Epson V800 vs V850 — The 5 Differences and Which You Should Buy
So you’re ready to buy a very high-quality flatbed scanner to digitize your analog prints and film. Still, now you're having difficulty deciding between the Epson Perfection V800 Photo and the Epson Perfection V850 Pro Photo Scanners. Don't feel bad. Unless you're already extremely knowledgeable about high-end scanners, let me tell you, it's extremely difficult to understand which model will give you the most benefits and value for your photo collection by just comparing the sales and specifications pages.
Whether you or an avid hobby photographer, a true professional, or just want to get all the quality you can out of your prints and film, either one of these models will give you exceptional results. But I want to help you feel confident you'll make the right choice. Below, in plain English that will make it very easy to understand, I've written out and explained in detail the 5 differences between the two models.
The Epson V850 vs V800 — The 5 Important Differences
Higher Image Quality
If you've stared at photos of the V800 Photo and the V850 Pro, you've probably noticed they look fairly identical right? This is, in fact, because other than the identifying name written across the top right front of each device, their physical casing is exactly the same for both.
However, inside, it's a little different. Both scanners are equipped with a Dual Lens System — unique to their current lineup's V800 series of scanners. (This system was also available in the V700 series; the V800 series was later replaced) This means when you scan a paper print, the scanner will automatically use a high-resolution lens capable of 4800 dpi (optical). And when you are scanning film in the included film holders, it will then automatically choose a second “super-resolution” lens capable of scanning at 6400 dpi (optical).
You won't find a two-lens setup like this on even the next model down in the lineup — the single-lens-only Epson Perfection V600 Photo. But, with the flagship V850 Pro model, Epson decided to take the image quality one step higher by adding what they call “High Pass Optics.” The purpose of the 850 Pro is to pull out every last possible amount of quality from the scanner using some additional internal design refinements to ensure minimum optical distortion:
- Anti-reflective coatings on the optics
- High-reflection coatings on the mirrors
In an interview with Mark Roslon, Senior Product Manager of Epson America, Inc. states about the V850 Pro:
“The V850 has all of the little extras that we know how to do to make that image quality better. The structure of the two scanners are identical, but the V850 Pro has anti-reflection coatings on the optics, and high-reflection coatings on the mirrors, that simply eek out the last bit of image quality we can get from that system.”
To put it simply, by coating these surfaces in this manner, they can reduce the amount of stray light they don't want getting inside the lenses and increase the amount of light they want bouncing off the mirrors. This means, theoretically, your images will be even more accurate because the scanner has to do less work to process out obscurities unintentionally captured by the lenses.
Faster Scanning Times
Because the case and components of the V800 Photo and V850 Pro are nearly identical, you wouldn't think there would be any speed difference in how long an identical scan would take to complete with either model. However, while continuing to speak about the improved image quality of the V850 Pro, Mark Roslon also adds:
“[The V850 Pro] will also scan a little bit faster because we know the processor understands the data coming in is cleaner, that there is less processing to do to make sure that image is very precise, so we can run it a little bit faster because of it.”
I'm sorry to say I don't have access to both scanners side-by-side to do a speed test with identical settings and photographs. Owning both models would be quite a luxury, wouldn't it! But I've read multiple sources back when these models were released that says the V850 Pro scans 33% faster than the V800 Photo. If anyone finds evidence to back this up or prove otherwise, I would be very interested in hearing from you so I can modify this post and link to the supporting write-up(s).
Additional Film Holders
Both the V800 Photo and V850 Pro come with film holders to make straightening and flattening your film easier while scanning. The difference, however, is that inside the box of the V850 Pro, you will find a surprise.
- The V800 Photo comes with a single set of 4 film holders.
- The V850 Pro comes with not one but exactly two sets of 4 film holders (a total of 8).
The film holders are actually new and improved over those sold with the previous V700 and V750 models. This happened based on customer feedback that the holders should be more rigid this time.
Each set comes with one of each of the following holders:
- 35mm mounted slides — holds 12 frames
- 35mm film strips — holds three strips (up to 18 frames)
- Medium-format strip – holds one frame (up to 6 x 20cm)
- 4-inch x 5-inch frame – holds one frame
Why would you need two sets of film holders?
