast, cropping, saturation, dust removal, etc. The images are surprisingly sharp, and can be sharpened even more with the software. Silverfast 8 may have be free for your scanner; it was for mine.

317tman Loc: Indianapolis, In

I have compared results of Epsonscan, vueScan and SilverFast with my v600 to copy slides and prints. I couldn’t tell any difference in the results and Epson scan was easy to use so it was my go to.

SteveFranz Loc: Durham, NC

I have an Epson V550. Initially, I got decent results with the Epson SW, but after a bit the scans were really cr@ppy. I've reinstalled several times and have not gotten noticeably better results. So, for other than basic document scanning I use VueScan! I heartily endorse VueScan. Gives great results and you can fine tune it as much or as little as you want.

Steved3604

Basically 4 software choices. Vuescan (my vote), Silverfast, Epson and others. To get the hang of the features of VueScan it takes a bit of learning. Watch videos and practice. Once you "get it down" VueScan does a super job -- and its easy. Check out the 3 modes on VueScan. All four software brands -- when set the same should (in theory) produce the same digital results -- some may have "features" that can make the scan "look better".

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Frankly, if you already have a copy stand with color correct lights, plus a camera with a macro lens, you can copy prints, slides, and negatives and get better results, faster. Copy in raw, edit in Lightroom Classic or your favorite raw editor. The softer the light source, the better you can hide surface texture such as silk surface papers, embossed papers, etc.

If you are using a scanner, be sure to save 16-bit TIFFs if you intend to edit extensively.

If your software contains "pro" options to adjust curves, brightness, contrast, etc., learning how to set them to capture a great scan file will reduce post-processing considerably.