Epson Perfection V39 II Scanner Review: Best Budget Flatbed?

Looking for a scanner that won’t destroy your wallet but still gets the job done for both photos and documents? We got our hands on the Epson Perfection V39 II, and honestly, it’s a pretty compelling option for home or small office setups.

This flatbed scanner is compact—just a bit over three pounds—and doesn’t eat up much desk space. It boasts a 4800 dpi optical resolution, so you can expect crisp scans, even when you want to blow up your favorite old family photos.

For documents, it’s quick: letter-sized pages are done in about 10 seconds. The included ScanSmart software is surprisingly straightforward, letting you save files straight to the cloud or a USB drive.

Easy Photo Fix is a nice touch. It’ll auto-restore color in faded photos—no fiddling with sliders or Photoshop required. The one-touch buttons are genuinely handy if you don’t want to bother with menus every time you scan.

One thing, though: you need to keep it plugged into your computer via USB for both power and scanning. The lid pops off if you’re trying to scan a book or something bulky, but you’re limited to standard letter-sized stuff.

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Overview of the Epson Perfection V39 II

After some real-world use with this scanner, it’s not hard to see why it’s a favorite for home scanning. The V39 II’s 4800 dpi optical resolution gives you sharp, detailed scans—photos and documents both look great.

At just 3.1 pounds, it’s easy to move around, and since it’s USB-powered, there’s no extra brick or adapter to deal with. Just don’t forget to unplug it when you’re done, or it’ll stay awake.

Setup is generally painless for Windows and Mac, but we did run into a couple of hiccups with the ScanSmart software—sometimes it takes a few tries. When it works, though, the Easy Photo Fix feature is a lifesaver for old, faded photos, really bringing back some lost color in vintage family pictures.

Key Performance Highlights:

• Letter-size docs scan in 10 seconds at 300 dpi
• Can handle multiple photos at once, auto-orienting them
• One-touch buttons keep things simple
• OCR creates editable text files

If you’re tackling a mountain of photos, it can feel a bit slow, but for everyday scanning, it gets the job done.

High-Resolution Scanning

That 4800 dpi resolution isn’t just a spec—scans really do come out sharp. You can enlarge photos and still see the detail, no weird blurring or chunky pixels.

Photo restoration is where this thing shines. Faded family snapshots from decades ago come back to life with more color and clarity. It handles a bunch of photo formats, from regular prints to some older negatives.

Scanning Performance:

• Photo Quality: Crisp at high DPI
• Document Clarity: Text is clean, good for archiving
• Color Accuracy: Colors look true, especially with restoration

If you push it to the max resolution, scans do take longer. But for most home projects, it’s a decent trade-off.

Thick books or bound stuff aren’t its strong suit—shadows along the spine are tough to avoid. For loose photos and single pages, though, it’s smooth sailing.

Compact and Lightweight Design

The V39 II won’t hog your desk. At just 3.1 pounds and about 10 inches wide and deep, it fits almost anywhere.

With its 1.5-inch height, it’s pretty low-profile. You can tuck it away in a drawer or slide it between other gear when you’re not using it.

Portability Benefits:

• You can carry it one-handed
• Fits in a laptop bag if you need to move it
• Setup is a breeze anywhere

The compact build does mean you’re limited to letter-sized scanning. Anything bigger? You’ll be piecing it together from multiple scans. The scanner feels sturdy, but if you’re opening the lid with one hand, it might shift a bit.

If you’re short on space, this model’s size is a real perk.

Seamless Cloud and USB Scanning

Getting your scans into the cloud or onto a USB stick is pretty straightforward. The V39 II runs off USB, so you’re not wrestling with extra cables or adapters.

Cloud Integration Features:

• Scan straight to the cloud with Epson ScanSmart
• Files are organized automatically
• Sharing across devices is simple

Setting up cloud uploads means you’ll need to connect your Google Drive or Dropbox account, but after that, it’s easy. USB connection is solid and keeps things powered up, but make sure your port can handle it.

Large, high-res scans can slow down cloud uploads, especially if your internet isn’t blazing fast. The software queues them up, so you can keep scanning while uploads catch up.

Easy Photo Restoration

Restoring old photos is where this scanner gets fun. Easy Photo Fix works with a single click, and the results are usually impressive.

Key restoration benefits:

• One-click fixes faded colors
• Revives old photos from decades back
• Keeps original details while making them pop

We tried it on some 1970s family shots, and the difference was obvious—colors looked way better, and details came through. The process is painless, too. Just scan, hit the button, and you’re done.

It won’t work miracles on every photo, but most faded prints look noticeably improved.

Effortless One-Touch Operation

Scanning here is refreshingly simple. Put your photo or document on the glass, hit a button, and off it goes.

No need to click through endless menus or settings unless you want to get fancy. The scanner usually figures out if it’s a photo or a document and tweaks the settings for you.

Key Operation Benefits:

• Scans start instantly—no software maze
• Auto-detects content type
• Fewer steps than old-school scanners

If you want to fine-tune things, you’ll still need to dive into the software, but for everyday scans, the buttons save a lot of time.

Efficient Document Management

Going paperless is a bit easier with the V39 II. It handles standard 8.5 x 11.7-inch docs just fine, so it’s up for most home or office tasks.

Key Document Features:

• One-touch scanning keeps things quick
• Epson ScanSmart software hooks right into cloud storage
• USB power means fewer cords

For occasional scanning, it’s fast enough, though if you’re tackling a stack of paperwork, it can feel a bit slow. Setup is usually smooth, but some Windows users hit snags with the software.

