We don’t normally try to take on Google but we decided to do a quick test to compare the digitized output from their Photoscan app with Scancafe’s. Just for our own reference. After all, we pride ourselves on our photo scanning capabilities. If an app claims it can do the job as well and with minimal pain for the user, we are curious to know exactly how it works.
The best place to find out about all things Google is on Nat and Lo’s Youtube channel. This duo has been demystifying various Google technologies and products ranging from search to navigation for a a few years now.
In this video, they talk about how Google has set out to help us digitize our family photos. How do they do it? Simple. With mirrors and a little bit of smoke. Just kidding. It’s all about computational photography, actually. In a nutshell, the app takes a picture of the print photo, breaks it up and then reconstructs it in another frame with the effects of glare removed. One of the app’s selling points is that you can now scan your print photos from albums, frames or wherever they happen to be encased at the moment.
We did a quick test run with a couple of old photos we had on hand. The results are below. The first image in each set is the output from running the image through the app. The second one is what we got from scanning it at our facility.
We think the images speak for themselves. Every photo scanned by us goes through a set of fixes to adjust for the effects of time. What that means is that each photo is color corrected, apart from having any scratches and dust marks digitally removed. The end result is a sharper and brighter image that has also been re-oriented and precisely cropped. A Scancafe technician spends the equivalent of four minutes on a photo to deliver these results. This is all part of our standard set of services. With pictures that are severely damaged, our photo restoration specialists can rebuild them – painstakingly and pixel by pixel.
Other reviewers have also tested the app and found that while it has potential, it still needs work. And for those who want to do more with their scanned photos than view them on their phones, resolution is likely to be an issue with the app. As of now, it doesn’t deliver the quality needed to make frame-worthy prints, photo books or other gifts from digitized images.
To be doubly sure that we were not being swayed by our biases, we asked a few users – a hundred of them, in fact – to tell us about their experience with the app. Approximately half the group (48%) used the app to scan up to 25 photos prior to taking the survey. Another 37% fed up to 100 photos through it.
While the majority of these users (83%) found the app easy to use, most of them (93%) did not plan to re-use it. When probed on their reasons, they pronounced it as either too time consuming (79%) or too tedious to use for a large batch of photos (64%). They also cited glare or haze (31%) and poor color quality (38%) of scanned images as disappointing factors.
We think the Photoscan app is great for small batches that you would like to digitize quickly. A finite bunch of photos for a graduation party collage, say. Or a digital scrapbook for a milestone birthday. But scanning a massive photo collection through the app is not recommended if you want quality or convenience, or both.
What is Google PhotoScan?
Google PhotoScan is a scanner app from Google Photos that allows users to scan and save their favorite printed photos using their phone’s camera. The app is designed to help users digitize their old photos and preserve them for future generations by leveraging the quality of the phone camera.
With Google PhotoScan, users can create enhanced digital scans of their printed photos, which can be stored and organized in the Google Photos app. This makes it easy to keep your cherished memories safe and accessible, all in one place.
Create Enhanced Digital Scans with Google PhotoScan
Photo scan with Google PhotoScan is a straightforward process. The app uses your phone’s camera to capture multiple images of the printed photo, which are then stitched together to produce a high-quality digital scan.
The app provides a step-by-step capture flow to ensure that users get the best possible results. Users can also apply filters and advanced editing controls to enhance their scanned photos. This means you can adjust colors, remove glare, and make other tweaks to ensure your digital scans look picture perfect.
Creating Enhanced Digital Scans with Google Photoscan
Google Photoscan is a powerful tool for creating enhanced digital scans of your favorite printed photos. With its advanced technology, you can scan photos quickly and easily using your phone’s camera. The app’s step-by-step capture flow ensures that you get glare-free scans with automatic cropping based on edge detection.
Additionally, the app’s perspective correction feature ensures that your scans are straight and rectangular, making them look like they were scanned with a professional scanner.
