The Kodak ESP-7 is a capable scanning device. The top of the printer lifts to reveal a standard A4 flatbed, as shown in Figure 11. Included software lets you run the text through optical character recognition. Scan quality is good. Although color scans show a slight fading, this can easily be made more vibrant with software.

click to enlarge
Figure 11: The scanning bed.

The scanner produces good quality 2400 ppi scans at 48 bits. One very nice feature is that you can scan multiple pictures simultaneously and the software will automatically make sure each is straight and will scan into a separate file. This is a great feature if you are scanning in a lot of old family photos. Also, the unit lets you scan directly to a memory card or USB stick, which can be quite convenient.

If you like a quite world, the Kodak ESP-7 might be a little jarring. The actual printing is not too loud, but the paper handling can generate a lot of noise. You will definitely hear the paper running through the printer and will also hear the paper trays moving into place.

Copying is easy with the Kodak ESP-7. The touch screen walks you through the number and types of copies that you would like and the copies are adequate for most purposes.  You can copy without a PC.

When you copy a photograph, you can copy in black and white or color. You can also set brightness and preview.

The included Kodak software is easy to use and has many editing tools that allow you to crop, edit,  and adjust your photos. This software also allows you to use the Kodak Perfect Touch processing to restore photos and remove red eye right. This works quite well. There is also a facial retouch editing feature that reduces the appearance of skin blemishes and enhances facial features. While this made a dramatic difference on some photos, it didn’t do much for others.

Kodak sells a Bluetooth adapter for USD 50. You can also purchase an autoduplexer for two-sided printing.