The small footprint is a plus, and cloud integration is handy if you want your files backed up right away. Just don’t expect it to keep up with heavy-duty office scanners.

User Experience Highlights

Most folks get up and running quickly, thanks to the USB-powered design—no extra cords or adapters to mess with. It works on Mac and Windows, though Windows setup can be a bit hit or miss, especially with newer versions.

Performance highlights:

• Scans multiple photos at once
• Auto-corrects orientation
• Color restoration really does make a difference on faded pics
• Handles big digitization projects reliably

The removable lid helps with scanning thicker items, and people have had good luck digitizing big batches of old photos. But again, it’s not built for speed if you’ve got thousands of pages to get through.

Cloud upload is a nice touch, though getting the software set up may take a couple of tries. Once it’s going, scanning is straightforward.

Pros and Cons

We ran the V39 II through piles of photos and documents, and here’s where it stands out—and where it doesn’t.

Pros

The 4800 dpi resolution makes for sharp, detailed scans—great for blowing up old photos or just preserving family memories. Users have scanned thousands of images and still been happy with the results.

USB-powered means fewer cables and a cleaner setup. Plug it into your computer and you’re set.

Easy Photo Fix actually works. Old, faded photos come back to life with minimal effort.

Multiple photo scanning is a real time-saver if you’re digitizing a whole shoebox of prints. The scanner usually sorts out which photo is which and gets the orientation right.

Compact design and removable lid let you handle books or thicker items without taking over your desk.

Cons

Software installation can be a pain, especially on Windows 11. It sometimes takes a few tries, and the process isn’t exactly intuitive.

Scanning speed isn’t great for big projects. At 600 DPI, each page takes several seconds, so scanning entire books is tedious.

USB dependency means you have to unplug it when you’re done, or it’ll keep running in the background.

It’s best for home use, not for anyone needing to scan stacks of documents every day.

Customer Reviews

Real users are mostly happy with the V39 II’s scan quality after putting it through thousands of photos. The automatic image orientation is a favorite for people digitizing big collections.

Mac users usually have an easier time with setup, while Windows users sometimes struggle with the software. Color restoration gets a lot of praise—one person even mentioned their 1970s wedding photos looked dramatically better.

Common User Experiences:

• Setup: Mostly easy, but Windows users may hit snags
• Performance: Reliable, decent speed for home use
• Photo digitization: Great for large collections

Windows compatibility is a mixed bag, but the USB-powered design keeps things tidy. Just remember to unplug it when you’re done.

People like the lightweight feel and find it reliable for occasional scanning. Not so much for scanning whole books or massive projects, though.

International buyers mention fast delivery and solid build, saying it meets expectations for home scanning.

Frequently Asked Questions

After running the V39 II through its paces with a big stack of photos and documents, a few common questions kept popping up.

How does the Epson Perfection V39 II scanner perform when scanning film?

The V39 II doesn’t do film scanning. It’s strictly for photos, documents, and other flat stuff you can lay on the glass.

If you want to digitize negatives or slides, you’ll need to look at other Epson models with transparency units. The V39 II’s 4800 dpi is great for printed photos, but it can’t handle film strips or slides.

What are the key differences between the Epson Perfection V39 II and the Canon LiDE 400?

The V39 II runs entirely off its USB connection—no separate power adapter to fuss with. Canon’s LiDE 400 is also USB-powered, but it tends to scan documents a bit faster, which could matter if you’re churning through stacks.

Epson gives the V39 II its Easy Photo Fix tech, handy for breathing some life back into faded old photos. The removable lid is a nice touch too, making it less of a headache to scan thicker things like books.

Both models hit about the same mark for optical resolution, but their bundled software? That’s where things really start to diverge, both in features and the general feel of the interface.

What is the price range for the Epson Perfection V39 II scanner?

The V39 II lands squarely in the budget scanner crowd. Pricing swings a bit—depends where you look and whether there’s a sale going on.

It’s pretty accessible for folks at home who just need to scan now and then, not so much for someone chasing pro-level results. It goes up against other entry-level flatbeds, price-wise.

When was the Epson Perfection V39 II scanner released?

Epson rolled out the V39 II in May 2023. So, it’s a fairly new face in their Perfection lineup.

It’s aimed at the home and small office crowd, honestly. The V39 II builds off the earlier V39, but gets some tweaks—mostly to software and how it hooks up to your computer.

How do you install and set up the Epson Perfection V39 II scanner?

Setup’s pretty painless: plug the USB cable into both the scanner and your computer. No extra power cord, which is always a relief.

Most Windows and Mac machines will spot the scanner right away, though grabbing Epson’s ScanSmart software unlocks more features—like cloud stuff and auto image orientation.

A few people have run into hiccups on newer Windows versions, needing a couple tries before everything clicks. Once the right drivers are sorted, though, it’s smooth sailing.

Key Setup Steps:

• Connect USB cable
• Wait for system to recognize
• Download ScanSmart software
• Give scanning a test run

Where can one download the latest drivers for the Epson Perfection V39 II scanner?

Epson puts their drivers up on their official support site—just punch in your model number or dig around in their scanner support section.

They’ve got different driver packages depending on your operating system. Even Windows 7 hasn’t been left behind, but if you’re running something newer, you might need to grab a specific update to keep things smooth.

Sure, there are third-party sites floating around with drivers, but honestly, grabbing them straight from Epson is the safest bet. They’re usually on top of updates for compatibility and security, which is reassuring.