Removing a partial blue screen

CM
Posted By
Colin_McDonald
Aug 20, 2008
Views
427
Replies
17
Status
Closed
Hi. I hope someone can help.

I capture a lot of brochures from holiday trips etc including outline maps of local areas. I then add rthese to albums, shows etc.

When I scan these, they frequently include a significant blue (sometimes grey) tint most noticeable at the edges or on folds in the items being scanned, presumably representing areas where the contact between the document and the glass is not quite as good as elsewhere.

I’ve tried weighing down the scanner lid, but I’ve not noticed any noticeable improvement.I’m now playing with the settings to see if I shoude be tweaking anything to improve this.

In the meantime, I’m left with a number of docs to clean. I’ve been doing this with the clone tool, but it is very very very time consuming.

Any hints on speeding up this process would be welcome. I’ve tried searching the archive, but so far I’ve not found anything relevant.

Thanks

Colin

Using CS3 10.01

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P
Phosphor
Aug 20, 2008
Let us see what you’re working with. Show us a typical scan.

If you don’t have access to your own server space somewhere, go to <http://www.pixentral.com> and upload a high-quality/high resolution PNG from your hard drive.

When your uploaded image appears onscreen, scroll down and copy ALL of the code in the box labeled "HTML", then paste that code in a reply to this thread.

It’ll place a thumbnail as a clickable link to the full-size version.
CM
Colin_McDonald
Aug 20, 2008
I did wonder if I should post some images, but didn’t, sorry.

Have a look at this page and it should show the problem

<http://www.cmcdonald.co.uk/computing/scan.htm>

Thanks

Colin
P
Phosphor
Aug 20, 2008
Well, I had a play with them and the problem is in making corrections on just the blue tinge where you don’t want it, while preventing the stuff you do want from fading or disappearing.

I started with Selective Color adjustment layers, choosing white, and yanking the sliders to the left. That helped quite a bit, but the problem remains with losing some some vibrancy in parts of the image you want to keep. With the envelope, by the time I got the white expanse clean, I lost a good bit of the vibrancy of the postmarks. They could be dealt with separately, via selections or masking, but still it’s going to be a finicky process.

But let’s back up a little.

Have you made dead sure the glass on your scanner is meticulously clean? And in cleaning it, are you certain that any product you use hasn’t left any sort of haze behind? That coloring on the envelope kind of looks like there’s some sort of uneven diffraction going on. Whatever you do to clean the glass, make sure to follow up by polishing with a dry, lint-free cloth to remove any deposits that might be left behind from evaporating cleaning solution. As for cleaning solution, it wouldn’t hurt to invest in good (but expensive, I know) professional lens cleaning product like these shown on the B&H Photo website < http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/shop/3316/Optical_Cleaning_Sup plies_Optical_Cleaning_Solutions.html>.

Also, can you calibrate your scanner and set proper white and black points? What software are you using with the scanner? See if your scanner is supported by VueScan, and see if the features of your scanning software compares to VueScan software by drilling into this site:

<http://www.hamrick.com/vsm.html>

Surely the smartest thing to do is to make sure you’re getting good scans to begin with. Better to start with good source material than to have to fix the scanner’s deficiencies in Photoshop.

If those things fail, there’s the possibility that your scanner is just crapping out, and it’s time for a new one. That’s where I am with my old Epson scanner right now. I’ve done all I can to keep the glass clean, to properly profile and calibrate it, but it’s simply about due to be carted off to the trash heap.
JJ
John Joslin
Aug 20, 2008
My first reaction was that it could be a tired sensor array.

How old is it?
P
Phosphor
Aug 20, 2008
Here’s a quick fixer upper, before/after as GIF animation: < http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1H3HUhLtxD1pouXBV8 nqK9BbSVIp1>

You can see with the "Layer 0" mask I made a wholesale selection of the white area, which I copied as "Layer 1". Them "Layer 2" is just that strip at the bottom.

As you can see, when I killed the tinge in the whites, it affected the blue postmarks.
B
Buko
Aug 20, 2008
First thing I thought of was improper color adjust before the scan.
CM
Colin_McDonald
Aug 20, 2008
Wow,

Thanks for such a complex and detailed replies.

I’ll have a good read through the whole response and come back shortly.

The scanner is only 15 nonths old, and in that time has probably only done about 200 to 300 scans. It is a reasonably good quality HP scanne (cost about Ā£200 – $400), and I am using HP’s own software. I had heard of VueScan but never used it, I’ll have a look now.

I did clean the screen first, but I didn’t do it as you suggested.

So I’ll go back tothat and come back asap.
CM
Colin_McDonald
Aug 20, 2008
Hi all,

Just downloaded and installed the trial edition of VueScan.

(Incidentally, I only installed the HP software this morning and I’m using the default settings on it.)

Anyway I used VueScan with defaults, and got an immediate improvement. No calibration, no cleaniung of glass, just installed and scanned.

I’ve posted the new results at the same place

<http://www.cmcdonald.co.uk/Images/env.jpg>

So it looks as if defaults for HP are giving me an overall problem.

Colin
P
Phosphor
Aug 20, 2008
Well, there you go then!

