Digital BW, The Print

B,

For best results you should scan at the optical resolution of your scanner, 
and then reduce the file size/ppi in Photoshop if you need to reduce it.

If you scan at a reduced resolution eg. 1200ppi instead of 4800ppi (assuming 
that is the optical resolution), your scanner simply throws away 
three-quarters of the detail in your film, leaving you with just one-quarter 
of the original detail.

If on the other hand, you scan at 4800ppi and then reduce to 1200ppi in 
Photoshop, PS doesn't simply throw away three-quarters of the detail, it 
effectively 'averages' the 4800ppi detail to provide you with a new 1200ppi 
image that more accurately reflects the original than just throwing pixels 
away.

Bob Frost.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "B. Campbell" <bellis60@...>



>Not much point in shooting larger formats if you plan to scan them at
>such low resolution that they produce the same size files as smaller
>formats.

Sure there is. If I did my job my larger negative contains better detail and
tonal range than a smaller negative.  I don't lose that detail and range by
scanning for a file size that produces the maximum dpi my printer driver
will allow at the largest print size it will make and/or that I want or
need.  In other words, there's