Scanning old photos

K
Posted By
Komboloi
Aug 7, 2004
Views
306
Replies
4
Status
Closed
Problem: Had entrusted some color lab to transfer my negatives into digital images. Their scan job is crappy at best. Possible Solution: Now I am left with the task of having to scan hundreds of photographs so as to preserve them. Or to photograph with my 4 megapixel Sony.
Tools: Adobe CS [aka Photoshop 8] and HP Scanjet 7400c in XP Pro

When I scan some photos that have more dark fields than others, the problem is intensely amplified. For example, there are these micro-organisms that feed off the paper which in turn puts a dent into the photo. Ordinarily I use the close tool to fix this problem. But what I am wondering is if there are other ways to obviate this problem before I even transfer it into the Adobe workspace from the scanner.
I can provide a sample photo to illustrate the problem in JPG form for those who give me an answer. Thanks in advance!
AJ

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G
gb
Aug 8, 2004
you might want to consider purchasing a new scanner with the ASF (now Kodak) Digital ICE option. It will most likely help with the physical defects of your pictures. Check it out!
gb

"Komboloi" wrote in message
Problem: Had entrusted some color lab to transfer my negatives into digital images. Their scan job is crappy at best. Possible Solution: Now I am left with the task of having to scan hundreds of photographs so as to preserve them. Or to photograph with my 4 megapixel Sony.
Tools: Adobe CS [aka Photoshop 8] and HP Scanjet 7400c in XP Pro

When I scan some photos that have more dark fields than others, the
problem
is intensely amplified. For example, there are these micro-organisms that feed off the paper which in turn puts a dent into the photo. Ordinarily I use the close tool to fix this problem. But what I am wondering is if
there
are other ways to obviate this problem before I even transfer it into the Adobe workspace from the scanner.
I can provide a sample photo to illustrate the problem in JPG form for
those
who give me an answer. Thanks in advance!
AJ

K
Komboloi
Aug 8, 2004
There is this device that comes with my HP scanner, called the XPA. At first I thought it was something to shield the negatives/slides. But then when I began to see it in action, My God! This thing lights up like a XMAS Tree and depending on what mode you’re running it will work beautifully. I have already scanned slides and negatives and could not believe what I saw! A question I want to ask is this.
What is the optimal resolution I should use?
Also, is it a rule of thumb that the larger the resolution the bigger the enlargement I can make?
For instance, say I want to make a 20"x30" poster what size should the scanned negative/slide be? Thanks for the suggestion on that scanner. AJ
"gb" wrote in message
you might want to consider purchasing a new scanner with the ASF (now
Kodak)
Digital ICE option. It will most likely help with the physical defects of your pictures. Check it out!
gb

"Komboloi" wrote in message
Problem: Had entrusted some color lab to transfer my negatives into digital images. Their scan job is crappy at best. Possible Solution: Now I am left with the task of having to scan hundreds of photographs so as to preserve them. Or to photograph with my
4
megapixel Sony.
Tools: Adobe CS [aka Photoshop 8] and HP Scanjet 7400c in XP Pro

When I scan some photos that have more dark fields than others, the
problem
is intensely amplified. For example, there are these micro-organisms
that
feed off the paper which in turn puts a dent into the photo. Ordinarily
I
use the close tool to fix this problem. But what I am wondering is if
there
are other ways to obviate this problem before I even transfer it into
the
Adobe workspace from the scanner.
I can provide a sample photo to illustrate the problem in JPG form for
those
who give me an answer. Thanks in advance!
AJ

TO
The Old Bloke
Aug 9, 2004
Hi,

I have a HP7400C, and it doesn’t digital ice. I have just ordered an Epson 4870 scanner, as I was unhappy with the quality of slide scanning. This new scanner offers much improved colour depth (hence a better range of contrasts) and digital ice, which removes, at the scanning level, many of the annoying things such as scratches, dust, etc without adding blur to the image. It also scans at 4800X9600 vs the 7400C which has a max optical resolution of 2400X2400.

