Epson Introduces LED-Powered Scanner

The Perfection V500 targets amateur photographers, graphic designers and other creative consumers with high resolution and a smattering of pro-level features.

Between the tiny scanners that come with all-in-one printers and behemoth commercial scanners found only in labs, Epson introduced a new scanner on Wednesday that offers customers a middle ground. The Epson Perfection V500  high-efficiency LED illumination for amateurs in all graphic fields. delivers 6400 dpi resolution, 48-bit color depth and

The scanner’s resolution allows users to create film enlargements up to 17 x 22 inches while preserving detail and accuracy. A built-in transparency unit accomodates 35mm negatives, slides, and other film formats, with a moving carriage and lamp optimized for film. An optional automatic document feeder can attach for quickly scanning stacks of paper.

Using LEDs for light eliminates the warm-up time normally necessary for cold cathode fluorescent lamps found in traditional scanners. Epson’s ReadyScan LED units also compensate for the type of media being scanned: white light is used for positive film while blue light is used for negatives.

Although many amateur photographers will likely use existing photo editing software with the scanner, Epson includes their own proprietary touch-up software. Digital ICE allows users to remove the appearance of dust and scratches from film, while Easy Photo Fix can restore faded color photos with one click.

“This scanner has the superior performance of a high- end commercial lab scanner, yet is designed to accommodate varying skill levels, whether for in-house use, the professional studio or small office,” said Grace Huang, senior product manager at Epson America’s professional imaging division, in a statement.

Epson’s V500 will be available immediately for $249.99 through Epson dealers, while the optional automatic document feeder will be released soon for $199.99 via Epson’s Web site.