All About Scanning
There are two types of scanners. Flat bed scanners are the most commonly used in homes.
The most important specification in a scanner is the optical resolution, not the interpolated resolution. It should be a minimum of 600dpi vertical resolution.
The optical density is also important. This tells you how much detail it will be able to scan.3.0 is the minimum requirement.
Scanning speed may be of importance if you are using the scanner regularly.
You can purchase negative and slide reader adapters for most flatbed scanners.
Film scanners are dedicated for film negatives or slides only. They do often produce a better scan but their use is restricted to the one task.
Most scanners use a USB port to connect to the computer.
XP has a scanner wizard which will bypass the need for the scanners software however the choices for manipulating the scan are limited and in most cases the scanner software is the best choice. For a tutorial on using XP scanner wizard CLICK HERE
Keep your scanner bed clean and free from dust. Refer to the manufacturers instructions.
When scanning a photo using a minimum of 300dpi will give you a scan that will be of print quality at the exact same size of the original photo or object.
If you will want to edit the photograph later especially if you want to enlarge or crop the photo you will need to increase the resolution accordingly. For example:
o 6 x 4 print @ 300dpi = 6 x 4 print @ 300dpi
o 6 x 4 print @ 600dpi = 12 x 8 print @ 300dpi
o 6 x 4 print @ 1200dpi = 24 x 16 print @ 300dpi
Choose tiff as the file type to save as.
Tips for scanning 3D objects
o Lay a transparency on the scanner bed to protect it from scratches.
o If the scan is too dark drape a white cloth over the object to help reflect more light.
o If the scanner lid wont close on the object drape a thick black cloth over the object and scanner. If this interferes with the scan try placing a box over the items to be scanned and then lay the black cloth over.
SCANTIPS is an excellent online resource for information about scanning. For more specific information try the following link:
This FAQ answers the following questions:
What scanning resolution should I use? 300 dpi?
My scanned images are too huge?
How can I make my image files smaller?
Sometimes I get odd patterns in the images I scan?
The document is larger than the scanner bed?
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