LaserSoft Imaging
LaserSoft Imaging AG, founded 1986 in Kiel, Germany, develops SilverFast, a perpetual-license suite of professional scanner and digital imaging software for digitizing analog photographs, slides, and negatives, distributed direct, via resellers, and bundled with eight scanner OEMs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersKiel, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What LaserSoft Imaging does
LaserSoft Imaging AG is a privately held German software company founded in 1986 in Kiel by Karl-Heinz Zahorsky, inventor of the SilverFast product line. The company develops and sells SilverFast, a suite of professional scanner and digital imaging software used to digitize analog photographic material — slides, negatives, Kodachromes, and prints — with an emphasis on color accuracy, dynamic range, and dust/scratch correction. SilverFast supports scanners from eight major OEMs (Canon, Epson, Microtek, Minolta, Nikon, Pacific Image Electronics, Plustek, Reflecta), and its patented ExpressScan technology is granted in the US, Europe, and Hong Kong. The product portfolio spans six software tiers (SilverFast SE, SE Plus, Ai Studio for scanning; HDR and HDR Studio for image processing; Archive Suite as a bundled solution), plus the SRDx Photoshop plug-in, IT8 calibration targets, and B2B Special Solutions for enterprise workflows.
The business operates on a perpetual-license model, with software individually calibrated to each supported scanner model and distributed through a mix of direct e-commerce, a global reseller network, and OEM bundling agreements. The company maintains a small team (11-50 employees), a wholly-owned US subsidiary (LaserSoft Imaging Inc.) for North American logistics, and localized websites in 12 languages. Customer segments are primarily professional photographers (e.g., published endorser Frank Doorhof), film enthusiasts digitizing personal archives, and organizations with image-preservation requirements. No external funding rounds, M&A activity, or public-market events are recorded; the company has operated continuously and founder-controlled since 1986, with active software releases continuing through SilverFast 9.2.9 in June 2026.
LaserSoft Imaging firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LaserSoft Imaging
- Legal name
- LaserSoft Imaging AG
- Website
- https://silverfast.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LaserSoft Imaging AG, founded 1986 in Kiel, Germany, develops SilverFast, a perpetual-license suite of professional scanner and digital imaging software for digitizing analog photographs, slides, and negatives, distributed direct, via resellers, and bundled with eight scanner OEMs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LaserSoft Imaging industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Image Scanning Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Photo Printers & Dedicated Imaging Printers (HDACAEAG)
Keywords
Where LaserSoft Imaging is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kiel
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
LaserSoft Imaging business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Scanner Software Licenses: SilverFast scanner software is sold as perpetual licenses. Each license is individually adjusted to a specific scanner model and cannot be used with other scanner models. SilverFast 9 allows changing the scanner model for an existing license to an equivalent model free of charge twice.
- Digital Imaging Software Licenses: SilverFast HDR and HDR Studio software sold as standalone perpetual licenses for image processing without scanning hardware.
- SilverFast Archive Suite: Complete software package combining SilverFast Ai Studio and SilverFast HDR Studio for scanning and image processing.
- IT8 Targets and Calibration Products: Physical calibration targets and reference data for professional scanner calibration.
- Additional Licenses: Additional SilverFast licenses for using multiple scanners simultaneously available at reduced conditions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | SilverFast SE - Entry-level scanner software |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | SilverFast SE Plus - Enhanced scanner software |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | SilverFast Ai Studio - Professional scanner software |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | SilverFast HDR - Digital imaging software |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | SilverFast HDR Studio - Professional digital imaging |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | SilverFast Archive Suite - Complete solution |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
LaserSoft Imaging product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LaserSoft Imaging develops and sells the SilverFast family of scanner and digital imaging software for digitizing analog photographs, slides, negatives, and Kodachromes. Each edition is individually adjusted to every supported scanner model, and the company also offers IT8 color calibration targets, a Resolution Target, an SRDx Photoshop plug-in, an Archive Suite, an E-Book, All-in-One bundles co-shipped with scanners, and a dedicated B2B Special Solutions line for industry customers.
