Really, Really Streaky Scans!

[rnbluvva]

Help!

I am doing a job for a friend and for some reason my scans are incredibly streaky. I cleaned the glass but my gut is telling me the scanner is on its way out to Scanner Heaven.

I have an HP ScanJet 5300C that was bought about 6 years ago.

Now, I can't buy a new scanner just yet. So I am wondering if there is a method to remove severe streaking?

Posted below is a sample of the streakage!

I am going to try the FFT method on the images to see what happens.

These images were scanned in at 600dpi and will be output as 20x30 posters @ 200dpi.

If I can't remove the lines, what do you think the best way to approach the iamge would be since it is getting blown up so large?

Thanks for the help!

[duwayne]

There are many ways to fix the scan lines. Here's a quick fix (probalby not the best approach)

Used Image=>Adjustment=>Levels
Settings = Input levels 10, .7, 200 - Output levels 5, 245

Image=>Adjustment=>Hue/Saturation. Edit red channel - Saturation -25

[rnbluvva]

Originally Posted by duwayne

There are many ways to fix the scan lines. Here's a quick fix (probalby not the best approach)

Used Image=>Adjustment=>Levels
Settings = Input levels 10, .7, 200 - Output levels 5, 245

Image=>Adjustment=>Hue/Saturation. Edit red channel - Saturation -25

Duwayne!

That is remarkable!

I will try it and post my results.

What are some other ways to fix these lines?

Also, is it worth taking the scanner in to be looked at for a fix or do you think it best to just get a new scanner?

Thank you so much!

[rnbluvva]

OK, that method works brilliantly to get rid of the scans on a white or light background. But as you can see from my before and after. The skin still shows the scan marks.

Any ideas how to get rid of those using an adjustment, or should I just use some skin softening and cloning to get rid of the really bad streaks? Maybe I can do this by working with the Channels? I'm not too sure as I have never done anything like this before.

That technique really is a wonderful one! I appreciate you sharing it with me.

[plugsnpixels]

I've seen these exact same streaks on $60 scanners and a $1300 scanner! All of them several years old, of course. My gut theory is the tube is dying. Further info can be found here, where it is suggested you might re-zero the scan tube, or move the scanner away from your computer to avoid EMF interference.

Getting the streaks out of the light areas is easy, as you've seen. The dark areas need some further manual work (I've tried both rubber stamping and healing).

Try scanning a large black piece of paper to see if there is any area of the scan bed not affected by the streaks. Then place your prints in that area in the future before scanning.

[rnbluvva]

plugsnpixels:

Thank you so much for the useful info.

My work space here is a bit cramped, so moving the scanner isn't an option unfortunately. I think it's just been used so much. It is 6 years old and that is old in computer accessories years! LOL

I was able to get most of the streaking out of the skin using some healing brush and a combination of a Dust & Scratches/Gaussian Blur/Grain Texture filter applied lightly to the affected areas.

I think the image came out OK considering how horrible it looked to begin with. I have posted my final result.

[plugsnpixels]

Not bad at all, considering the original! Cute kid too.

PS: Never mind the old scanner, keep singing! Nice tunes ;-).

[Doug Nelson]

Sounds like the scanner is dying. It happens (and usually sooner than 6 years). In fact, the identical thing happened to my HP scanner (one reason I switched to Epson). With so many wonderful scanners around (starting under $100) this is actually an opportunity.