Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "outdoornm" <outdoornm@...> wrote:
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> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "hflockwood" <hflockwood@> wrote:
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> Harry,
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> You are not reading what Michael has said.   He said that a higher resolution scan created a file that showed more grain and was softer. We all know the mantra to scan at high res for possible future use, but possibly higher res scans magnify grain.  Has this issue been covered?
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> Lincoln
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> > Scan at max resolution and keep that as a master for future prints.  Lower resolution will be fine for small prints, but when you want to go larger, you don't want to have to scan yet again.
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> > Harry
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My workflow, from scanning (Nikon 4000ED) to printing (Cone K7 inks in an R2400), has been radically altered based on two articles I recently discovered.

The first, most relevant to this discussion, is by P.L. Andrews at www.photoscientia.co.uk/grain.htm. explains in detail how the interaction between the sensor's photo sites and film grain can lead to grain aliasing.  The effect, which I verified unequivocally in a troublesome scan, showed that apparent grain enhancement or scanner "noise" is neither but, instead, is grain aliasing.  Scanning at lower resolution is NOT the answer.  I urge anyone who is unfamiliar with this phenomenon to read Mr. Andrews's analysis.  I believe it may be relevant to the OP's observation.  [NikonScan's GEM feature minimizes the problem with little or no image degradation.]

The second article, by John Brownlow, supports Eric's comments, especially regarding one's sharpening workflow.  It can be found at www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/smart_sharp.shtml.  I'll never go back to the hit-or-miss technique that has served me (NOT) so well in the past.  I can now take my older high resolution scans and get much better prints with this more rational sharpening technique.

So, I'll stick to my original recommendation: scan at maximum resolution but understand the artifacts that can arise depending upon the interaction of film grain and your sensor's photo site geometry.

Harry