Epson FastFoto FF-680W Review

After thoroughly testing the Epson FastFoto FF-680W, we can confidently say that it leaves no room for complaints in practically any scanning task you might put it through. Users can preserve or touch up treasured photos, share art and photography accurately, or upload important documents with professional precision.

To see exactly how it rates compared to other scanners I tested, I evaluated the FastFoto scan quality, speed, and other crucial metrics using our standardized testing method.

Scan Quality

The Epson FastFoto FF-680W performed exceptionally well in our scan quality tests. Whether scanning black-and-white documents or color photos, the results were as close to perfection as it gets.

When testing the FastFoto with black-and-white printouts, I noticed the text was wonderfully crisp, and the scans even picked up the subtleties of shaded areas very well. For documents with handwritten entries, such as completed tax documents, the scan even picked up the tiny imperfections left behind by a ballpoint pen. This scanner works excellently for scanning receipts, too, but we did notice that the FastFoto adds a slight bit of saturation when scanning receipt paper.

Scan Speed

The Epson FastFoto FF-680W is a duplex scanner that can scan both sides of a document in one pass. This unit can cut the time for most scanning jobs in half.

The FastFoto lives up to its name by processing a color scan at a high resolution of 600 DPI in just 14 seconds. We scanned an entire double-sided, 10-page black-and-white document in just 58 seconds, so you can easily scan more than 10 pages per minute. It includes an auto-feed function and a paper output tray, so you can rely on this unit to handle large scanning jobs without extra hassle.

File Management

Despite its advanced features, the FastFoto FF-680W is a very easy scanner to use. Setup is simple: Take it out of the box, plug it into your PC via USB, then go to the manufacturer's website and download the software for your scanner model. The installation process is incredibly straightforward, providing easy-to-understand instructions that you can complete in 10 minutes max.

The only drawback to the FastFoto's usability is the wide array of buttons and indicator lights on the unit itself. You may need to refer to the user manual a few times before operating the scanner becomes second nature. Once you understand its full functionality, though, you can take full advantage of its high-tech features to complete any scanning and image touch-up job efficiently and intuitively. Another bonus is that you can connect it via Wi-Fi rather than USB, letting you place it anywhere in the home or office, even if you have limited desk space.

The quality of a scanner's software can make or break the entire experience. With the Epson FastFoto FF-680W, the excellent software elevates an already superb scanner into one that works like a dream on both PC and Mac. FastFoto provides separate programs for photo and document scans, making it easy to access specialized features for the task you're doing. This keeps everything streamlined, straightforward, and hassle-free.

The FastFoto's ScanSmart program specializes in document scanning and uses the same Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology found in many modern scanners. This makes it possible to search and modify any recognized text in a scanned document. This scanner's OCR is particularly impressive, accurately recognizing all but the messiest handwritten text.

The FastFoto program specializes in optimizing your photo scans. I appreciated just how user-friendly this side of the software turned out to be. Tips fully describe what each setting changes, unlike other scanner software that just throws an assortment of acronyms and jargon your way. This scanner software could make a casual photographer feel like a pro.

Photo Scanning

If accurate recreation of the original color and clarity is a priority, this is the scanner to compare all others to. We were even more impressed with the quality of the FastFoto's photograph scans. It completely nailed the beautiful color gradient of a blue sky, the shifting rich greens of tree leaves, and even recreated the color of a person's skin without washing it out or over-saturating it. There were a couple of instances when the scan was slightly brighter than the source photo, but overall, it creates exceptional digitizations at crisp resolutions.

Should You Buy the Epson FastFoto FF-680W?

The Epson FastFoto FF-680W is the right scanner for you if you are a professional, hobbyist, or even just someone who wants to make the best investment with their hard-earned money. Make no mistake, though: it is an investment. It would be difficult to recommend paying for the FastFoto if you only plan to preserve a few family photos and submit a couple of tax documents each year. However, if you choose this scanner to help you digitize a constant stream of important documents or perfectly captured photographs, it will certainly pay for itself in the long run.

What Other Scanners Should You Consider?

The Epson FastFoto FF-680W is a premium scanner, but not every task calls for the best of the best. Sometimes, you just need something good enough to upload the occasional form or receipt to your computer, and that's where a great budget scanner like the Brother DS-640 comes in. If you still want good scan quality without breaking the bank, plus a solid balance of capabilities overall, the Ricoh ScanSnap iX1300 will do the job for most people.