Tips for Getting the Best Scan

Getting the best scan possible depends on several factors, including the quality of your original and the resolution you select. The better your original is, the better your scan will be. While you can make some corrections in your scanning software, you’ll need to do major photo retouching in a program such as Adobe PhotoDeluxe or Adobe Photoshop to correct or mask problems such as a coffee stain on the original image.

Recommended Settings

If you are manually adjusting the settings in the TWAIN window, you should consider using the following settings for optimal scans (a more detailed listing is available in your electronic Reference Guide):

 

 

Scanning resolution

Image type

Recommended Image Type

for printing 1, 2

Photograph

Color Photo

300 dpi

 

 

 

Small photograph to be enlarged

Color Photo

300 dpi to 3200 dpi

 

 

 

Magazine

Color Photo

300 dpi

 

 

 

Newspaper (text only)

Text (Background Removal)

400 dpi

 

 

 

Text for OCR

Text (Background Removal)

400 dpi

 

 

 

Text with images

Color Document

400 dpi

 

 

 

Line art

Line Art

300 to 3200 dpi

 

 

 

35 mm film (negative)

TPU for neg.Film

300 to 3200 dpi

 

 

 

4 x 5 or Brownie film (negative)

TPU for neg.Film

300 to 3200 dpi

 

 

 

35 mm slide or

TPU for pos.Film

300 to 3200 dpi

4 x 5 transparency

 

 

 

 

 

1If your final file is for on-screen viewing (for example, on a web page or in an e-mail message), select 72 dpi for your resolution.

2If you are enlarging your image, you must manually increase the resolution (dpi) proportionally to maintain the resolution of your original.

42 Scanning from Start to Finish