To create enhanced digital scans with Google Photoscan, simply follow these steps:
- Open the Google Photoscan app and select the photo you want to scan.
- Position the photo directly above the scanner and as close as possible to avoid glare and blurring.
- Take multiple images of the photo, following the app’s prompts to ensure that the entire photo is captured.
- The app will automatically stitch the images together to create a single, high-quality scan.
- Use the app’s advanced editing controls to enhance the scan, including adjusting the brightness, contrast, and saturation.
With these simple steps, you can easily digitize your favorite printed photos and create enhanced digital scans that are perfect for sharing and preserving.
Google Photos App Features and Results
The Google Photos app offers a range of features that make it easy to scan and organize printed photos. With the app, users can create enhanced digital scans of their favorite printed photos, which can be stored and organized in the app. The app also provides advanced editing controls, allowing users to enhance and customize their scanned photos.
Additionally, the app offers smart rotation, perspective correction, and glare-free scans, ensuring that users get high-quality digital scans of their printed photos. These features help you achieve a professional look without needing specialized equipment.
Comparison with Traditional Scanning Methods
Google Photoscan offers several advantages over traditional scanning methods. For one, it’s much faster and more convenient than using a flatbed scanner. With Google Photoscan, you can scan photos quickly and easily using your phone’s camera, without having to worry about setting up a scanner or dealing with cables.
Additionally, Google Photoscan produces high-quality scans that are comparable to those produced by traditional scanners. The app’s advanced technology ensures that your scans are glare-free and have automatic cropping based on edge detection, making them look like they were scanned with a professional scanner.
However, it’s worth noting that Google Photoscan may not be suitable for creating high-quality digital archives of old photos. For this purpose, a traditional scanner may still be the best option. But for quick and easy scanning of favorite printed photos, Google Photoscan is a great choice. It’s perfect for digitizing photos for social media, digital scrapbooks, or sharing with family and friends.
User Experience and Feedback
Overall, users have reported a positive experience with Google PhotoScan, particularly appreciating how the app utilizes the phone’s camera to scan and save printed photos effectively. The app is easy to use and intuitive, making it simple for users to scan and organize their printed photos. Users have also praised the app’s advanced editing controls and smart rotation features, which allow for greater flexibility and customization.
However, some users have noted that the app’s scans can be prone to compression artifacts and distortion, particularly if the printed photo is not properly aligned or if there is flash glare. Despite these limitations, Google PhotoScan remains a popular choice for users looking to digitize their old photos and preserve them for future generations.
Limitations and Future Improvements
While Google Photoscan is a powerful tool for scanning photos, it does have some limitations. For one, the app’s scans are not suitable for printing or viewing on a large screen. Additionally, the app’s stitching process can distort the shape of the photo, especially if there is flash glare.
To address these limitations, Google could consider improving the app’s image quality and reducing the compression artifacts that can occur during the stitching process. Additionally, the app could benefit from more advanced editing controls, such as the ability to adjust the color balance and noise reduction.
Despite these limitations, Google Photoscan is still a great tool for scanning photos quickly and easily. And with future improvements, it could become an even more powerful tool for creating enhanced digital scans. The potential for updates and enhancements means that users can look forward to even better performance and features in the future.
Is Google Photo Scanner Worth Using?
Overall, Google Photoscan is a great tool for scanning photos quickly and easily. Its advanced technology ensures that you get high-quality scans with automatic cropping based on edge detection, and its step-by-step capture flow makes it easy to use. While it may not be suitable for creating high-quality digital archives of old photos, it’s a great choice for scanning favorite printed photos and sharing them with family and friends.
If you’re looking for a convenient and easy-to-use photo scanning app, Google Photoscan is definitely worth considering. With its advanced technology and user-friendly interface, it’s a great tool for anyone who wants to digitize their favorite printed photos and share them with others. Whether you’re creating a digital scrapbook, a photo collage, or just preserving memories, Google Photoscan makes the process simple and efficient.