TO........Brian Mavrogeorge FROM......Brian Mavrogeorge SUBJECT...Re: Scanners & Old pictures DATE......04:58am 04-Aug-92 * Reply to msg originally in USENET ROOTS Conference -=> Quoting Debbie Wayne to All <=- DW> @UFGATE newsin 1.27 DW> From: deb@phx.mcd.mot.com (Debbie Wayne) DW> Date: 30 Jul 92 16:54:02 GMT DW> Organization: Motorola Computer Group, Tempe, Az. DW> Message-ID: <1992Jul30.165402.27663@phx.mcd.mot.com> DW> Newsgroups: soc.roots DW> DW> With all the talk of scanners and copying old photos DW> I thought there might be interest in these scanner DW> experiences: DW> DW> We have a Logitech Scanman 256 installed on our PC at home and a DW> Packard Bell laser printer with HP LJ II compatibility. DW> The scanner is selectable for 100/200/300/400 dots per inch DW> and for 16/64/256 gray scale or line art. The scanner can be DW> found with OCR software also but be sure to get the one DW> with the latest version of the Phototouch software. DW> In addition to the DPI and gray-scale selections on the DW> scanner there is a contrast control so you can adjust DW> for washed out photos as you scan. DW> DW> I have been scanning some old photos I inherited from DW> my grandmother and have been VERY impressed with the DW> capabilities of this scanner and the software. DW> Especially considering that the hardware and software together DW> only cost around $200 (can't remember the exact cost since DW> my husband is the one who bought it for me). DW> DW> The Phototouch software has the ability to crop images, DW> lighten/darken images or sections of the image, sharpen/ DW> soften images or sections, and to touch up the image. DW> It takes a lot of time and patience to do a good job DW> on extensive touch ups (trying to put lips and a nose on DW> a person where a photo had been torn almost drove me crazy). DW> Everything else I have tried was simple and easy to do and DW> all operations are reversible if you don't like the changes. DW> DW> So far I have scanned about 175 photos ranging from c.1900 DW> faded sepia prints to c.1915 postcard photos to c.1992 DW> snapshots taken with a good 35mm camera. Sizes have DW> ranged from 1x2" to 8x10". The only scans I haven't been DW> happy with were the ones where the photo was extremely faded DW> and I didn't want to invest the time to do the touchup work. DW> I did achieve excellent results when I darkened and sharpened DW> the faded area around one person in a group shot to make DW> that person more visible. DW> DW> The only problems I have encountered using the Logitech Scanman 256 DW> and Phototouch are (NOTE: These aren't necessarily problems with DW> the scanner/software but in using the scanner/software on my DW> system configuration): DW> DW> - After upgrading to Windows 3.1 and Norton Desktop, the DW> Norton screen saver seems to interfere with the Phototouch DW> software and can hang the system requiring a reboot. I DW> always disable the screen saver before starting the scanner DW> software. DW> DW> - I unload all Windows applications except what is absolutely DW> required to free up as much memory as possible. DW> DW> - After upgarding to Windows 3.1, all of the menus become DW> gray when the scanner software is started due to some DW> problem with the super VGA driver in 3.1. This requires you DW> to disable VGA mode in the scanner software. DW> DW> - Scanning at 256gray-scale/400DPi, even on a small photo, takes DW> a LONG time to process on a 20Mhz 386 with 4MB of memory and DW> with a 20MB permanent swap file allocated on disk. We plan DW> to upgrade soon to a 33Mhz 486 with 8MB of memory. It takes DW> about 10 minutes to process and print a 2x3" photo. It can take DW> up to 30 minutes for a 5x7" at 256/400DPI. DW> DW> - I haven't had great luck so far with scanning multiple strips DW> and using the autostitch software to merge the strips into DW> one image. But I have only tried this 2 times and I think DW> I need to work on my technique. I wound up copying an 8x10" DW> photo into two separate files instead of spending the time to DW> get the autostitch to work because I had to return the photo. DW> DW> - If you want to keep the files of the images on disk you better DW> have a LARGE disk. File sizes range from 200k for small images DW> scanned at 64gray-scale/200DPI to 2MB for a 3x5 image scanned at DW> 256gray-scale/400DPI. DW> DW> - Using a scanner alignment pad is a big help in keeping the DW> scanner straight while moving it. This is a grid in which DW> you place the item to be scanned, cover it with a clear acetate DW> sheet and a frame into which the scanner fits, then move the DW> scanner using the side of the frame as a guide. DW> DW> Hope this information helps someone. Even though my experiences DW> haven't been perfect, I would highly recommend this package to anyone DW> interested in scanning photos. DW> DW> -- DW> Debbie Wayne, Mail Drop AZ43 - DW220 VOICE: (602) 438-3286 DW> Motorola Core Tech. and Systems INTERNET: DW> deb@phx.mcd.mot.com 2900 S. Diablo Way DW> Tempe, AZ 85282 FAX: (602) 438-3836 DW> DW> -!- ConfMail V4.00 DW> ! Origin: f555.n125.z1.fidonet.org (1:125/555) DW> SEEN!BY: 125/30 555 DW> @PATH: 125/555 DW> DW> ~~~ Blue Wave/Opus v2.10 [NR]