I’ve maintained for years that VueScan is one of the best bang-for-the-buck deals in all of softwareland.

Dig in deep, man, it’s got a sheepload of features…many more than I’ll ever use, that’s for sure. But it’s nice to know they’re available.
P
Phosphor
Aug 20, 2008
Oh, and BTW…when you’re cleaning your scanner glass: If you can get it apart, don’t neglect the underside of the glass as well.

I bought my current crap Epson as a refurb, and when I unboxed and carefully inspected it I saw a nasty mess of finger prints and greasy deposits on both sides. I HAD to take it apart to clean both sides properly.
CM
Colin_McDonald
Aug 20, 2008
Just bought a licence for VueScan. I only took the basic version for now (has 1 year of upgrades). But I can upgrade to the pro version for the same cost if I like it & use it.

So thanks for all.

I’ve now cleaned one side of the glass. The other side looks clean (I appreciate there my be a film of dirt onit) but at least there arte no marks. I’ll see if I can get inside.

Just waiting for my licence no to be emiled to me then I’ll trya live one.
B
Buko
Aug 20, 2008
the Pro version is well worth it.
CM
Colin_McDonald
Aug 20, 2008
I’ll probably just get used to it first and then see if I need the pro version.

I’m just trying to get started now. Slightly puzzled as to how it installs

At the moment it seems to just run from the exe file without actually installing. Each time I start it I get a message about if i’m using an older scanner. So I’m not sure I’ve even got it installed yet. The help file isn’t much use either.

But it seems to work, that’s the main thing…
Colin
CM
Colin_McDonald
Aug 20, 2008
Just found it does an install and puts it in C:\vuescan. Not very friendly!

If I run it from there I get the installed version.

I guess the softwrae is designed to be incredibly efficient, but perhaps not as user friendly on the install as it could be.
P
Phosphor
Aug 20, 2008
" Just found it does an install and puts it in C:\vuescan. Not very friendly!"

Heh…looks like you’re so used to "The Windows Way" that when things are easier you think something’s wrong.

But when you think about it, how could it be any friendlier? You just do the D/L, unZIP the file and go!

Basically, the "No-Installation procedure Installation" is telling you that it can be run pretty much from anywhere. No DLLs, no IRQs, no drivers…just the app and a couple preference files (one for settings, another for licensing). That’s it.

Wanna get rid of it? No Uninstall routine necessary…Just drag the application file to the trash. Done. Sure, you could root out the preference files, but you wouldn’t have to.

We Maccers LOVE stuff like that. No muss, no fuss!

šŸ™‚
CM
Colin_McDonald
Aug 21, 2008
If you are going to do it for Windows, then you should at least accommodate the way Windows works.

Because of the way Windows works, throwing files all over the place, it is important not to make things worse.

I try and keep my PC clean and tidy to minimise the problems that can beset Windows, and therefore I like everything to be neat (as it can be) and ordered.

It is one of my pet hates that some progs decide where they will install, and you have no choice.

1 there was no info telling me how the installer would run.

2 it ran and did not report completion

3 it did not install a shortcut on the desktop, or in the start menu

4 the main file (left on the desktop) was all that I had visible, and it seemed to start a new install each time I ran it.

Now all these points may be minor, but they are not how other progs install in Windows. I happen to be PC literate (not Photoshop literate tho) and can work out what had happened, but there was no indication that an install had happened. Beginners would have been stumped.

Now the MAC may well perform this better, but the reality of the world is that many people (I believe over 90% worldwide) use Windows, so that is a large constituency to confuse.

At last found a reference in the poor help files – I thought they were extremely lacking in detail – they told me to look for 3 files, none of which I could find, and yes I did have "Show hidden & system files" on.

So now I have moved the Vuescan directory, and I’m happy, but I have not found the prog intuitive to use yet. It does what it does perfectly, but it is not helping me to find out how to love it.

I am not an imaging expert, I scan for fun, and I don’t want to search for help.

Another example was the licensing screen. I did not fully read the receipt screen (who does) and missed the fact that no email would be sent to me.

So an hour later I worked out that I had deleted my licence no. I managed to get a new one automatically. Once I understood this, I thought it was a great way to do it, but again it was different, and I was not looking for it. A bit of bold red ink on the receipt might have made this simpler to understand.

The worst example of this is Linux. I build PC’s as a hobby, I build, maintain, repair/install all my friends PC’s. I have tried 3 times to install Linux, and deleted it each time within 12 hours. I just cannot understand what they are talking about, or how it works.

IT seems that it is a happy little clique of friends and experts who all know what they are talking about, but are incapable of turning it into English for people like me – and I am supposedly an experienced user!!!!!

Anyway rant over.

IĀ’m pleased with Vuescan, and what it is doing for me. I just need to learn it better. Thanks for your input and help. It really is much appreciated. I do like to do my own research, but forums like this are a great help.
Thanks again

Colin
CM
Colin_McDonald
Aug 21, 2008
Just read about half the help file, will finish it tonight.

It won’t all stick by any means, but at least I’ll have some understanding.

Bit quirky tho!

Colin

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