Help to improve this image of a manuscript

[minoan]

I use Photoshop CS3 Extended and Windows XP Professional.

I attach an image of a degraded manuscript. I wish to improve the image, hopefully ending with the writing in crisp black on a uniform white background, with all the details of the writing revealed. How can this be achieved using Photoshop?

The attached image is very degraded compared with the original, so as to achieve an image complying with the limits of this forum. The original image is a Photoshop .psd image, 16.9MB in size, which has not been sharpened or rotated etc.

I doubt whether the uploaded attached image is of any use for working on with Photoshop. Therefore I give the location via Flickr of a much better RGB .tif image, which is:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/...292eb3.jpg?v=0

[amica999]

Welcome to RetouchPro, minoan. I tried to look at your doc, but the link is not working...

[minoan]

Dear amica, sorry my link to my image didi not work. The following link should work:


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/...292eb3.jpg?v=0

[DCobb]

Hi Minoan,

I tried my forensic deconvolution filter and several other things. The common problem is the the light areas of the text is similar to the background color you are trying to remove. Hopefully, someone more skilled in document work will have the answer for you.

dc

Decided to upload what I got using the color range filter.

[0lBaldy]

Originally Posted by minoan

I use Photoshop CS3 Extended and Windows XP Professional.

The attached image is very degraded compared with the original, so as to achieve an image complying with the limits of this forum. The original image is a Photoshop .psd image, 16.9MB in size, which has not been sharpened or rotated etc.

I doubt whether the uploaded attached image is of any use for working on with Photoshop. Therefore I give the location via Flickr of a much better RGB .tif image, which is:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/...292eb3.jpg?v=0

The sample posted could be much larger and better quality using the following guides with your 17MB PSD..
Attaching Files or Images to Threads or Posts

Size and quality for Attached Images!!

After you post your less than 100K version here, you could also post a larger version JPEG at ImageVenue.com (3Meg max, free) or pixentral.com (2Meg max, free) or photobucket.com (1 Meg max free,... 5 Meg PRO)-- then post a link here in this thread to the site that is hosting your larger version.

[vschranz]

I can not compete with the solutions above, but here is the text that is on the picture, and its English translation:

No: 384.

1.) Introduzione e Core di sacerdotessi nell
op: Norma del Maestro Bellini
2.) Duetto nell' opera: Norma del Maestro
Bellini "Deh! con te, con te li prendi...

Translated:
No 384

1) Introduction and choir of the priestesses
from the opera Norma from Master Bellini
2) Duet from the opera: Norma from Master
Bellini "Ah! Take them with you...

[vschranz]

(I cheated by tracing the text).

[gfriedman]

Bravo Maestro!

[vschranz]

Mille grazie, Dottore!