In my line of work, I’ve seen it all, but the most common story I hear is one of inheritance. Not of money or property, but of memories—piles and piles of them. Totes, shoeboxes, and dusty albums filled with a family’s entire history, suddenly become one person’s responsibility. I once faced a similar task myself, inheriting several large boxes brimming with photos from the 1930s through the late ’90s. The feeling is a mix of reverence and sheer overwhelm. You know these precious, fading prints are a one-way ticket to the past, but the thought of preserving them feels like an impossible mountain to climb. The old way—a flatbed scanner—turns this project into a grueling marathon. Each photo requires careful placement, a slow scan, removal, cropping, and color correction. As one user aptly put it, after hours of work, you might only have a handful of photos digitized. This is the very problem that sends people searching for a better way, a tool that can turn a multi-year ordeal into a manageable weekend project.
- World’s Fastest Personal Photo Scanner (1) — scan thousands of photos as fast as 1 photo per second at 300 dpi (2); batch-scan up to 36 photos at a time
- Preserve Your Priceless Photos — restore, organize, protect and share photos; scan Polaroid photos, panoramas, postcards and photos up to 8" x 10"
What to Consider Before Buying a High-Speed Photo Scanner
A high-speed photo scanner is more than just an office gadget; it’s a key solution for preserving your most irreplaceable assets—your memories. In a world where physical photos are susceptible to fading, water damage, and accidental loss, creating a digital archive is not a luxury, but a necessity. The primary benefit of a device like the Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless Photo Scanner is its ability to compress time. It transforms a monumental task that could take hundreds of hours into something achievable, allowing you to secure and, more importantly, share generations of history with family members near and far.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing a large-scale archival project. This includes genealogists, family historians, or anyone who has inherited a substantial collection of photos and values their time. If you have thousands, or even tens of thousands, of prints, the efficiency of a batch-feeding scanner is invaluable. However, it might not be suitable for those who only need to scan a few dozen photos a year, or for professional archivists who require the absolute highest-resolution drum scans for museum-quality reproductions. For casual users, a standard all-in-one printer with a flatbed might suffice, while professionals might look at dedicated high-end flatbed scanners. But for the vast majority of us caught in between, a high-speed photo scanner hits the sweet spot.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: While designed to be compact, these devices still require a dedicated footprint on your desk. The Epson FastFoto FF-680W has a relatively small base, but you need to account for the paper trays and clearance for photos to enter and exit the machine smoothly. Measure your intended space to ensure it fits comfortably, especially considering you’ll need room to organize stacks of photos before and after scanning.
- Capacity/Performance: This is the headline feature. Look at the scanning speed (often measured in photos per minute or seconds per photo) and the capacity of the automatic document feeder (ADF). The FF-680W boasts speeds of up to one photo per second at 300 dpi and can hold around 36 photos at a time, which is a massive leap over a single-photo flatbed. Also, consider the resolution options (DPI), as higher DPI is better for archiving and enlarging, while lower DPI is fine for quick sharing.
- Materials & Durability: Most personal scanners are constructed from high-quality plastic. While a metal chassis is rare in this category, pay attention to the feel of the moving parts like trays and rollers. The internal components, particularly the rollers that guide the photos, are critical. We’ve found that while the Epson’s hardware feels robust, the interaction between the rollers and certain types of photo paper is a key performance factor to watch.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: A great scanner can be hobbled by poor software. Look for an intuitive software package that automates tasks like cropping, de-skewing (straightening), and color correction. Connectivity is also key; Wi-Fi offers flexibility, while a direct USB connection provides speed and stability. Long-term care involves periodically cleaning the rollers and glass scanning surfaces with a microfiber cloth to prevent streaks on your scans.
Ultimately, choosing the right scanner means balancing your need for speed against your budget and specific project requirements.
While the Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless Photo Scanner is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- IMPRESSIVELY SHARP - Produce incredibly sharp, high-resolution scans of any photo or document in just 8 seconds thanks to Canon’s unique LiDE technology.
