Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/07/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 7/20/99 6:48:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time, coresect@tin.it writes: > Could anyone on the list enlighten me on how they are getting their photo's onto > the web? > What is the best compromise for someone with a run of the mill flatbed scanner > to get the best quality images without taking up Mb's? (dpi resolution of the > scan and then the best format to save them in (and how much to compress > them) Paul... Depending on the source (prints, negatives or slides) there are a several avenues to choose from. A fairly inexpensive route is to simply take the negatives or slides you choose down to your local processor and have them scanned and burned onto a CD-ROM (prints not required). Depending on the vendor, $9 to $50 will set you up; variables include how many shots and the size and depth of each scan. This solution assumes a minimal amount of scanning or it can get expensive in the long run. I am having this done right now with a selection of B&W, chromes and print negatives all on one CD-ROM and expect the price to be around ~$50 for 42 images. Another avenue in this range is to have a Kodak Picture CD made at the time of processing (~$7 extra, with coupon); I had this done on the Summaron images at my web site (address below) The next route is to use your basic scanner (like my Mustek 1200 III EP) and grit your teeth. The scans I get are pathetic, but can be used for non-critical image placement. I typically scan them into Paint Shop Pro and save them in the JPG format at 300 DPI resolution and a compression level between 15 and 30. Much compression above that and you can begin to see artifacting pretty easy. File sizes can easily be knocked down from 20MB to 115KB or smaller. If you *must* keep a flatbed scanner available, there are models that can scan slides and prints, in addition to regular materials. I have used the HP 6200C and have gotten results that are adequate, as you can see from all my Noctilux images at my web site to get an idea (address below). The next step up is a scanner dedicated to photo imaging, like the HP PhotoSmart S20 ($435). I am getting one of these as a birthday gift next week and will be able to post those scans as a comparison a little later. Then there are the more expensive photo scanners like the Nikon and the prices climb very rapidly. http://members.aol.com/zeissleica/private/_private/front.htm /Mitch