7 best art scanners for your business
Whether you’re a professional artist searching for ways to digitise your artwork without ruining the quality, or you’re an architect who needs to digitise and share blueprints, then we’ve got just the list for you.
At The Scanner Shop, we understand the importance of finding a scanner that makes your work life that much easier. After all, with the current workplace being so demanding, you need a device that can keep up.
In this guide to the 7 best artwork scanners, we’ve found excellent models for working illustrators, watercolourists, printmakers, galleries and schools (etc.) across the UK. So, in no particular order…
1. Epson Perfection V850 Pro
Price: £870
Resolution: 4800 dpi
Compatibility: Windows & Mac OS
The Epson Perfection V850 Pro is a go-to A4 flatbed when you want reliable colour, clean shadow detail, and the option to scan film alongside flat artwork.
Designed for photographers, artists, and professionals who are looking for unmatched quality scans, it uses Epson’s Dual Lens System (switching between 4800 dpi and 6400 dpi as needed) with a quoted 4.0 Dmax for finer detail and better tonal range.
It also scans various sizes of film, alongside photos and artwork, offering versatility for those who work with different forms of media. The bed covers A4 (216 × 297 mm), and the raised-hinge lid is kinder to sketchbooks and mounted paper.
2. Canon LiDE 400
Price: £78
Resolution: 4800 dpi
Compatibility: Windows & Mac
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly yet highly efficient scanner for a home office, then the Canon LiDE 400 is a worthy option. Slim and compact, this sits nicely on any desk and produces copies of books, documents, and images in one quick process.
The LiDE 400 is popular among illustrators and students who primarily scan flat media types, making it ideal for quick web uploads or Etsy product shots, such as those selling flat wall art prints.
It can scan photos and documents in just 8 seconds up to 21mm thick, with the double hinge Z-Lid feature. It’s especially best for clean linework, pen and ink, graphite, and flat watercolour washes.
3. Plustek OpticSlim 1180
Price: £306
Resolution: 1200 dpi
Compatibility: Windows & Mac
The Plustek OpticSlim 1180 is perfect for posters, zines, sketchbook spreads and larger watercolours. A better choice for hobbyists, this is ideal for home offices rather than high-end photo or artwork scanning.
It takes 8 seconds per page to scan, providing speed for those who require efficient processing. With one-touch operation, it's a fairly simple scanner to navigate, and it features built-in image processing, deskew, auto-crop, and rotate functions to smooth out scans.
With CIS sensor technology, it’s excellent for flat paper and crisp edges.
4. Plustek OpticPro A320E
Price: £543
Resolution: 300 dpi
Compatibility: MacOS
The Plustek OpticPro A320E is on the pricier side, making it perfect for professional artists who need something that can keep up with their various commitments and clientele.
An A3 flatbed scanner with a CCD sensor and a 12" × 17" (304.8 × 431.8 mm) scan area, the Plustek OpticPro is designed to scan large prints, from flat to 2D artwork and photographs. Think posters, watercolour sheets, illustration boards, zines and sketchbook pages.
It offers accurate colour rendition and high dynamic range for top-quality scans. If you work in a publishing company, school, or library, or need a robust scanner for the office, then this is the perfect choice for you.
It’s also compatible with most imaging applications and has a user-friendly interface, so it doesn’t take too long to figure out (even for those who aren’t tech savvy).
5. Epson Expression 13000XL
Price: £3210
Resolution: 2,400 x 4,800 dpi
Compatibility: Mac
This scanner is as top of the range as it gets! The Epson Expression 13000XL is ideal for those who need to constantly scan large pieces of art, whether that’s blueprints or documents for government and medical purposes.
Think of this scanner as coming with all of the benefits of the 12000XL line, but with more benefits, such as excellent SilverFast Ai 9 image-processing software and the ability to scan both negative and positive film and slides. It also comes with features that allow you to remove dust noise and smoothen images, all with 30% Less Power Consumption.
Watercolour texture and soft washes come through cleanly, and it delivers better control in deep tones and more detailed captures of textured papers. Plus, ultra-precise Micro Step Drive technology allows users to capture small details with expert precision.
6. Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus
Price: £1651.20
Resolution: 600 dpi
Compatibility: Windows 7,8,10,11
Again, this scanner is on the more expensive side, but it’s designed for high-usage environments, so you really get the most for your money.
The Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus is ideal for a busy librarian with its book-edge design. Its Shadow Elimination Element, Plustek's patent-pending SEE™, enables it to produce clear images within 2mm of the book spine, utilising optical, mechanical, and software technologies.
In practice, that means sketchbooks, zines, art books and catalogues can be opened to around ninety degrees so they can be scanned flat for a neat and accurate image. With 600 dpi resolution, it retains paper grain and line detail without building unmanageable files, scanning coloured images in just 2.48 seconds.
It also includes a searchable PDF capability, allowing you to find and organise scans in seconds for multiple clients, as well as Book Pavilion book scanning software for auto-cropping and rotation.
7. Epson Expression 13000XL pro
Price: £4018.80
Resolution: 2,400 DPI x 4,800 DPI
Compatibility: Windows 7,8,10,11, Mac OS, and Windows XP
A step up from the Epson Expression 13000 XL, the 13000 XL Pro scanner allows you to digitise both reflective artwork and film on the same station, as well as x-rays with unmatched precision.
It features a 2400 × 4800 dpi resolution with a quoted 3.8 Dmax, providing smooth gradients and enhanced scans of darker colours when scanning washes, graphite, and detailed linework for print or archiving.
What makes it “Pro” is the Transparency Unit that replaces the standard lid. Clip that on and you can handle negatives and slides up to 12" × 16.5", covering everything from 35 mm strips and mounted slides to 120 roll film and 4×5 sheets.
It also pairs well with SilverFast Ai, but Epson’s own Scan 2 software is perfectly good for getting started, allowing you to adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, etc. You can even use it to set up basic scan presets.
Why buy from The Scanner Shop
At the scanner shop, we know exactly what it takes for an artist to fall in love with their scanner.
From colour accuracy to speed and portability, we have something for every professional, no matter what budget you’re working with.
Browse our range of art scanners today to find the perfect match for your work life. Or, take a look at our refurbished scanners, so you can enjoy all of the same features for half of the price.