- SMALL AND COMPACT DESIGN: The small and compact design, makes the DSmobile DS-640 ideal where space is limited, A great option for reception areas and working on the go
First Impressions: A Compact Powerhouse Ready for Work
Unboxing the Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless Photo Scanner, the first thing that struck me was its surprisingly compact and efficient design. For a machine that promises such high performance, it doesn’t dominate the desk. It’s dense and feels well-built, with trays that extend and retract smoothly. Setting it up was refreshingly straightforward. We opted for the Wi-Fi connection first, and using the WPS button on our router had the scanner on our network in under two minutes. The package includes everything you need to get started, including a power cable with a generous length, which offers great flexibility in placement.
Compared to the hulking all-in-one printer/scanners that many of us are used to, the FastFoto is a purpose-built machine. Every aspect of its design is geared towards one primary goal: feeding and scanning stacks of media quickly. The automatic document feeder (ADF) feels solid, and the paper guides adjust easily to accommodate everything from small 3×5 prints to larger 8x10s. While the chassis is plastic, as noted by several users, it doesn’t feel cheap. It gives the impression of a serious piece of equipment designed to be a workhorse, ready to tackle the shoeboxes of photos we had waiting for it. The initial feeling is one of anticipation; this device looks like it means business.
What We Like
- Blazing-fast scanning speed (up to 1 photo per second)
- Excellent automatic image enhancement and color restoration
- Scans both sides in a single pass to capture handwritten notes
- Handles a wide variety of photo sizes, including Polaroids and panoramas
Limitations
- High price point may be prohibitive for casual users
- Risk of leaving faint lines or scratches on glossy photos
- Software can be restrictive and has experienced installation issues for some
A Deep Dive into the Epson FastFoto FF-680W’s Performance
A spec sheet can only tell you so much. To truly understand a device like this, you have to live with it, feed it your most precious memories, and see what comes out the other side. We put the Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless Photo Scanner through its paces with a multi-generational collection of photos, from crisp 90s glossies to faded, orange-tinted prints from the 70s. The results were, for the most part, astonishing, though not without important caveats.
The Need for Speed: Erasing Decades in a Matter of Hours
The single biggest selling point of this scanner is its speed, and in our testing, it absolutely lives up to the hype. Epson claims it’s the “World’s Fastest Personal Photo Scanner,” and we have no reason to doubt it. To test this, we curated a stack of 36 standard 4×6 photos of varying ages and conditions. Loading them into the feeder, selecting the 300 dpi setting (perfect for sharing), and hitting “scan” was a revelation. The machine whirred to life and processed the entire stack in just over 30 seconds. This is the game-changer. The tedious, one-by-one process of a flatbed scanner, which might take an hour to accomplish the same task, is condensed into less than a minute. As one user who scanned nearly 10,000 photos confirmed, you can realistically process about a thousand pictures an hour.
This efficiency is what makes daunting projects possible. A user who inherited “several large 20+ gallon totes full of family photos” found the flatbed process untenable. With the FastFoto, that same user could digitize their entire family legacy in a matter of days, not years. During our tests, we scanned over 2,000 photos in a single weekend without feeling like it was a chore. The ability to load a stack, walk away, and come back to a folder full of digitized images is liberating. The scanner also handles different sizes seamlessly, switching between 4x6s, 5x7s, and even business cards without a hitch. For anyone who has ever stared at a mountain of photo albums with a sense of dread, the speed of this high-speed scanner is nothing short of revolutionary.
The Magic of Restoration: Breathing New Life into Faded Memories
Speed is meaningless without quality, and this is where the Epson FastFoto FF-680W truly shines. The built-in “Perfect Picture Imaging System” is not just marketing jargon; it’s a powerful suite of automated tools that works wonders. We were particularly impressed by its color restoration feature. We fed it a photo from the late 1970s that had faded to a uniform, washed-out orange. Like another user who experienced this, our jaws “about dropped” when the preview appeared on the screen. The software had intelligently re-balanced the colors, restoring blue skies, green grass, and natural skin tones that had been lost for decades. It felt like sorcery.
