PSA Secure Scan - anyone know what type of scanner or settings they use?

dictoresno

Just realized that one of my cards I sent Express awhile back (August) finally had its Secure Scan show up in the cert verification. I like the way they were able to capture the refractive foil as opposed to my CCD Epson. Anyone know what kind of scanner they use? Or is there any way with my scanner to more closely replicate this type of scan?

vs mine....

NGS428

I am willing to bet SecureScan uses a high end digital camera setup.

I did some digging around at PWCC and I think they use an Olympus E-M1MarkII digital camera along with some post processing in Photoshop.

https://www.getolympus.com/us/en/digitalcameras/omd/e-m1-mark-ii.html

Once you have a camera setup you can probably capture images many times faster than you can in a scanner. To capture a refractor like that you need light at multiple angles, something nearly impossible in a flatbed scanner and much easier to replicate with a digital camera.

I may try to use my camera setup I use for coins on my PSA slabs again. Getting proper lighting (as with coins) is tough. A scanner is so darn easy!

dictoresno

I agree, sounds very likely that it could be a camera setup vs scanner. however, the light set up would produce a rainbow look to the surface, not the uniform glow produced here. thats why I still think theres a scanner involved. Maybe Jackie or one of the other mods can chime in on the process.

AFLfan

Hey guys...

I spoke to the people that work in SecureScan. Here is the scanner they use and the settings:

This is the scanner: https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Expression-12000XL-GA-Flatbed-Scanner/dp/B01N25O7OL/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Epson+Expression+12000XL+Graphic+Arts+Scanner&qid=1597991935&sr=8-1

This is a more economical scanner that does just as good of a job though:

https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Expression-12000XL-GA-Flatbed-Scanner/dp/B01N25O7OL/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Epson+Expression+12000XL+Graphic+Arts+Scanner&qid=1597991935&sr=8-1

The scanner setting is 300 DPI, Gamma 1.8, with no other filter turned on.

I hope this helps!

NGS428

@AFLfan said:
Hey guys...

I spoke to the people that work in SecureScan. Here is the scanner they use and the settings:

This is the scanner: https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Expression-12000XL-GA-Flatbed-Scanner/dp/B01N25O7OL/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Epson+Expression+12000XL+Graphic+Arts+Scanner&qid=1597991935&sr=8-1

This is a more economical scanner that does just as good of a job though:

https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Expression-12000XL-GA-Flatbed-Scanner/dp/B01N25O7OL/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Epson+Expression+12000XL+Graphic+Arts+Scanner&qid=1597991935&sr=8-1

The scanner setting is 300 DPI, Gamma 1.8, with no other filter turned on.

I hope this helps!

Thanks Todd! Both of your links go to the same scanner. Please look at that.

If you ever get rid of these scanners, Keep me in mind.

dictoresno

@AFLfan said:
Hey guys...

I spoke to the people that work in SecureScan. Here is the scanner they use and the settings:

This is the scanner: https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Expression-12000XL-GA-Flatbed-Scanner/dp/B01N25O7OL/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Epson+Expression+12000XL+Graphic+Arts+Scanner&qid=1597991935&sr=8-1

This is a more economical scanner that does just as good of a job though:

https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Expression-12000XL-GA-Flatbed-Scanner/dp/B01N25O7OL/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Epson+Expression+12000XL+Graphic+Arts+Scanner&qid=1597991935&sr=8-1

The scanner setting is 300 DPI, Gamma 1.8, with no other filter turned on.

I hope this helps!

Awesome!!!! Thanks for the time you took to look into it!

AFLfan

Sorry. Here is the link to the second scanner:

https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Perfection-Negative-Document-Scanner/dp/B002OEBMRU/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=epson+v600+perfection+photo+scanner&qid=1602264295&sprefix=epson+v600&sr=8-3

blurryface

if anyone can figure out the settings of the v600 to get the reflective images, please update thread. would love to dust mine off. i just found that a camera worked best and whatever i was doing w my v600 never captured great images of the in hand experience on the modern stuff.

NGS428

@blurryface said:
if anyone can figure out the settings of the v600 to get the reflective images, please update thread. would love to dust mine off. i just found that a camera worked best and whatever i was doing w my v600 never captured great images of the in hand experience on the modern stuff.

I have a few tips in my guide, but nothing to get it to look like the one in the OP. I don’t collect PSA graded refractor or prizm cards. If you see any cheap ones on eBay that should shine like the Wade in the OP let me know and I can maybe pick one up to test.

blurryface

@NGS428 said:

@blurryface said:
if anyone can figure out the settings of the v600 to get the reflective images, please update thread. would love to dust mine off. i just found that a camera worked best and whatever i was doing w my v600 never captured great images of the in hand experience on the modern stuff.

I have a few tips in my guide, but nothing to get it to look like the one in the OP. I don’t collect PSA graded refractor or prizm cards. If you see any cheap ones on eBay that should shine like the Wade in the OP let me know and I can maybe pick one up to test.

you're scan guide was amazing. remember reading it a while back and certainly helped tweak my settings on vintage. my son has hit the age of getting into sports and have since moved into modern. i tried on and off for a month w different tweaks and even attempting to prop the card at different angles on the bed but to no avail. scans just seemed flat and didn't represent the cards attributes in hand. loved the ease of scanning. the photo route, while looking so much better, certainly is more time consuming. would love to get back to the simple scanning route...if ya figure it out or want me to send ya a refractor card, lemme know!

dictoresno

I just tried for hours with my V370 and there’s no way to change the LED pattern. However changing the gamma to 1.8 definitely looks longer than 2.2 it was set at.

LarkinCollector

Here's the V600 w/the two different gamma settings ...

Gamma 2.2 (default)

Gamma 1.8 (setting Todd mentioned PSA uses)

The 1.8 definitely has a nicer look, but the Leaf Prismatics aren't nearly as refractive as the Panini Prizms. I'll have to find some other refractors to try this out on.

NGS428

@dictoresno said:
I just tried for hours with my V370 and there’s no way to change the LED pattern. However changing the gamma to 1.8 definitely looks longer than 2.2 it was set at.

What are referring to when you mention 1.8 looks longer than 2.2?

Gamma is certainly a setting that can be played with. Anything between 1.8 and 2.2 are common values.

dictoresno

This is a card I scanned at 1.8, continuous auto exposure. Looks sharper and nicer than my original. But, the individual LED streaks cannot be mitigated. The $3000 scanner PSA uses probably has a more evenly distributed light source.

dictoresno

@NGS428 said:

@dictoresno said:
I just tried for hours with my V370 and there’s no way to change the LED pattern. However changing the gamma to 1.8 definitely looks longer than 2.2 it was set at.

What are referring to when you mention 1.8 looks longer than 2.2?

Gamma is certainly a setting that can be played with. Anything between 1.8 and 2.2 are common values.

I meant nicer, not longer sorry.

blurryface

@dictoresno said:
This is a card I scanned at 1.8, continuous auto exposure. Looks sharper and nicer than my original. But, the individual LED streaks cannot be mitigated. The $3000 scanner PSA uses probably has a more evenly distributed light source.

yep, that was the closet i could get.

mosaic cards looked downright scary.