If I scan a photo in at a very high ppi (say... 1200) will I get more detail to work with in a restoration than if I simply scanned it in at the normal 300? I'll size down the image after I'm done. I just need the most detail possible to fix this one and I thought that might be the only way to get it. I'd rather have it huge and size it down later, but if it's a waste of time I'll scan it at the normal size.

hi pj,

for a long while 600 ppi was about the best optical scan you could get. anything above that was actually a digital enhancement. the same was true with digital cameras and if you ever notice on those you get two ratings, optical and digital zoom. the digital zoom is exactly the same as using your zoom in photoshop or paint shop pro.

so, i dont know if 600 is still the limit. technology advances, but i suspect 600 is still about the best optical you're going to get on a scanner and that anything higher is just an additional digital zoom. the best thing to do is to actually test it for yourself and see.

craig

PK, generally it is good to have more pixel data to play with when editing, however you need to put things in perspective. If you are scanning an original photo which is 4x6 inches square and you intend to print a 8x12 when you are done, then scanning at 300 DPI is not good enough for a high quality print. If you are scanning an 8X10 original and you do not intend to enlarge it, then a 1200 DPI scan provides no advantage. Regards, MM

Craig, the optical limit on scanners now well exceeds 600 DPI for a flatbed scanner (2400 is typical). Negative and Slide scanners are typically 4000 DPI Optical. Best Rgds, MM

thanks mm :)

craig

PJ Staley, I'd go along with mistermonday on this one.
Start from the end.
What is your target for final size / resolution?
Doubling that will be about the maximum you'll ever need.

It's nice to have a lot of pixels, but too many just slows things up.

Rô

I'm not concerned with print resolution at this point, simply acquiring as much pixel data as possible for restoring the photo. When the photo is finished, it will be printed at 4x6. Right now it's a 2x3 tin type.

I'm not concerned with print resolution at this point, simply acquiring as much pixel data as possible for restoring the photo. When the photo is finished, it will be printed at 4x6. Right now it's a 2x3 tin type.

How good is the original photo? Keep in mind that you will be capturing damage as well, along with dust and grain that might not present such a problem at a lower resolution. A high-end chrome could justifiably be scanned at a considerably higher resolution, since, conceivably, there is actual detail there to be captured. But if the original is not sharply focused, if there is a lot of noise in the way, you're just making things harder for yourself. Needlessly.