The scanner offers two primary output options for each photo: the original, untouched scan and an auto-enhanced version. This is a brilliant feature, as it gives you both a faithful digital “negative” and a corrected, ready-to-share image. We found the enhancement to be smart, handling red-eye reduction, cropping, and de-skewing automatically and accurately. Another standout feature is the Single-Step Technology. It scans both the front of the photo and the back in one pass. This is invaluable for preserving the handwritten notes—the names, dates, and places—that give a photograph its context. For anyone building a family tree or digital archive, capturing this metadata is just as important as the image itself. The choice of resolution, from a quick 300 dpi JPEG to an archival-quality 600 dpi TIFF, provides the flexibility needed for any project, from social media sharing to creating large-format prints. You can explore the different quality settings and features here.
The Achilles’ Heel: Software Quirks and the Risk to Glossy Photos
No product is perfect, and the Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless Photo Scanner has two significant areas of concern that any potential buyer must be aware of: the software experience and the potential for physical damage to photos. Let’s start with the software. While powerful, the FastFoto software suite can feel a bit clunky and restrictive. One of the most common complaints we found, and experienced ourselves, is the rigid file naming convention. It forces you into a specific Year-Month-Subject structure, which can be worked around but feels unnecessarily constrictive for users who have their own organizational systems. Furthermore, some technically-inclined users have reported significant issues installing the software, particularly on newer operating systems like Windows 11, with the installer falsely reporting a lack of disk space. As one IT professional of 25 years lamented, “Printer/scanner companies cannot produce good software to save their lives.” While we didn’t encounter a complete roadblock, the software certainly lacks the polish of modern applications.
The more serious issue, however, is the widely-reported problem of the scanner’s rollers leaving fine vertical lines or “superficial scratches” on glossy photos. This is a deal-breaker for some. We tested this extensively with a batch of non-essential glossy prints from the 90s and could, under certain light, see faint track marks left by the rollers. The marks are not deep gouges but are visible on the protective clear coat of the print. For matte-finish photos and older card-stock prints, we had no issues whatsoever. The problem seems to be exclusive to specific types of modern glossy paper. Several users reported returning their units over this issue, as it defeats the purpose of preserving a pristine original. Our advice is unequivocal: before you scan a single irreplaceable photo, run a batch of expendable, similar-type photos through the machine and inspect them carefully. For many, the speed will outweigh this risk, but it is a critical consideration before you commit to this powerful but imperfect machine.
What Other Users Are Saying
Across the board, user feedback paints a picture of a transformative but flawed device. The overwhelming sentiment is positive, driven by the sheer speed and efficiency of the scanner. One user, who casually scanned over 2,000 photos in two days, exclaimed “Enter Epson Fast Foto and wow!” This sentiment is echoed by many who were previously trapped in the “cumbersome” and time-consuming world of flatbed scanning. The automatic color correction is another source of constant praise, with many users sharing stories of “jaw-dropping” restorations of old, faded pictures.
However, the praise is tempered by consistent and significant criticism. The most prevalent negative feedback revolves around the scanner leaving faint lines or track marks on glossy photos. A disappointed user noted, “it scratched the heck out of a 90’s era glossy photo… on the VERY FIRST SCAN.” This issue appears to be the primary reason for returns and negative reviews. The software is the second major pain point, with users finding it “restrictive with its naming conventions” and occasionally difficult to install. The high price tag is also frequently mentioned, with some feeling that for the cost, issues like potential scratching are unacceptable. In essence, users agree it’s a hardware marvel let down by a few critical flaws.
How Does the Epson FastFoto FF-680W Compare to the Alternatives?
The Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless Photo Scanner is a specialized tool, but it exists in a crowded market of scanning devices. Understanding how it stacks up against other options is key to making the right choice for your specific needs.
