Digital BW, The Print

From: "nedbuntline2002" <jon.judson@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 6:14 AM
Subject: [Digital BW] How Would I Know If My Scanner Is Good Enough?


(snip)

> I'd like to know if my scanner is up to snuff.
> If I need to replace that too, then I might just stay with all-silver
> for awhile yet.
>
> The specs on the ScanMaker 4 are:
>
> 600 X 1200 dpi Optical Resolution
> 9600 X 9600 dpi Interpolated Resolution
> 3.4 DMax

Jon,

In a word, "No." As Stan pointed out you have a 600dpi scanner and that is
not going to give you much. Scanner quality depends on resolution, quality
of the optics, electronics, mechanics and software driving. At a minimum,
upgrade to an Espon 2450 (~$400) which goes up to 2400 dpi and use that as
your scanning resolution and down sample in Photoshop if you want a smaller
file.

Above the 2450 the choices would move up to the Epson 1680 at about $1,200
from there you would have to jump to close to $5,000 for a Polaroid or Artix
4x5 film scanner or a used drum scanner. A used Leaf 45 would be another
possibility and perhaps closer to $2,500.

I started out with a 1200ppi Linoscan 1400 for 4x5 and a Polaroid Sprintscan
4000 for 35mm. Next a Polaroid Sprintscan 120 for my medium format negs and
I finally got a used Howtek drum scanner for the 4x5 and it will also do
everything else as well. I would have saved a lot of money by just getting
the drum scanner in the first place. I am not encouraging you to get a drum
scanner but just want to point out the economic pitfall of moving up in
quality incrementally.

I have read some good arguments that the maximum resolution you need for
scanning negatives and transparencies is about 2500 ppi. Beyond that you are
simply using more and more pixels for each bit of grain and are not really
getting any more detail out of the film, below that you are not getting
everything the film has to offer.

Martin Wesley