etc@bmcnew media.web.and more.

Scan Mode:

  • Black and white--use 8-bit grayscale
  • Color--use 24-bit RBG mode (if output to commercial printing, convert to CMYK afterwards)
Determining Scan Resolution: Let your final output device be your guide

If your final output process is printing to

Its linescreen (lpi) is

Scan at this resolution (2 x lpi)

Laser printer

85

170

Newspaper

85 to 120

170 to 240

Quick Print shop, Copy shop

100 to 120

200 to 240

Newsprint magazines

100 or 120

200 or 240

Glossy magazines

150

300

Coffee table books

175

350

Museum quality art books

200

400

     

Output to Web/monitor screen

Screen Resolution is 72 ppi or 96 ppi

72 or 96 ppi

Inkjet Printer

Look up default resolution in manual

Scan at no more than one-third of set resolution to prevent over-saturation

Part of the table adapted from: Cohen, Sandee, and Robin Williams. Non-Designer's Scan and Print Book. Berkeley: Peachpit Press, 1999. p.91.

Case Study 1: Scanning Pictures from a Printed Work

A scan made from a printed work (magazines, books) is likely to exhibit blotches or dot patterns known as moirZ, which is due to the use of halftone screens used in the printing process.  To minimize moirZ, scan at 2x the desired resolution with the ÒdescreenÓ option selected.  The resulting scan can then be resampled to half the image size in Photoshop before saving the file.

Case Study 2: Optimize viewing quality of a page with color images

It is possible to adjust the exposure of the scanned image to obtain a clean white background for text legibility while retaining the color balance of graphics on the same page.

Within PhotoShop,  go to Image ^ Adjust ^ Auto levels ( to set the white and black point automatically).  Then select Auto Contrast under the same menu.  To further adjust the exposure, use Brightness and Contrast option under the same menu.

When you are happy with the change, File ^ Save or Save as (another file format)

Want to print this out? Go to File-->Print and the document will be automatically formatted for printing!Related Documents: