Scanner quality and settings

[SD_Ryoko]

Hey. I got a new all in one center. And its killing me.

When I scan a preview image, it looks beautifull. But when I scan it into my software, it gets this pixelated pattern.

I tried all kinds of settings, not enhancing, not sharpening, and it looks like crap. I tried three different programs (including the HP software) and different resolutions.

Here is my signed copy from Matt hughes (The man!) but look at his shoulder. See the pixel pattern? WHY WHY?

[edit[
I'm better off capturing the preview screen and pasting it (like i did)

 

[Logical_1]

Is there an option soemwhere to tell the software what kind of image you're scanning in, such as photo, B/W, line art, etc? Be sure it's set to photo and also be sure you scan in as JPG or something similar as they will scale better than formats like BMP or PNG. I'm not quite sure how well TIFF scales, but I know JPG scales well when you enhance the resolution of the image. Also, what is the max optical resolution of the scanner?

 

[SD_Ryoko]

Only the HP software has the JPG options. It has a slider for quality, which I maxed out.

(You know what kinda sucks, the software NEVER saves its new default settings, you have to do it every time.)

600 x 3,600 dpi scan resolution
2,400 x 1,200 dpi colour print resolution

I tried 150, 200, and 300 dpi.

I tried auto sharpen, and no auto sharpen. Seems to do a little better with no auto sharpen.

In Ulead, I tried without post processing, and with. Ulead didn't have the quality sliders. Just resolution and processing options.

Same results. The more DPI I set it to, the worse it seems to come out.

Theres go to be a way to get a good, high quality picture out of it. The preview picture looks great. I would think, at at LEAST default settings, my image would be just as good. But I am not experienced enough to know what I'm doin wrong.

 

[Logical_1]

Is there an option for what kind of image the paper is on when you scan it in? It seems as though the scanned image is scanned but then goes through a newsprint paper filter instead of a photo filter from the look of the two images. I see a pattern on the left one that doesn't appear to be present in the preview. Can you do a screen capture of the scan options page(s)?

 

[SD_Ryoko]

Thats what I thought. My previous scanner had Magazine, newspaper, etc. It would automatically accomodate for moire / glare. But I find no such options.

When I am back at home base I will put some screens together. Thanks logical.

(notice it says, "To Web Wizard" because of our teams web site I did - LOL )

 

[SD_Ryoko]

Okay, its kinda big but I got it

My screen res is pretty high.

 

[Logical_1]

What is the highest resolution you have for the photo type on the first screen on the left? Also, change that to a higher number than 150dpi and select the upload image data as JPG on the second screen on the left. See if that improves anything. Also, what kind of HP scanner is it?

 

[SD_Ryoko]

I tried 300 dpi and the JPEG setting. It didn't help much. It looks like its passing it through a filter - which isn't right.

It will do 9600 dpi.

It is an HP G55 all in one. Courtesy of my dad.

ULEAD has BMP format... let me try that.

[edit]

Yes, ULEAD still has the pixelation all over it, with BMP and 300 dpi. The preview still looks far better.

 

[Logical_1]

How does it scan when choosing "Mixed Image"?

 

[SD_Ryoko]

Bout like this... 300 dpi, mixed image, use jpeg, highest qual jpg, no sharpening.

[edit]

Logical, I think i figgured something important out. No matter which program I use, its using the TWAIN plug in to bring in the image. One way or another, ULEAD, HP, and microsoft image editor bring up the TWAIN window. But I don't see any configuration for the twain module itself, or where to adjust what its doing......

 

[Logical_1]

Yeah, that's how it's supposed to work. My next question, is what is the source image on? Poster? 8x10 glossy? Magazine?
The way it looks in the scan, it must be from some kind of print that isn't a photo because of the way the dots show on the image. What is the lowest resolution option you have for scanning in?

 

[SD_Ryoko]

Well its like a promotional item. 8.5 x 11. Looks like magazine type material. I dont see the dots looking at the actual document; its smooth and perfect. It is also somewhat reflective. Still doesn't explain why it looks okay in the preview screen.

The lowest is 150.

If I take the image after its scanned in HP, and adjust the sharpness -100 (thats max) four or five times, it gets better and better. It actually looks REALLY good. But, I tried both default and no sharpening, with no luck.

 

[Logical_1]

Look at the image under a magnifying glass and you will see why it is being scanned the way it is. The scanner is too smart for its own good in this case as it is picking up the colors off the paper instead of the image. Newsprint and magazines are printed in a multistage process that involves using different intesities of blue, red, and yellow dots closely spaced to create the different colors you see. Normally the dots are so small that they aren't noticed, but when scanned, the pattern you see is how the dots are arranged. The preview looks better since it is scanned at a much lower resolution (think 50-60dpi) and thus doesn't pick up the dots themselves but rather the picture as a whole.

I doubt you'll be able to improve on this unless you use a light blur filter on the image to smooth over the dots a few times.