Steve'sDigicams

mkoso · Oct 20, 2003, 8:42 AM

Since I didn't see another area to pupt this post in, I hope no one will mind it here.
My question is this, has any one had any success scanning photos with a matte finish? Whenever I scan them they come out looking terribly pixelated. I'm scanning them on and HP scanner @ 300dpi, the standard setting I use for pictures but they look horrible. ON the other hand, glossy photos look quite good. Anyone have any ideas as to what could improve the picture quality?

Mark

slipe · Oct 21, 2003, 7:36 AM

Get a magnifier and look at the resolution of the prints. My guess is that the matte is printed at a lower resolution – it usually is if you use the printer’s paper settings. Not much you can do if that is he case. I doubt you would get any better scan going above 300PPI.

Setiprime · Oct 21, 2003, 11:05 AM

Slipe is right (IMHO) I have had exactly the same experience.

Sorry bout that- but no sense trying to recapture what isn't there in the first place.

Good Luck

mkoso · Oct 21, 2003, 1:43 PM

Do you mean matte photo's in general are printed at a lower res at the lab or in the home enviorment? These are film camera prints from a photo lab that I'm talking about, perhaps I didn't make myself clear. Sorry if that's thae case. HP themselves recommends trying to scan them @ 600dpi but, that seems excessivve to me.

Mark

slipe · Oct 21, 2003, 6:41 PM

This is a good read: http://www.scantips.com/basics08.html Go to the next page where he runs some scanning tests on a shot taken with a fixed focal length Nikon on a tripod and can’t improve on a 300PPI scan. You are spinning your wheels over 300PPI.

I have no idea why the matte prints from a photofinisher would be of lower resolution. Back when I had a darkroom the only difference between the finishes was that you dried the gloss on a shiny plate to get the finish. Are you sure both were originally taken with the same film? There is a big difference between ISO800 and ISO100 film.

mkoso · Oct 21, 2003, 8:51 PM

Thanks slipe, that's a good little read and a good site and, I understand what it's saying. Basically, you can't make something, something it's not! Too bad you can't though! LOL

Mark

Oct 20, 2003, 8:42 AM	#1
mkoso Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 176	Scanning Matte Finish Photos Since I didn't see another area to pupt this post in, I hope no one will mind it here. My question is this, has any one had any success scanning photos with a matte finish? Whenever I scan them they come out looking terribly pixelated. I'm scanning them on and HP scanner @ 300dpi, the standard setting I use for pictures but they look horrible. ON the other hand, glossy photos look quite good. Anyone have any ideas as to what could improve the picture quality? Mark

Oct 21, 2003, 11:05 AM	#3
Setiprime Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 484	Yup - Slipe is right (IMHO) I have had exactly the same experience. Sorry bout that- but no sense trying to recapture what isn't there in the first place. Good Luck

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Oct 21, 2003, 7:36 AM	#2
slipe Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Indian Rocks Beach, FL Posts: 4,036	Get a magnifier and look at the resolution of the prints. My guess is that the matte is printed at a lower resolution – it usually is if you use the printer’s paper settings. Not much you can do if that is he case. I doubt you would get any better scan going above 300PPI.

Oct 21, 2003, 1:43 PM	#4
mkoso Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 176	Do you mean matte photo's in general are printed at a lower res at the lab or in the home enviorment? These are film camera prints from a photo lab that I'm talking about, perhaps I didn't make myself clear. Sorry if that's thae case. HP themselves recommends trying to scan them @ 600dpi but, that seems excessivve to me. Mark

Oct 21, 2003, 6:41 PM	#5
slipe Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Indian Rocks Beach, FL Posts: 4,036	This is a good read: http://www.scantips.com/basics08.html Go to the next page where he runs some scanning tests on a shot taken with a fixed focal length Nikon on a tripod and can’t improve on a 300PPI scan. You are spinning your wheels over 300PPI. I have no idea why the matte prints from a photofinisher would be of lower resolution. Back when I had a darkroom the only difference between the finishes was that you dried the gloss on a shiny plate to get the finish. Are you sure both were originally taken with the same film? There is a big difference between ISO800 and ISO100 film.

Oct 21, 2003, 8:51 PM	#6
mkoso Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 176	Thanks slipe, that's a good little read and a good site and, I understand what it's saying. Basically, you can't make something, something it's not! Too bad you can't though! LOL Mark