1. C-Pen Exam Reader
- Allows students with dyslexia, or other reading difficulties, to take written exams. Bolsters reading independence
- Totally portable, pocket-sized device reads text out aloud with an English human-like digital voice
Comparing the Epson FastFoto to the C-Pen Exam Reader is like comparing a cargo truck to a scalpel. The C-Pen is a highly specialized, portable device designed for one task: scanning lines of text for reading assistance, particularly in exam settings. It is completely unsuitable for scanning photos. If your goal is to digitize documents line-by-line or you need a tool for reading support, the C-Pen is an innovative solution. However, for anyone looking to archive photographs, paper documents, or anything larger than a single line of text, the C-Pen is not a viable alternative. The Epson is the clear and only choice between the two for photo and bulk document scanning.
2. ScanSnap iX1600 WiFi Document Scanner
- Gives you even more time back - It can be hard work keeping a business in shape, and everyone can do with a bit more time back at the end of the day. The ScanSnap iX1600 was designed to help anyone...
- Flexible and intuitive - The iX1600's 4.3-inch LCD touchscreen delivers the future of scanning now. Instead of choosing what you want to do each time you scan a document, with one touch, the...
The ScanSnap iX1600 is a much closer competitor and a phenomenal device in its own right. It is widely regarded as one of the best all-around document scanners available, prized for its speed, reliability, and excellent software. For a mixed office environment where you’re scanning receipts, contracts, and business cards, the ScanSnap might even have the edge with its intuitive touchscreen and robust document management features. However, the Epson FastFoto FF-680W has a singular focus that gives it the advantage for photo archiving. Its Perfect Picture Imaging System, with features like automatic color restoration and red-eye removal, is specifically tuned for photographs in a way the ScanSnap’s software is not. If your project is 90% photos, the Epson’s specialized toolset makes it the superior choice.
3. Canon ImageFORMULA DR-C225 II Office Document Scanner
- Stay organized: Easily convert your paper documents into digital formats (searchable PDF, JPG, and more) or scan directly to the cloud (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, QuickBooks Online,...
- Space saving design: Upright, with top feed and top eject, and a built in cable organization system. Supported Operating Systems - Windows 7/8/8.1/10 Service Pack 1 or later (32-bit/64-bit) or later,...
The Canon ImageFORMULA DR-C225 II is another top-tier office document scanner known for its reliability and compact, vertical design that saves desk space. It excels at converting stacks of paper into searchable PDFs and is a workhorse for any paperless office initiative. It offers great speed and excellent text clarity. Much like the ScanSnap, its primary focus is on documents, not photos. While it can certainly scan a photo, it lacks the sophisticated, one-touch image enhancement and restoration capabilities that are the core strength of the Epson. The Canon is an excellent choice for a document-heavy workflow, but for someone whose main goal is to digitize and restore a family photo collection, the Epson FastFoto FF-680W remains the purpose-built champion.
Final Verdict: An Investment in Speed, With a Note of Caution
After extensive testing and analysis, our verdict on the Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless Photo Scanner is clear: it is a truly game-changing device for anyone facing a mountain of photographic prints. Its phenomenal speed can turn a project that would take years on a flatbed scanner into a weekend activity. The automated color restoration and enhancement features are genuinely magical, breathing new life into faded memories in a way that feels effortless. The ability to capture handwritten notes from the back of photos in a single pass is an invaluable feature for any family historian.
However, this recommendation comes with a strong caveat. The high price point makes it a serious investment, and the well-documented risk of leaving fine scratches on certain types of glossy photos is a significant concern that cannot be overlooked. The software, while functional, also lacks the polish one might expect for a premium device. We recommend this scanner wholeheartedly to individuals for whom time is the most valuable commodity and whose photo collections consist primarily of older, matte, or semi-gloss prints. For those with priceless, pristine glossy photos, the risk may be too great. If you decide this powerful tool is right for you, we advise testing it thoroughly on non-critical photos first. For those ready to finally conquer their photo archives, the FastFoto offers a path to liberation that no other device in its class can match. You can check the latest price and user reviews to make your final decision.
Last update on 2025-11-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API