Product overview
LaserSoft Imaging develops SilverFast, a comprehensive suite of scanner and digital imaging software made in Germany since 1986. The product portfolio centers on the SilverFast scanner software line (SE, SE Plus, Ai Studio) for digitizing photos, slides, negatives, and Kodachromes, complemented by SilverFast HDR and HDR Studio for high dynamic range image processing. The SilverFast Archive Suite bundles Ai Studio with HDR Studio as a complete scanning and archiving solution. Additional offerings include the SRDx Photoshop plug-in for dust and scratch removal, IT8 calibration targets, resolution targets, and an e-book by the founder. The company also provides B2B special solutions for industry and business applications, supporting scanners from major manufacturers including Canon, Epson, Microtek, Minolta, Nikon, Pacific Image Electronics, Plustek, and Reflecta.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SilverFast SE: Entry-level scanner software for digitizing photographic material with essential scanning and image optimization tools.
- SilverFast SE Plus
- SilverFast Ai Studio
- SilverFast HDR
- SilverFast HDR Studio
- SilverFast Archive Suite
- SRDx
- IT8 Targets
Products and services
- SilverFast SE Entry-level edition of the SilverFast scanner and digital imaging software, providing core scanning, image optimization, and color calibration features for individual users of supported flatbed and film scanners.
- SilverFast SE Plus Mid-tier edition of the SilverFast scanner and digital imaging software with additional features beyond SE for more demanding individual scanner users.
- SilverFast Ai Studio Top-tier edition of the SilverFast scanner and digital imaging software, providing the most advanced scanning, optimization, and color management features for professional and prosumer users.
- SilverFast HDR SilverFast HDR scanning software for high dynamic range capture from film and slide originals.
- SilverFast HDR Studio Advanced SilverFast HDR scanning software for professional high-dynamic-range capture from film and slides.
- SilverFast Archive Suite SilverFast Archive Suite software for archival and long-term preservation digitization workflows.
- SRDx Photoshop plug-in SRDx plug-in for Adobe Photoshop that performs scratch and dust removal on scanned images.
- IT8 Targets IT8 color calibration targets used together with SilverFast to calibrate scanners and ensure color-accurate output.
- Resolution Target Resolution Target used to test and verify the optical resolution of scanners supported by SilverFast.
- SilverFast E-Book Digital E-Book published by LaserSoft Imaging covering scanner imaging and SilverFast techniques.
- All-in-One Solutions Bundled SilverFast software editions co-shipped with supported scanners as All-in-One packages for end customers.
- SilverFast Special Solutions (B2B) Enterprise SilverFast Special Solutions tailored for business and industry customers requiring specialized scanning and imaging workflows for quality management and commercial use.
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 100% faster scans for flatbed scanners with ExpressScan feature
Companies that use LaserSoft Imaging
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
LaserSoft Imaging technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability2 records
Feature6 records
LaserSoft Imaging partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Concardis GmbHminorPayment service provider for card payments (debit/checking/credit card) processing. Handles purchase amount, purchase date, and card data. Data stored only during payment process (including chargeback handling) for up to 13 months.
- Mollie B.V.minorPayment service provider for processing payments in the online shop. Handles payment data including bank details, credit card information, invoice amount, transaction data, and IP address depending on selected payment method.
- PlustekcoreScanner manufacturer partnership. SilverFast software is individually adjusted for Plustek scanners including OpticFilm series, OpticSlim series, and OpticBook series.
- EpsoncoreScanner manufacturer partnership. SilverFast supports Epson scanners including Perfection series, Expression series, WorkForce series, and others.
- Pacific Image Electronics (PIE)coreScanner manufacturer partnership. SilverFast supports PIE scanners including PrimeFilm series, PowerFilm series, and PowerSlide series.
- CanoncoreScanner manufacturer partnership. SilverFast software supports Canon scanners.
- NikoncoreScanner manufacturer partnership. SilverFast supports Nikon scanners including LS series slide scanners.
- MicrotekcoreScanner manufacturer partnership. SilverFast software supports Microtek scanners including ScanMaker series.
- MinoltacoreScanner manufacturer partnership. SilverFast software supports Minolta scanners including Dimage series.
- ReflectacoreScanner manufacturer partnership. SilverFast supports Reflecta scanners including DigitDia series.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights5 records
LaserSoft Imaging competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Plustek: Plustek manufactures dedicated film and book scanners (OpticFilm, OpticSlim, OpticBook series) and bundles its own QuickScan/MacroVue software. SilverFast is offered as an individually calibrated premium alternative for Plustek owners.
