The Epson Expression 12000XL Graphic Arts Scanner ($2,859.99) is a flatbed scanner built for professionals who regularly make high-quality scans of photos and graphics at up to tabloid size. And in our testing, the 12000XL-GA produced magnificent scans of photo prints and illustrations at reasonably fast speeds. For graphic artists, design firms, and others who need large-format scanning of reflective art at high resolution, it's a good choice that is well worth its considerable price tag.

Design and Features

The model reviewed here (the 12000XL-GA ($3,299.00 at Amazon) ) is one of two configurations of the same scanner. For photographers who need to scan slides and film (both positive and negative), the Epson Expression 12000XL Photo Scanner, aka 12000XL-PH ($3,429.99), adds a 12.2-by-16-inch transparency unit, capable of scanning up to 48 frames of 35mm negatives, 30 slides, eight frames of 4-by-5 transparencies, or six medium-format transparency strips up to 18 centimeters long. This transparency unit is also offered as a $699.99 option for the 12000XL-GA, but you can save more than $100 by just buying the 12000XL-PH instead.

The 12000XL-GA is a large flatbed photo scanner, measuring 6.2 by 25.8 by 18 inches (HWD) and weighing 31.5 pounds. Its scan area measures 12.2 by 17.2 inches, just larger than tabloid size (11 by 17 inches). Maximum optical resolution is 2,400 by 4,800 dpi. As for controls, the scanner has just a single Scan button; you can also launch scans from within the included utilities.

The scanner's ColorTrue II imaging system combines LED lighting with Epson MatrixCCD scan technology. The scanner's LED-based light source has two advantages over the cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) that most scanners use: it eliminates warm-up time, and is mercury free.

You can connect the scanner to a computer via USB 2.0 with an included cable. The 12000XL-GA is compatible with both Windows and Mac. I tested it with its drivers and software installed on a Core i5 PC running Windows 10 Professional.

Setup and Software

Setup is as easy as it gets. You download the driver and scan utility (Epson Scan 2) from a URL given in the quick-start guide, plug the printer in (a light will go green when it's ready), and then connect the scanner to a computer with the supplied USB 2.0 cable.

Software includes the aforementioned Epson Scan 2 utility download, as well as a box containing SilverFast Ai IT8, similar to the SilverFast Ai Studio 8 that we reviewed in 2014 but not quite as full-featured. Even with this more basic version, it's easy to see why our reviewer dubbed the Ai Studio 8 the Photoshop of scan utilities, as its capability—and complexity—go far beyond what we see in most manufacturers' scan utilities. One shortfall of the included SilverFast version is that unlike in the Studio 8 version, although you can batch-scan multiple prints placed on the platen, it won't automatically set frames for them, so you have to create the frames by hand using a tool.

Scan Quality and Speed

I tested the 12000XL-GA using both the Epson Scan 2 utility and SilverFast Ai IT8, scanning photos and illustrations at sizes ranging from 2 by 3 inches to 11 by 17 inches and resolutions from 200dpi to 1,200dpi. Documents scanned included our usual test prints and graphics, as well as large-format material including photos representing a variety of lighting conditions, as well as several spreads from a book. Overall scan quality was excellent; the 12000XL-GA did particularly well in showing detail in dark areas, and colors were surprisingly true, even at default settings.

Using Epson Scan 2, to prescan and scan an 8.5-by-11-inch image at 300dpi averaged just 22 seconds, while an 11-by-17-inch image, also at 300dpi, took 30 seconds. Switching to SilverFast, scanning to 300dpi TIFF averaged 44 seconds for a 4-by-6 print, and 58 seconds for an 8.5-by-11.

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Conclusion

The Epson Expression 12000XL Graphic Arts Scanner is a formidable flatbed scanner for graphic artists, photographers, and designers who need to make high-resolution scans of photos, illustrations, or pages at up to tabloid size. It can also scan multiple small prints at once, saving each to its own file. The 12000XL-GA comes with both the company's own Epson Scan 2 utility and SilverFast Ai IT8, a more full-featured scanning program.

If you need to scan slides and film in addition to tabloid-size photos and graphics, you may want to spring for the Epson 12000XL-PH, which includes a transparency unit that lets you scan large numbers of negatives, slides, and positive transparencies at once. Another option would be to get the 12000XL-GA plus a film scanner such as the Editors' Choice Epson Perfection V800 Photo ($899.00 at Amazon) . Even on its own, the 12000XL-GA is pricey enough that, unless money is no object, you should only get it if you really need to scan large-format reflective art. But if that is your intended use, the 12000XL-GA does a fine job, and is easy to recommend.

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Further Reading

• How We Test Scanners
• Top Tips for Preserving Your Photos
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• Microsoft App Turns Your Phone Into a 3D Scanner
• Get Organized: Choose the Right Scanner for Going Paperless