Do Your Printed Photos Need a Separate Flatbed Scanner?

Product guide October 25, 2026

The black Perfection V39 II is a computer-connected flatbed scanner.

Keep an adequate scanner or phone workflow. Consider the Epson V39 II for recurring copies of printed originals when a connected, manually loaded flatbed fits.

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Keep an adequate scanner you already own. If a phone copy is enough for the occasional paper or photo you want to share, keep doing that, too. A separate flatbed is worth considering when turning printed photos, artwork or paper originals into files becomes a recurring job.

The Epson Perfection V39 II suits a computer-based routine where you are willing to place and handle the originals yourself. For a one-off project, compare using an outside scanning service with doing that work at home before adding another device.

Allow for the handling

This is a flatbed: you put originals on the glass, then replace or turn them as needed. There is no automatic document feeder or automatic double-sided scanning. A stack of two-sided pages still involves manual handling, and reviewing and saving the files remains part of the job.

Epson Perfection V39 II with its lid raised above the empty flatbed glass. — Originals go on the glass by hand; there is no automatic document feeder.

That can fit a routine of copying a few prints or drawings at a time. If your main task is repeatedly processing large stacks of loose paperwork, this is not the hands-off feeding workflow you may be looking for. Do not choose it just because you have a backlog.

Match your originals to the glass

The maximum scan area is 8.5 by 11.7 inches. Compare that with the actual photographs, drawings and papers you want to copy. A larger lid opening does not make the scan area larger.

Manufacturer example of a book on the V39 II with the scanner lid removed. — The removable lid provides access for thicker originals. The book is a prop, not included.

The lid can be removed for access to thicker originals such as books. That does not guarantee a suitable fit or an even result from every binding. Do not force a delicate original flat to make it fit; fragile or irreplaceable materials may need specialist handling. This buying decision concerns printed originals, not film or negatives.

Check the computer before buying

The V39 II connects to a computer and takes power through USB. Plan around that wired connection, not a wireless or standalone scanner. The front buttons also depend on the connected computer and installed scanner software.

Epson V39 II connected by a visible USB cable to a laptop. — Scanning depends on a compatible connected computer. The laptop and screen content are not included or our test results.

Before ordering, check Epson’s current Perfection V39 II support information for your exact operating system and computer processor, including the requirements for the driver and Epson ScanSmart software. Confirm that you can install the required software; downloading it needs an internet connection. A general Windows or Mac label is not enough to establish compatibility.

Epson’s standard box list includes the scanner, a USB cable and a setup poster. Check the supplied cable against your computer’s available ports, and account for any compatible connection accessory you would need separately. The laptop shown here is not part of the purchase.

Leave room for the way you will scan

The built-in stand offers upright placement and storage, but it is not a solution for every original. Epson’s manual says large or thick originals cannot be scanned upright. For those items, allow room for the scanner to lie flat and for the original and open or removed lid.

Rear of the V39 II showing the extended folding stand and a blue direction arrow. — The built-in stand supports upright placement; large or thick originals must be scanned with the scanner flat.

Picture that working space beside the computer, including somewhere to put the originals before and after scanning. A storage spot for the closed scanner is not necessarily enough room to use it.

Buy for a recurring copying routine

Consider the V39 II if you will regularly digitize suitable printed originals, have a compatible computer and accept the manual handling. Keep an adequate existing scanner or phone workflow if it already meets your needs. For occasional projects, outside scanning remains an alternative to owning the equipment.

The linked selection is one black Epson Perfection V39 II, Amazon ASIN B0C35V1CLK. Confirm the selected style reads Perfection V39 II, not the older Perfection V39, and check the seller’s stated contents before ordering.

View the black Epson Perfection V39 II on Amazon

Based on Epson’s product documentation and the matching Amazon listing. These are manufacturer product images and staged examples, not our photographs or test results. We have not tested this scanner or compared its scans with phone captures.