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Scanning Tips
Scanning Tips
What setting should I use?
For most accurate reproduction, scan your images using the same data type as that of the
final intended output device. This may also help you control file size. Here are some
examples:
OCR Text and Line Art use the Black and white setting (or use the centers OCR
software!)
Laser printer use Grayscale setting.
Monitor 256/True color use millions of color setting.
Post production use True color (CMYK) setting.
Experiment with different settings
Scan images using different settings. Compare the results on your screen to select the one
that suits your needs.
How much resolution is enough
When scanning, the relationship between your scanner and the output device to use is
important in determining the resolution. The following suggestions may be helpful in
deciding:
Scan for the intended output device. For monitors (the internet), use 72 dpi (Windows large
fonts)-96 dpi (Windows small fonts), laser printers 300-600 dpi, and photo-quality 1200-
2400 dpi.
Scan at higher resolution (2x the original) when doing extensive image processing to work
with as much information as possible.
Scan at higher resolution when enlarging the image to scan.
Scan at 1.5 to 2x the intended halftone screen's lines per inch when sending the file to a
postproduction house to create halftones.
Highest resolution is not always the best selection
High-resolution images require enormous amounts of disk space. There are no advantages to
scanning an image at a higher resolution than what it is to be displayed at. The standard color
typesetting resolution is 180 dpi and a standard photograph ranges from 400 to 600 dpi.
Similarly, exceeding the resolution capabilities of your output device or monitor will not
result in a gain in image quality. A standard VGA monitor's display resolution in Windows is
72 dpi (Windows large fonts) or 96 dpi (Windows small fonts).