Scanning (small to big)

[SimonFarrington]

Hi,

This is my first post, so if its out of topic, go easy on me

I was wondering if someone could advise me. I am trying to enlarge some wallet sized prints form a vintage photomat machine, and when I tried some tests, using my desktop scanner (its a cheap one so that could be the issue), at 2400 dpi, the TIFF files all came out looking like garbage. There is all of this tonal separation going on that can not be fixed in PS for some reason, and banding: Im guessing from the scan head. The tones on the prints themselves are gorgeous, and I would do them on film, but my facilities are limited right now, and the work is a tad time sensitive.

Is it possible/advisable to go from this small to that big? Or is my cheap scanner the culprit?

Attaching some screen grabs for reference:

 

[jeffreyg]

Simon,
Are the thumbnails of the prints you printed or from the digital files? If from the prints it is possible that the banding is from the printer. If from scans it is possible that because of the high resolution of the scan, the defects may be in the original wallet size prints. I would try scanning a more recent photograph that is of good quality. I don't know what scanner you use and I am not aware of a cheap one that lets you adjust the dpi. I have been using an Epson4870 with SilverFast Ai scanning software for five years and get excellent scans (of negatives as well). I generally scan 2 1/4sq or 4x5 negs at 1200dpi and occasionally at 2400dpi if I know I will be cropping.
jeffreyg

 

[SimonFarrington]

The images are from scans. Im just using a desktop scanner (Lexmark printer combo) at 2400dpi the original positive is wallet sized. Output ended up 2700 x 3420 PX.

Original image is continuous tone passport paper - from one of those old photo booth machines.

Simon,
Are the thumbnails of the prints you printed or from the digital files? If from the prints it is possible that the banding is from the printer. If from scans it is possible that because of the high resolution of the scan, the defects may be in the original wallet size prints. I would try scanning a more recent photograph that is of good quality. I don't know what scanner you use and I am not aware of a cheap one that lets you adjust the dpi. I have been using an Epson4870 with SilverFast Ai scanning software for five years and get excellent scans (of negatives as well). I generally scan 2 1/4sq or 4x5 negs at 1200dpi and occasionally at 2400dpi if I know I will be cropping.
jeffreyg

 

[pellicle]

Hi

well first, you don't come from Southport do you?

Is it possible/advisable to go from this small to that big? Or is my cheap scanner the culprit?

the problem stems from the fact that the original does not have the detail you want (and perhaps a little element of scanner. I have scanned things like glass microscope slides and had good results, but printed matter does not really have that kind of 'edge' detail under magnification

To see if your scanner is the culprit, scan something like the edge of a plastic ruler and then look at this to see if its sharp.

You might prop up one end a little on a coin to see if sharpness alters with variation in distance from the glass.

I have found my Epson is not really 'precise' at past 600dpi ... which is really only a x3 enlargement ... although remains 'sharp enough' to 1200dpi for fine edges etched in glass

 

[SimonFarrington]

Nope, Not from Southport, why do you ask?

I'll give the ruler a try and play around.

Hi

well first, you don't come from Southport do you?




the problem stems from the fact that the original does not have the detail you want (and perhaps a little element of scanner. I have scanned things like glass microscope slides and had good results, but printed matter does not really have that kind of 'edge' detail under magnification

To see if your scanner is the culprit, scan something like the edge of a plastic ruler and then look at this to see if its sharp.

You might prop up one end a little on a coin to see if sharpness alters with variation in distance from the glass.

I have found my Epson is not really 'precise' at past 600dpi ... which is really only a x3 enlargement ... although remains 'sharp enough' to 1200dpi for fine edges etched in glass

 

[pellicle]

Hi

Nope, Not from Southport, why do you ask?

its where I'm from and the name is not common ... pardon me

 

[AgereeNag]

Scanning small to big

That is a very good question. If we take smaller fish then we wont have any big fish in the future. If we take the big fish we are cutting out the possible breeding of this fish and her massive amount of eggs.

I tend to err on the side of keeping the 29" - 32" fish myself, but I really do not think that there is a right or wrong answer to this one.