Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/01/30

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Scanning, Leica and Color Laser Printers
From: "Gary Todoroff" <datamaster@humboldt1.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 23:03:23 -0800
References: <PHEELCMAMIFCIINLICGLIEDFCEAA.eferro@tbscc.com>

I've been doing lots of scanning and printing lately so will take on some of
your questions, tho the details would take the many books I've already read
(hmmm, didn't I just recently post "READ THE BOOK" ?)

From: Ernest B. Ferro >

>Is it possible using Leica
> glass and Tektronix color printers to produce a brochure that would come
> close to something done professionally using a 4 color printing press?

Yes. For brochure sizes and using a high-end home inkjet printer, I have
done some fine looking cards and brochures. I don't know the Tektronix. Try
different card stock from Avery, etc, some aready scored for folding. Good
paper will make the difference.

>Should I scan at 2700 dpi using my Nikon LS-2000 or
> should I pick some other resolution?

Since you often do not know what size the eventual output will be, yes, scan
at 2700. On 35mm that's only about 20MB, not much space on today's 40-100GB
drives. When you are ready to print, do an image resize to the actual
brochure size with a dpi that prints well on the Tektronix. Sharpen with the
Unsharp mask filter, but only sharpen as the last step when the image is at
its final print size. Use "actual pixel size" magnificaton when sharpening
to see any strange edge effects, etc. On my Epson 1200, I use 240dpi output
resolution, since anything more than that does not improve quality. Do some
tests of the same size image at different dpi on your Tek.

>Do I need to buy a 4000 dpi scanner if
> I want to go to 11 x 17 with those same negatives or transparencies?

11x17 is on the border line for 2700 dpi 35mm film scanners. You can
"resample" an image by increasing the size in small increments three or four
times to get to the final 11x17 size and achieve fairly good results. With
Photoshop, I have doubled the megabyte size of an image file and not seen
degradation. Others use Genuine Fractals (a Photoshop "plug-in") for the
same effect. If you were doing a lot of larger prints, then a higher end
scanner would be helpful. The Imacon Photo does a great job and can
sometimes be found used on eBay for $4000-$5000. I rent time on an Imacon
Precision II and scan sometimes at around 5700 for really big enlargements
(30x40 inch Light Jet 5000 prints look great). If you only need a few big
scans, then have them done at a prepress or service bureau ($20-$60 for a
high resolution drum scan). Digital equipment of any kind depreciates almost
as fast as ice in the sun, so let someone else foot that cost unless you can
make money with the higher end equipment before it becomes worthless.

>Are there any rules of thumb that relate image size and printer resolution
to
> scanner dpi.  Or, should we scan at max dpi and sample down in photoshop?

You don't lose quality by sampling down. Since you are already going to the
trouble to make a scan, and, like me, may have to hunt half a day for the
slide if you need to scan it again later, make that first scan fairly high
resolution. If you need to save disk space then burn two identical CD's with
organized folders of photo files. Keep one at the office and one at home as
backup.

> And, finally, I've tried outputting some scanned transparencies to paper
> using Photoshop and the colors have been less than brilliant.  The samples
> of photographs we can get from Tektronix from those printers is truly
> brilliant, how do I duplicate that brilliance?

This assumes that you are using the same quality paper as Tek sends you as
samples. Your print driver should have a "custom" or "advanced" button that
will allow you to tweek color, brightness, contrast, and (perhaps most
important for you) saturation settings. Also, your should probably be
printing at the highest or next to highest dpi setting on your printer (720
and 1440dpi on my Epson).

But first set up your monitor. Use your monitor calibration software, such
as Adobe Gamma, in the Control Panel (don't know where it is on a Mac) or
more advanced calibration hardware/software if you have it. Don't try to
make adjustments to each image file in Photoshop, trying to compensate for
your printer. Instead, adjust your printer driver settings when the "ready
to print" dialog comes up. When your image looks like the monitor image,
save those settings as your custom profile for that printer and paper
combination which you are using. Tek may also provide custom profiles for
your combination. But that subject would indeed require several books, and
I'm still trying to make sense of the arcane world of ICC profiles.

Good questions, Ernie, and I've tried to provide some of the answers that I
could have used a couple years ago when first getting started, trying to
make Photoshop behave like a darkroom for my Leica (and other) slides and
negs. And remember, READ THE BOOK!

Regards,
Gary Todoroff
Tree LUGger (and more longwinded than usual tonight - must be all the talk
about Espresso . . .)


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In reply to: Message from "Ernest B. Ferro" <eferro@tbscc.com> ([Leica] Scanning, Leica and Color Laser Printers)