- Pacific Image Electronics (PIE): Pacific Image Electronics produces PrimeFilm, PowerFilm, and PowerSlide dedicated film scanners and ships CyberView as bundled software. SilverFast competes head-to-head with CyberView for the dedicated film scanner user base.
- Hamrick Software (VueScan): Hamrick Software is the developer of VueScan, the most widely recognized third-party scanner software alternative to SilverFast. Both products target professional and enthusiast users seeking enhanced control and color accuracy across a wide range of flatbed and film scanners.
Broad incumbents
- Nikon (Nikon Scan / Nikon Coolscan software): Nikon ships dedicated scanning software (historically Nikon Scan and Coolscan drivers) for its film and slide scanners such as the LS-9000 series. SilverFast is an alternative for Nikon scanner owners, making Nikon both a partner and a competing software path.
- Epson (Epson Scan): Epson bundles Epson Scan with its Perfection, Expression, and WorkForce scanner lines, providing a free baseline alternative to SilverFast for Epson scanner owners while also partnering to recommend SilverFast as a premium upgrade.
- Capture One: Capture One is a professional photo editing and tethered capture platform used by commercial photographers. While focused on digital capture workflows, its color grading and editing tools overlap with SilverFast HDR Studio's image processing capabilities.
- Adobe (Photoshop / Lightroom): Adobe's Lightroom and Photoshop dominate professional image editing and increasingly include AI-driven restoration features that overlap with SilverFast HDR Studio's color/HDR processing capabilities. SilverFast integrates as a Photoshop plug-in (SRDx), positioning Adobe as both partner and broad-spectrum competitor.
- DxO (PhotoLab / Nik Collection): DxO offers PhotoLab for raw image processing and the Nik Collection plug-ins for Adobe Photoshop. These compete with SilverFast HDR Studio and SRDx on color correction, denoising, and dust/scratch removal in professional photo workflows.
Emerging players
- Skylum (Luminar): Skylum's Luminar is an AI-first photo editing platform marketed to enthusiasts and semi-pros. Its restoration and enhancement tools compete for the same prosumer customer that SilverFast Archive Suite addresses for scanning-plus-editing workflows.
- ON1 (Photo RAW): ON1 Photo RAW is a subscription-based photo editing suite that increasingly bundles AI-driven restoration and denoising features overlapping with SilverFast's HDR Studio and SRDx capabilities.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LaserSoft Imaging social profiles
Digital presenceLaserSoft Imaging compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
LaserSoft Imaging financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LaserSoft Imaging leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
LaserSoft Imaging subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
LaserSoft Imaging funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LaserSoft Imaging M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LaserSoft Imaging
What does LaserSoft Imaging do?
LaserSoft Imaging develops and sells the SilverFast family of scanner and digital imaging software for digitizing analog photographs, slides, negatives, and Kodachromes. Each edition is individually adjusted to every supported scanner model, and the company also offers IT8 color calibration targets, a Resolution Target, an SRDx Photoshop plug-in, an Archive Suite, an E-Book, All-in-One bundles co-shipped with scanners, and a dedicated B2B Special Solutions line for industry customers.
Is LaserSoft Imaging a public or private company?
LaserSoft Imaging is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was LaserSoft Imaging founded?
LaserSoft Imaging was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LaserSoft Imaging based?
LaserSoft Imaging is headquartered in Kiel, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does LaserSoft Imaging make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Scanner Software Licenses are the primary driver. The others are digital Imaging Software Licenses, silverFast Archive Suite, IT8 Targets and Calibration Products and additional Licenses.
Who are LaserSoft Imaging's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Plustek, Pacific Image Electronics (PIE) and Hamrick Software (VueScan). Broad incumbents are Nikon (Nikon Scan / Nikon Coolscan software), Epson (Epson Scan), Capture One, Adobe (Photoshop / Lightroom) and DxO (PhotoLab / Nik Collection). Emerging players are Skylum (Luminar) and ON1 (Photo RAW).
Does LaserSoft Imaging have an API?
No public API is recorded for LaserSoft Imaging.
What industry is LaserSoft Imaging in?
LaserSoft Imaging's product category is Image Scanning Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDACAEAG, Photo Printers & Dedicated Imaging Printers. Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 3861.