In real-world film scanning, you're dealing with a workflow like the following:
- Load your film into a film holder
- Wait for the scanner to scan the film in the holder
- Remove the holder from the scanner bed
- Empty the film from the holder
- Start this process over by re-loading more film
If you're not busy dusting off your next batch of film you want to scan or giving your last scanned images specific filenames in your computer, with a second set of film holders, you could save time by filling up a second film holder while the first one is finishing up being scanned. Having an extra set of film holders makes it possible to increase your ability for greater productivity.
Different Scanning Software
It may not be completely apparent by reading the dense “Overview” sales pages of the Epson V800 Photo and V850 Pro, but both of these scanners actually come with two different pieces of scanning software. You are free to use whichever you would like — or even both. First, you get a copy of Epson Scan, an adequate and easy-to-use application made by Epson. It's included with all models of their Perfection Photo scanner lineup. Secondly, you also get a copy of LaserSoft Imaging's SilverFast scanning software. But, depending on which scanner model you buy, there's a slight difference in which version is included:
| Epson V800 Photo | SilverFast SE |
|---|---|
| Epson V850 Pro | SilverFast SE Plus |
At the time I'm finishing up this article, this currently is all you learn from the Overview sales pages on Epson's website. One is SilverFast SE, and the other is SilverFast SE Plus. But what are their differences? Do you really need SE Plus, or will SE be adequate for your scanning needs? For those unfamiliar with SilverFast, here's all the information I've compiled for you to help you make an easier purchasing decision.
SilverFast SE vs SilverFast SE Plus (The Differences)
If you don't include their SilverFast software written to control very specialized high-end scanners — such as Heidelberg drum scanners and medical x-ray film scanners — there are basically three versions of their scanning software SilverFast you need to know about. In order of features included, they are SilverFast SE, SilverFast SE Plus, and then their highest version is SilverFast Ai Studio. All three are calibrated to work well with the Epson V800 series of scanners.
SilverFast SE
Comes with V800 Photo (Retail Price USD $49 — if bought separately)
- SE is their “entry level” scanning software for “uncomplicated and professional scanning specifically designed for beginners.”
SilverFast SE Plus
Comes with V850 Pro (Retail Price USD $119 — if bought separately)
- All of the features included with SilverFast SE.
- Also includes the following important functionality for advanced users:
| Multi-Exposure | Increases the scanner's Dynamic Range, removes image noise and captures more details especially in dark areas of the image. “SilverFast Multi-Exposure records an original's maximum Dynamic Range by performing a double scan with an increased exposure time of the second scan. This procedure captures the light image area's details in the first pass and the shadow details in the second. Afterwards an algorithm calculates the final scan, which now contains any detail, from each single scan.” |
|---|---|
| Kodochrome Features | Scanning Kodochrome slides can be challenging and often leaves them with a bluish tint. “By implementing improved Kodachrome routines, it's finally possible to achieve high-quality scans of Kodachrome slides with the highest possible Dynamic Range, color calibrated and free of bluecast, dust and scratches.” |
| Auto Frame Alignment | Works in unison with the “Automatic Frame Detection” feature (Also available in ‘SilverFast SE' to “align the frames in a rectangular order with a single mouse click.”
|
Printer Calibration (Sold Separately) Includes the ability to use LaserSoft's Printer Calibration software with SilverFast (Optional – software sold separately). “Output or printer calibration is very useful when the task is to reproduce an image via printer under the condition of keeping the colors and hues as original and predictable as possible. Without creating an appropriate ICC profile that takes into account the printer, ink cartridges, and paper used, the task is almost impossible. The SilverFast 8 Printer Calibration is an exclusive feature for calibrating the printer using a flatbed scanner, which is appropriate for professionals and beginners due to its easy handling and smart price-performance ratio.” (Printer Calibration only works with the SilverFast SE Plus and SilverFast Ai Studio versions)
Included Scanner Calibration Software
Finally, the last difference with the V850 Pro is you will get the “X-Rite i1Scanner with reflective/transparent IT8 targets.” The Epson product listing makes it sound like you are getting a separate hardware scanning device. But, you are actually getting another piece of software called “X-Rite i1Scanner” and IT8 targets that work with it. These two go hand-in-hand to calibrate your scanner for color accuracy. The process has you scan the flat IT8 target with your V800 series scanner. The i1Scanner software then analyzes this scanned file and compares it to a reference file associated with your color target. The difference between the two is mapped into a “color profile” that is assigned to you that you can now use with your scanning software. The i1Scanner software will work with the Epson V800 Photo if you were wondering. it just isn't included with the purchase of one.
