How to Do Everything With Your Scanner- P49 pptx

Nevertheless, slides and slide projection equipment continue to occupy a niche with to the following characteristics: ■ Slides offer higher-quality resolution and color depth than images

FIGURE 12-2 The process of creating a negative reverses the light and dark areas of

an image.

FIGURE 12-3 A photograph processed from a negative

Lightest portion

of photo

The Niche Filled by Slides

Historically, 35-millimeter slides have been the projection method of choice for creating dynamic, high-impact presentations With the advent of the personal computer, programs such as PowerPoint, which create projection presentations from digital images, came into vogue Nevertheless, slides and slide projection equipment continue to occupy a niche with to the following characteristics:

■ Slides offer higher-quality resolution and color depth than images converted from scanned paper photos or the Web and imported into a program such as PowerPoint

■ Slides require the use of a special laptop projector, while digital images can be conveniently displayed using a laptop

■ Slides must be scanned and converted to digital images before they can be used for computer-based presentations such as PowerPoint

The capability to convert slides to digital images offers you the best of both worlds: the quality of a transparency and the convenience of a digital image

Tips for More Effectively Scanning Transparencies

Although scanning slides and transparencies can provide sharp color and heightened detail, it can be a tricky process Here are a few tips to improve your batting average:

Pay careful attention to initial exposure when taking slides. Slides have a narrow tonal range and are easily overexposed When you’re shooting the original with your camera, pay close attention to your shutter settings

Use the color negative setting on your scanner. Most scanners that offer transparency attachments have a special resolution setting, like the menu for the

HP Scanjet 5370C, shown in Figure 12-4

Scan at a high resolution. If a menu choice is not available for scanning transparencies, scan at a high resolution The chief advantage of scanning slides and negatives is that they allow you to capture so much detail at high resolution

Opt for a brighter shot over a darker one. If you have the choice between a too-bright negative or slide or a too-dark one, choose the light one Overexposure

is relatively easy to correct with your scanner

Handle negatives and slides carefully. This might seem obvious, but negatives and slides are very susceptible to fingerprints

12

FIGURE 12-4 Your scanner might offer a special setting for scanning transparencies

Clean your slides and negatives carefully. If you forgot to heed the last tip, you might actually be able to clean your negatives and slides You can use an antistatic brush and a can of compressed air to loosen dust and dirt Both are sold

at most photography supply stores

Take the time to decipher processing markings on the negatives. When you get a set of negatives back from the lab, they might have unobtrusive numbers or other markings Look for these numbers and marks to help you identify and keep track of your negatives without having to hold them up to the light every time

A Look at Some of the Top Flatbed Transparency Scanners

Until recently, devices that scanned negatives and transparencies were very expensive

It is only in the last couple of years that major scanner manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard and Epson have been offering transparency-scanning attachments for their inexpensive flatbed scanners Both manufacturers now offer scanners including

transparency attachments for less than $300 Both scanners produce good, although not professional-quality, results

The Hewlett-Packard ScanPro 5370C, shown in Figure 12-5, offers great image quality, good color balance, and sharp detail The transparency-scanning device can be removed and stored when not in use

FIGURE 12-5 The HP ScanPro 5370C with transparency adapter

Similarly, the Epson Perfection 1240U Photo, shown in Figure 12-6, offers a transparency-scanning peripheral for about $90 The scanner itself has a base price

of just under $200 This model has received many excellent reviews, and was used to create the photograph in Figure 12-1 shown at the beginning of this chapter

FIGURE 12-6 The Epson Perfection 1240U Photo with transparency adapter

If you’re after professional-quality transparency scans, you might want to consider purchasing a scanner that performs that function solely Favorites among experts who review these devices are the inexpensive PrimeFilm 1800 series models marketed by a company called Pacific Image Electronics The 1800U model, shown in Figure 12-7,

12

allows you to scan transparencies at 1800 dpi It’s the first dedicated film scanner to retail in the $200 price range You can find out more about this product by visiting the company website located at www.scanace.com

FIGURE 12-7 The PrimeFilm 1800U by Pacific Image Electronics is a popular,

inexpensive film scanner

Film scanners are sometimes called slide scanners, but while every film scanner scans both slides and negatives, some slide scanners might not

do the job for both.

Deciding Whether to Invest in a Transparency Attachment

It’s a matter of individual choice as to whether you should invest in a transparency scanner If your need for this capability is infrequent, you can find any number of services on line to scan negatives and transparencies Labs can produce high-quality scans for less than a few dollars

If you intend to make frequent use of a transparency adapter, consider some of the inexpensive, favorably reviewed models discussed in this chapter You should, however,

be aware that producing professional-quality transparency scans is a tricky proposition and might require a high-end scanner dedicated to this purpose