Epson Perfection 4990 photo scanner

CNET editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  John Blackford
• Edited by:
  Lori Grunin
• Reviewed on: 03/29/2005
• Released on: 03/01/2005

Epson's latest flatbed scanner claims capabilities in the realm of dedicated film scanners for far less money, aiming to please both advanced amateurs and professionals on a budget. The Epson Perfection 4990 Photo, an upgrade of the Perfection 4870 Photo, offers a dynamic range of 4.0 DMax, with 4,800x9,600dpi optical resolution vs. 3.8 DMax and at the same resolution. But can it deliver professional results?

The Perfection 4990 is housed in an attractive, rounded metallic gray case with a strip along the top that indicates sensor location via a moving blue light. The scanner occupies a small footprint on your desk and weighs less than 15 pounds. Physical controls consist of only the power button and a light, since most functions are handled by software.

The 4990's 8-by-10-inch scan area is larger than the 4870's and accepts both prints and film. It scans film using an extra light in the unit's top. Plastic frames hold the film securely, helping maintain good focus. The frames accommodate 35mm slides, 35mm strips (as many as 24 frames), medium-format film, and 4-by-5-inch film.

The scanner's basic software includes LaserSoft Imaging SilverFast SE 6.0 (a reduced version of the powerful SilverFast AI) and Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0, plus optical character recognition software and Epson scanning and copying utilities. The included software is capable and well designed, though, as it comes from several manufacturers, there is no single standard interface. And some features are duplicated in Epson's scanning utilities and in SilverFast SE, possibly stirring up unnecessary confusion in new users. Once you sort it all out, though, the multiple options let you set up the scanner to work the way you do.

The Perfection 4990 also offers automated options for those that want to get good results quickly and simply. There's Auto Exposure in both the home and professional modes of the Epson Scan driver, and SilverFast SE offers automated exposure settings, as well as automated controls for dust removal. In either application, you can opt for more powerful manual controls.

The unit includes a self-adjusting lid, which can shift horizontally to accept awkwardly shaped items, such as books. Another handy feature is the Epson Copy Utility, which lets you set up the scanner and a printer for one-button copy-machine capability.

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Compare prices for Epson Perfection 4990 photo scanner

Newer model available starting at: $479.00 Epson Perfection V700 Photo Scanner

Recent user reviews

• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars Write review

• Showing 3 of 5 user reviews

• 4.5 stars

  33 out of 33 people found this helpful

  "Just buy it."

  by SCWatts on October 30, 2005

• 4.0 stars

  35 out of 36 people found this helpful

  "4990 PHOTO + Firewire cable = smooth sailing"

  by PSSaini on August 9, 2005

• 4.0 stars

  50 out of 51 people found this helpful

  "Short of drum scanning this is a very good option."

  by Garry_M on July 15, 2005

• See all 5 user reviews Write review

Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest

• alaTest.com

  Editors' rating: 90

  Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 1327 reviews of Epson Perfection 4490 Photo Scanner from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 80/100 and users 81/100. Comparing these reviews to 33977 other Scanners reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 90/100 = Excellent.

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• maclife.com

  Editors' rating: 80

  Summary: . The Epson Perfection 4490 Photo is a quality scanner that has the flexibility a photographer needs.

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• machome.com

  Editors' rating: 80

  Summary: FireWire port

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• computerarts.co.uk

  Editors' rating: 60

  Summary: If you work in a colour and quality-critical environment - and buy the transparency unit - this is worth a look. Otherwise, consider a cheaper Epson model

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• digitalartsonline.co.uk

  Editors' rating: 80

  Summary: The Digital ICE4 system is licensed from Kodak and provides four modules. ICE is an automatic dust and scratch reduction system that uses infrared lamps built into the scanner. Ours didn't seem to work quite as perfectly as on the old CoolScan 4000, ...

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• whatdigitalcamera.com

  Editors' rating: 91

  Summary: Very high standard of construction and excellent software. Only the Digtal ICE facility failed to impress.

  Read full review