Final Thoughts
If you were at all confused before about how the Epson V800 Photo and V850 Pro are different, I certainly hope I was able to clear things up for you. If you still have questions, let me know in the comments below.
 |  |
|---|---|
|
Epson Perfection V800 Photo |
Epson Perfection V850 Professional |
Thank you so much for the article. It helped me to expand my knowledge.
The film holders are adequate but not the best in my opinion. Do you know by any chance if anyone makes aftermarket film holders?
Again thank you for your information
Nando from New England
They aren’t cheap, but I’m a big fan of the Lomography DigitaLIZA masks. I have 2 each for 35mm and for 120 so I can load one while the other is scanning. By far the quickest and most consistent process I’ve tried
https://shop.lomography.com/us/digitaliza-120-scanning-mask
https://shop.lomography.com/us/digitaliza-35-mm-scanning-mask
Thanks for the information
I am selling my Epson 800 and now doing digital camera scanning.
why ?
Hi Curtis
Excellent explanation about what esch model offers and their capabilities.
Thank you very much!
I want to be able to scan 8×10 B&W film on the V850 scanner. There is no holder for this. Can I scan directly on the glass glass? If not, how do I get the sharpest possible scan from 8×10 film?
Can I scan 35mm film strips of 6 frames on the glass, without putting them in the holder? Is the scanning area large enough to take 6 or 7 of these film strips? Can the focus plane be adjusted to scan negatives like this, rather than putting them in the film holders?
You can scan with V700 negative holders which hold 6 strips of 6 negs.
Hi, I could certainly use someones help with an issue. Just setup my new V850 today on a powerful Windows 10 Enterprise PC desktop. Downloaded and installed the latest Epson software, used the same settings in EpsonScan that are on my (still in use) V800 connected to a 15 year old Windows XP laptop. It takes approx 45 seconds to scan two 35mm slides on the 800 (@2400 DPI) BUT… takes 1min 45 seconds on the 850. More than twice as long. I would have expected the opposite. I have tested with both for about 2 hours with the same results. Epson tech support has no answers for me. Any suggestions?
Hi! Did you ever figure this out? Which scanner do you like better now that you have used both?
Are you using the same resolution scan? Check to see that the resolution is not just set to Auto. Also note that the high resolutions are different.
Hi Curtis,
I am an artist and I am interested in buying an Epson scanner to be able to digitise my artwork for big high quality prints and for digital products (e.g. huge watercolour textures for graphic design needs). I am considering V600 and V850.
I already have an old scanner and a mirrorless camera with macro lens and I use it for bigger work, heavily textured work and works that have gold reflective elements. I need to upgrade my old CanoScan lide 600F scanner for the best possible scanner out there that I would be happy with for years.
The main purpose – to be able to scan my smaller works/studies on a slightly deformed waterolour paper to have that option for a quicker workflow (instead of setting up my camera, lighting, and positioning artworks). I need to scan my artwork at 1200dpi as I would like to have the ability to print big. My work is watercolours and sometimes shiny acrylics.
I am wondering the following:
1. My main concern is – will any of these scanners be able to scan works on wavy slightly deformed watecolour paper? I’ve been using CanoScan lide 600F and I often get blurred parts where the paper is impossible to press down perfectly. I believe it is the restriction of CIS sensor. So my question is will the V600 and V850 models with CCD sensor work for that purpose better?
2. Is it possible to determine if the texture of watercolour paper will appear on a scan? I’ve heard from an artist that there is this option to scan or to not scan the texture in V600 (if I am not mistaken), is it correct? What about V850?
3. Is it possible to scan much bigger artworks on stretched canvases with these scanners? Are lids removable? Would the scan be in focus even if the painting is not touching the glass? (There are borders around the glass meaning that big artwork on stretched canvas can’t be pressed down). I’ve heard people are able to scan up to 18” x 24” using V600, but I couldn’t find precise info (whether a lid was removed and whether a painting was pressed down or if it was on a stretched canvas).
5. Which scanner would produce more accurate colours of the originals? And which scanning software would be best for my purpose in this case? I also use Photoshop/Lightroom for colour correcting, but if scanning software would make it quicker, that would be nice.
I would be so happy if you could answer to these questions and help me to decide on the best option for me. Would V600 be enough or should I go for V850?
Thank you so much in advance if you will have time to answer!