Regards

"Komboloi" wrote in message
There is this device that comes with my HP scanner, called the XPA. At
first
I thought it was something to shield the negatives/slides. But then when I began to see it in action, My God! This thing lights up like a XMAS Tree
and
depending on what mode you’re running it will work beautifully. I have already scanned slides and negatives and could not believe what I saw! A question I want to ask is this.
What is the optimal resolution I should use?
Also, is it a rule of thumb that the larger the resolution the bigger the enlargement I can make?
For instance, say I want to make a 20"x30" poster what size should the scanned negative/slide be? Thanks for the suggestion on that scanner. AJ
"gb" wrote in message
you might want to consider purchasing a new scanner with the ASF (now
Kodak)
Digital ICE option. It will most likely help with the physical defects
of
your pictures. Check it out!
gb

"Komboloi" wrote in message
Problem: Had entrusted some color lab to transfer
my
negatives into digital images. Their scan job is crappy at best. Possible Solution: Now I am left with the task of having to scan hundreds of photographs so as to preserve them. Or to photograph with
my
4
megapixel Sony.
Tools: Adobe CS [aka Photoshop 8] and HP
Scanjet
7400c in XP Pro

When I scan some photos that have more dark fields than others, the
problem
is intensely amplified. For example, there are these micro-organisms
that
feed off the paper which in turn puts a dent into the photo.
Ordinarily
I
use the close tool to fix this problem. But what I am wondering is if
there
are other ways to obviate this problem before I even transfer it into
the
Adobe workspace from the scanner.
I can provide a sample photo to illustrate the problem in JPG form for
those
who give me an answer. Thanks in advance!
AJ

K
Komboloi
Aug 9, 2004
Thank you!
"The Old Bloke" wrote in message
Hi,

I have a HP7400C, and it doesn’t digital ice. I have just ordered an
Epson
4870 scanner, as I was unhappy with the quality of slide scanning. This
new
scanner offers much improved colour depth (hence a better range of contrasts) and digital ice, which removes, at the scanning level, many of the annoying things such as scratches, dust, etc without adding blur to
the
image. It also scans at 4800X9600 vs the 7400C which has a max optical resolution of 2400X2400.

Regards

"Komboloi" wrote in message
There is this device that comes with my HP scanner, called the XPA. At
first
I thought it was something to shield the negatives/slides. But then when
I
began to see it in action, My God! This thing lights up like a XMAS Tree
and
depending on what mode you’re running it will work beautifully. I have already scanned slides and negatives and could not believe what I saw! A question I want to ask is this.
What is the optimal resolution I should use?
Also, is it a rule of thumb that the larger the resolution the bigger
the
enlargement I can make?
For instance, say I want to make a 20"x30" poster what size should the scanned negative/slide be? Thanks for the suggestion on that scanner. AJ
"gb" wrote in message
you might want to consider purchasing a new scanner with the ASF (now
Kodak)
Digital ICE option. It will most likely help with the physical
defects
of
your pictures. Check it out!
gb

"Komboloi" wrote in message
Problem: Had entrusted some color lab to transfer
my
negatives into digital images. Their scan job is crappy at best. Possible Solution: Now I am left with the task of having to
scan
hundreds of photographs so as to preserve them. Or to photograph
with
my
4
megapixel Sony.
Tools: Adobe CS [aka Photoshop 8] and HP
Scanjet
7400c in XP Pro

When I scan some photos that have more dark fields than others, the
problem
is intensely amplified. For example, there are these micro-organisms
that
feed off the paper which in turn puts a dent into the photo.
Ordinarily
I
use the close tool to fix this problem. But what I am wondering is
if
there
are other ways to obviate this problem before I even transfer it
into
the
Adobe workspace from the scanner.
I can provide a sample photo to illustrate the problem in JPG form
for
those
who give me an answer. Thanks in advance!
AJ

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