Scanning for APUG

[ronlamarsh]

I would like to post some of my images but my scanner seems to be inadequate. I have an epson photo scanner but it seems unable to give a good black and white image. The highlights end up being very pixely with no detail. Is there something I'm missing?

 

[bobwysiwyg]

What model Epson are you using?

 

[bdial]

Also what resolution, and are you scanning in photo or document mode?

 

[ronlamarsh]

scanning

Its an epson 2480 Photo I scanned at 300dpi and then had to convert it to jpeg to shrink the file size.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Try scanning the print at, say, 300 dpi as you're doing, but then resize to the actual pixel size (850x750 pixels max for the APUG galleries) using whatever image processing software you have, so the gallery software won't resize it for you. Save as a JPG at the highest quality option you have available. You may need to resharpen slightly after resizing and converting to JPG.

 

[aparat]

The scanner is probably capable of producing a decent scan. I would blame the scanning software that is typically set up to produce "snappy" scans. I think that trying to get your scans to resemble your prints is going to be an exercise in frustration, unless you're willing to process the scans in Photoshop, which probably defeats the purpose. I would assume that most APUG members viewing the photos in APUG galleries understand that it's very hard to represent the tonality and depth in a scanned print.

 

[bobwysiwyg]

I asked which model Epson as I use a 2450 for posting scans and generally does a pretty credible job wether it's 35mm or 4x5, though not very fast for sure. Are you using the Epson supplied software/interface or a third-party? I simply select B/W negative, 300 dpi and then later resize in PS and save for Web.

 

[DWThomas]

I use an Epson 3200, and have been way less than impressed with the normal Epson defaults. I normally open Photoshop Elements and import from the scanner down near the TWAIN driver level, running the scanner in "Professional" mode, setting up levels via the histogram display and all (e.g., NOT using the auto-exposure mode). After that, resizing and a bit of USM usually produces reasonable results.

The top level interface I got from Epson they called "Smart Panel" and I fear its IQ is sadly lacking; it does cute stuff like using a gray scale in B&W text copy mode, etc.

DaveT

 

[JBrunner]

It is the norm to adjust the scan to represent the print as closely as possible. Rarely does a strait scan adequately portray what a print looks like. In my view that is worse. We are using a digital medium to discuss and portray analog work, so there isn't anything wrong with presenting that work as accurately as possible within the medium. It's fakery and embellishment that we want to avoid.

 

[spb854]

I have an HP G4050 scanner and I use a program called VueScan and get excellent results.

Steve