Here is example of a print: https://www.eclosque.com/prints/effuse-abstract-fine-art-print
And here is an example of one of my textures pack: https://www.eclosque.com/digital/heartful-watercolour-textures
Hi Anastasia! Did you ever get one of these scanners and did it work out for you? Love your work. I want to scan photographs but there is a few artwork pieces of my daughters that I would like to digitize.
Hi Roxanne! Thank you for your kind words. Yes, I’ve got V600 and I’m very happy with it! I can scan slightly wavy works, I can either scan with or without paper texture and I also found a way to remove the scanner lid to be able to scan big canvas! (It’s not very easy and official ha, but totally doable). It picks up details wonderfully and much better than my old scanner (which was great for me too until I tried V600). I hope that helps!
what do you do to remove the paper texture? i have an v550
Hi. I have been using an Epson V850 pro scanner for some years now, and was able to get really good quality hi-res scans using the Epson Scan software. I have since upgraded my OS software to macOS Catalina – 10.15.7 – and can now ONLY run Epson Scan 2 software – which in my view is absolute rubbish as after several days of trying to get it to achieve what I want, I simply cannot!! Any thoughts, hints or tips in this regard – or recommendations on scanning software for my set-up?
Hi Curtis
Really helpful article – many thanks.
I’m currently scanning photo slides via the V800 photo and am about to embark on a major project of scanning up to 20,000 colour slides many to be used for publication in a book. Some of the photos will be around A3 size. What settings do you recommend for these scans. I have been scanning at 400dpi and 1750% creating image size of approx 150 MB. Is this good enough for professional publication of large photos. We’re also wanting to create much larger photos at a later date – are you able to recommend a suitable setting for dpi and size?
Finally, should I purchase the V850 pro to improve the quality of my scans?
Many thanks
Kevin Williams
You should be using a film scanner. because you have so many slides. See if you can get a used Nikon scanner (the 5000 is better than the 4000) with an automatic slide feeder. They do at least 36 at a time. So you can walk away from it. Minolta was the best slide scanner however they were tricky. So only get one that you can return if it does not work. If you can find an Imacon , it is THE BEST but very pricy. (if you use one, look into wet scanning from ScanScience in Canada. The epson also ha a way to do wet scanning. Imacon is also a bit tricky to work with and slower to load than using a nikon with bulk feeder. Scan them at the largest size you can and at 16 bit. The nikons do 4000 dpi and the minolta about 20% larger. Both have a scratch and dust removal feature, which is great. I used it at the lowest level. if you slides are untouched, then you don’t nee this, but most likely you will need it. Do a test at the larges size scan and then look carefully at it in photoshop or other app to see how much retouching it will need. when you scan with any scanner, Use only a maximum size equal to the native scanning capability. specs are often given with two values 800 / 1600 dpi. Use the lower one. The upper one means it is interpolated to be larger. you can do this in photoshop IF you need it. If not, then no reason to degrade the original scan by making it larger.
The Epson scanners only have a resolution of 2300 for 35mm (about 6.7MP). So, if you set the scans higher you only get large bloated files with no extra detail (as the optical lenses are the real limitation, not the electronics, so the scans look somewhat out of focus on an HD monitor). Manufacturer specs tend to boast about the high CCD resolution and hide the low optical resolution (very misleading).
Moderately priced film scanners are available that will do 4100-4300 (about 23-24MP, sufficient to resolve grain and dye clusters and display crisply on a 4K UHD TV or quite well with some scaling on an 8K UHD TV).
Pacific Image (aka. Reflecta in Europe) have a variety of models with varying degrees of automation (manual is the cheapest). They seem to give good results (search for brand/model on Flickr to see examples), but there are reports of poor build quality (may not be long lived and reliable).
But market choices are now very limited. Nikon quit in 2009 and running a secondhand Coolscan will likely require the software driver and software to be installed in a virtual machine due to incompatibilities with modern OS. They are very expensive compared to the modern units when found new (up to 10x the price), have slightly less resolution but better shadow detail retrieval (and are solidly built). I suspect even a secondhand unit will cost significantly more than a modern alternative.
Some informative reviews and comparisons are posted on filmscanner(dot)info. The site is a bit eccentric: awkward dense wordy phrasing; no mention of supported colour gamut (no reviews or scanner spec sheets ever mention this very important specification, and some scanners are locked to sRGB which is significantly less colour range than film, modern monitors and TVs); sample scans are displayed as tiny 256 colour GIF files, etc. But still, a good start on getting a handle on what’s available.