Hi

Out of curiosity, can somebody give me tips on how to scan images? The following is a jpg version of a high quality tiff.
You can see it doesn't look nice, but I can't figure out what is wrong with the settings.


Scanner: http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=120&modelid=18125

Thanks.

Proc

I'm pretty sure the scanner itself isn't scanning that as the original image. It looks like it is trying to auto adjust the scanned image before saving. I would turn off all auto settings, such as brightness/contrast, dirt blur, auto sharp, filters... everything off. Then make the adjustments yourself in Photoshop. That is, if you can find any of these filters or settings in the scanner software.

Go to your scanner set up options and look for settings, in some older scanners it will be under p[references.
Most scanners have a self setting option for photos, text, and on for black and white images.

Use that and see if the result is better, oh and make sure it is set for 1:1 some scanners will add pixels to increase size, make sure your dpi is set at around the 300 level good for colour and black and white.

Failing all else re-set your scanner options to factor and see if that makes a difference.

Need more help let me know and I see if I can think of any thing else.

proc.. your image looks like you scanned it at a very low dpi and the canoscan engine was also set to interpolate up to a much higher size.

Either that or possibly the wrong mode was chosen (out of the list...colour screen, photo, line-art, fax, OCR etc..)

Actually it isn't me who is scanning or else I would play more with the settings.
You are right about the small size though and it was scanned at 1200dpi.

If i scan a small image at 1200dpi, can't I print it at a larger size at 300dpi without quality issues? Probably not with the average scanner, right?

If you want to enlarge the image use a software based program like photozoom or one of the many others out there. Trying to enlarge a photo with a scanner, well most scanners does not yield great results. They just add pixels from what I understand...if you want scan the image at normal size pm it to me mate and I will try and enlarge it using photozoom for you

Hey Proc,

Yup - don't scan much more that 600 dpi, if you are scanning "normal" things. Then, like Blue said, use a 3rd party program, another one is Genuine Fractals, to upsize it.

Also, I always scan in FULL COLOUR mode, even if the source is B&W. The colour mode has more "latitude", and it can also pick up any tinting the original has, which can add to its character. Of course, it is mere CHILD's PLAY to adjust the tint once it is in photoshop if you don't like it.

I think someone already said it, but I really don't recommend using the scanner's AUTO anything functions. Just get a good solid un-mucked with scan out of the scanner and then you can do levels & curves adjustments, as well as saturation/vibrance after the fact in photoshop.

My 2cents worth...

Some light reading here: http://www.scantips.com/basics08.html

The optical resolution of a photograph is rarely more than 300-400 dpi, so scanning it at 1200 dpi doesn't get you more detail, only a larger file. You can get a lot more detail when scanning from film (negative or slide).

Scale your image back to 300-400 dpi (or re-scan it), try enlarging it with PhotoZoom or BlowUp, and add film grain to cover up the unnatural look.

The "jpeggy tiles" look really big and fuzzy, but the white dirt is hi-res! Are you sure the fault isn't in the original photo? Or is it not tight against the scanner glass?

Sometimes I have to wonder about you guys.
Proc,
There's nothing wrong with the scan. What you have there is what you get with an old 4X5 print , probably taken with a box camera, and blow it up.



What you need is for these guys to use PS magic on it, but tell them exactly what size you are going to be printing out at first.

I actually reduced the quality to post it here or else it would take ages to load.

I'll ask if it was scanned in colour mode or not. Thanks for the tip ReinMan.

Proc

Yer Welcome Ser!