I want to second Colin Chambers comment, "Boy this is a great list. I have only been subscribed for a short while so far and have already picked up some great tips." These lengthy replies require a lot of time and thought and I for one greatly appreciate the efforts. Everyone who has replied to my initial email has given me useful information, and I want to thank all. I'm beginning to grasp some of the finer points, but I'm still a bit uncertain of others. I don't have the thousands of photos that some of you have said you are working on, but for the few hundred I do have I'd like to say I did the best I could on preserving them for future generations. I'm saving two sets of files one in uncompressed *.tif and the other compressed in *.jpg. According to what I've learned here I have been over-scanning by way too much. My initial idea was that I wanted to make sure that I saved as much data as possible for the future ... when monitors, ink and printers will undoubtedly be much inproved. Most of the photos I'm scanning are about 1.5" x 2" and 2" x 3" . I want to print them at 4"x6". My new Xerox WorkCenter Fax/Printer/Scanner/Copier manual says it prints at 2400 x 1200 dpi. It says the scanner scans at 600 x 600 dpi or up to 4800 x 4800 resolution enhanced ... can someone explain "enhanced resolution"? Can someone please tell me what is the minimum dpi that I should be scanning at with this printer and scanner to get the best possible print now? Then at what point am I wasting computer disk space when I overscan ... with the future in mind ... is 1200 too much, not enough, etc.? Again many thanks, Kay in Maryland --- Kay Keating's outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.306 / Virus Database: 166 - Release Date: 12/4/2001

"Enhanced Resolution" is marketing hype. The optical scan (what the scanner *really* does) is 600 by 600. The software then interpolates those dots, ie guesses what should be in between them. You can imagine how good a computer is at guessing things. Ignore the wonderful numbers -- you have a 600 by 600 dpi scanner. Now, here's how I'd calculate the ideal scan level. Don't know that it's the right way but it makes sense and so far no one has faulted it. You want pics about three times the size of the original (you want 4 by 6 from 1.5 by 2 -- 6 divided by 2 = 3). To get a good photo you want to scan at 300 dpi or more (for excellent pics I say a lot more -- say 600 dpi). In order to expand your original threefold and still end up with 300 dpi, you must scan the original at 900 dpi. An explanation. When you scan 2 inches at 900 dpi, you end up with 1800 dots. That's all that's there. There ain't no more. So, when you expand that to 6 inches, you still have only 1800 dots spread over the 6 inches. That's 300 dpi, your minimum level for a good pic. In other words your scanner can't do the job. It can give you enough to double the 1.5 by 2 pic to a 3 by 4. It can take your larger 2 by 3's and double them to 4 by 6. But scanning your little pics at the best your scanner can do and then printing at 4 by 6 results in a 200 dpi print. But let your eyes be your judge. If you are happy with the result of a 200 dpi print, then carry on. You'll probably get as good a result as the average snapshot. Well, the average of the snapshots that I take anyway. Date forwarded: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 19:28:33 -0700 Send reply to: "Keating Kay" <kaykeatingcap@mindspring.com> From: "Keating Kay" <kaykeatingcap@mindspring.com> Date sent: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 21:27:05 -0500 Subject: [VINTAGE-PHOTOS] Scanning / Printing dpi? To: VINTAGE-PHOTOS-L@rootsweb.com Forwarded by: VINTAGE-PHOTOS-L@rootsweb.com > I want to second Colin Chambers comment, "Boy this is a great list. I > have only been subscribed for a short while so far and have already > picked up some great tips." These lengthy replies require a lot of > time and thought and I for one greatly appreciate the efforts. > Everyone who has replied to my initial email has given me useful > information, and I want to thank all. > > I'm beginning to grasp some of the finer points, but I'm still a bit > uncertain of others. I don't have the thousands of photos that some > of you have said you are working on, but for the few hundred I do have > I'd like to say I did the best I could on preserving them for future > generations. > > I'm saving two sets of files one in uncompressed *.tif and the other > compressed in *.jpg. According to what I've learned here I have been > over-scanning by way too much. My initial idea was that I wanted to > make sure that I saved as much data as possible for the future ... > when monitors, ink and printers will undoubtedly be much inproved. > > Most of the photos I'm scanning are about 1.5" x 2" and 2" x 3" . I > want to print them at 4"x6". My new Xerox WorkCenter > Fax/Printer/Scanner/Copier manual says it prints at 2400 x 1200 dpi. > It says the scanner scans at 600 x 600 dpi or up to 4800 x 4800 > resolution enhanced ... can someone explain "enhanced resolution"? > > Can someone please tell me what is the minimum dpi that I should be > scanning at with this printer and scanner to get the best possible > print now? Then at what point am I wasting computer disk space when > I overscan ... with the future in mind ... is 1200 too much, not > enough, etc.? > > Again many thanks, > Kay in Maryland > > > > > > > > --- > Kay Keating's outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.306 / Virus Database: 166 - Release Date: 12/4/2001 > > > ==== VINTAGE-PHOTOS Mailing List ==== > Checkout the other lists being watched over by your List Mom; > http://mailing_lists.homestead.com/lists.html > To learn more about my world visit http://dwp.bigplanet.com/kburnett > > ============================== > Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp >