Instructions, software enahncements, and tips for getting the most out of your scanner. Includes how-tos, glossaries, and links to information about resolution, dpi, bit depth, file formats, moire, color depth, printing scans, OCR, and more.
Essential info for using your scanner, from your About.com Guide.
This is a chronicle of my experiences scanning my lifetime of photo prints and slides. I start off scanning 200 photos and learn a few things about dealing with dust and dirt.
In part two of my experiences scanning a lifetime of photo prints and slides, I learn that it's a good idea to find out what film format you'll be dealing with before you buy a scanner. Luckily some great software came to the rescue.
Part three of my experiences scanning my lifetime of photo prints and slides. My scanning tally now is 280 slides and close to 300 photos, including a handful of negatives. I decided to compare VueScan to the scanner software for scanning regular printed photos and negatives. And I offer some new tips on touching up scans.
I'm currently half-way into scanning the 6th slide tray which brings my tally to 770 slides scanned, and puts me in the middle of 1979. And I'm still learning some valuable lessons!
How to calculate image dimensions for screen display.
The best formats to use for the Web, and how to save images for further editing.
Understanding dpi, ppi, and resolution, including a reference chart for scanning resolution.
Genealogy Guide Kimberly Powell offers practical tips for scanning your photos into the computer.
Desktop Publishing Guide Jacci Howard Bear reveals basic tips and tricks for getting a good line art scan.
"A popular use for scanners today is to record and save family photos -- all those old, treasured photographs that can tear, fade, or stain. If you don't already own a scanner, and are planning to purchase one in order to scan and store your family's photos, then there are a number of factors you may want to take into consideration."
From About Desktop Publishing: Whether you just want to scan family photos to put on the Web or need exacting results for commercial printing, one of these books on the science and art of scanning can improve your technique and give good to great results from almost any scanner.
The definition of TWAIN as it relates to graphics software. It's not an acronym as many people believe. Find out what it does and how it got its name.
Photography Guide Peter Marshall tell you how to scan a negative with a film scanner.
The ultimate resource for scanning information.
"This page contains tips to help you do batch scanning - i.e. scanning multiple images, prints, negatives, or slides. It gives tips for saving time and optimizing quality."
Includes an introduction to scanning, information about files types, OCR, and specific exercises for PhotoDeluxe, Photoshop, PowerPoint, and OmniScan Lite.
Learn how to get great looking line art scans when the original art is not the ideal source. Techniques for compensating for low contrast, dealing with show through, and enlarging line art.
How to rescue, restore, and reuse aging prints and negatives, by Derrick Storey for Macworld: "By scanning old photos and film into your Mac now, you'll be able to stop the aging process and preserve irreplaceable photos... With the right tools and an efficient workflow, you can safely scan, catalog, and annotate your old photos, negatives, and slides in your spare time."
From Jim Miotke's Beginning Photography Online Photo Course: "In this lesson, we will first take an introductory look at scanners and scanning and then get a taste of what we can do with digital sharpening functions such as Photoshop's Unsharp Mask filter."
Learn about the best conditions for scanning text for OCR.
"The biggest stumbling block to achieving good results with raster to vector conversion software is the fact that too many users generate poor quality scanned images. Often, this is because they do not understand the scan quality required for raster to vector conversion or how to achieve it. This article contains simple steps for creating high quality scans."
This is a technique used by many who find themselves doing battle with inadequate scanner software. With care this technique has the potential to produce results equal and occasionally superior to those obtained from even the most expensive scanner applications.
A successful technique for scanning slides and negatives on a flatbed scanner with an inexpensive backlighter that you can make out of ordinary bright white paper.
"The questions vary from 'What's the best way to digitize some slides?' to 'I have thousands of old family photos, what's the best way to save them?' Whether a few slides some one wants to copy, or save some slides and/or photos for their heirs, scanning can be anything from a few interesting hours to a full blown project."
