Finally got a scanner!!! Help

mrc32

I tried to look back at some of the older threads but couldn't find the one I remembered.

Virtualizard (jeb) had a great thread about how he scans his cards. I'd really like to share my collection with fresh clean scans, so I'd like to do it right the first time.

Any advice?

I got a HP PSC 1210. I'm cheap and I needed a printer so I got a All-in-one.

Please share your thoughts on the best settings for your scan software.

I really like Jeb's scans and how he stiches them together. I'd like to consider doing it that way....

brianwintersfan

Well don't set your scanner higher then 300 dpi because you can't see anymore then that on a pc monitor.It might even be lower then that by I leave mine at 300 dpi.
I can also put in a custom measurement of the item I am scanning so it will already be cropped.
I also have a black piece of paper taped to the lid of my scanner.
I think it makes the cards stand out better when you scan.

mrc32

Those are good tips....thanks

SUPERPUNK813

I have my scanner set at 200DPI and the descreen set on 133LPI. Below is a couple of my cards i have scanned at these settings.

peterredshoes

I have a Canon LiDE 30, which may behave differently than your HP, but to echo and add to what's been stated so far:

*300 dpi is a nice resolution to work with; it's what I use as well
*The black piece of paper is an interesting idea--it probably helps with something I've noticed scanning cards which is that it's important to eliminate external light sources during the scanning process. For example, scans turn out quite a bit darker for me when I opt not to take a nicer card out of a 1/4" screw-down holder because this causes the lid of my scanner not to close all the way. For me at least, PSA holders are thin enough that this isn't as much of a problem.
*Regardless of the above, I find that I get much better looking scans if I up the brightness from its default level. This probably has at least a little to do with the fact that I nearly always scan cards inside their top loaders and top loaders are interpreted as sort of greyish on a computer RGB scale. The amount needed seems to vary from card to card a bit for optimal results. Vintage cards seem to need less fiddling than modern cards--undoubtedly due to a lack of things of high-gloss finishes, metallic foil, and other card tech issues. Foil in particular can be very challenging to the point where you kind of have to settle for what looks the least bad--I sometimes end up also playing with contrast (usually lowering it) to get the foil to not look like a big black blob.

Depending on what software you have available it may make more sense to do the scan and then fiddle with stuff like this afterward in an image editor (this is what I do). But you may also have scanner settings that can do the compensation in advance, or you may not be as interested in fiddling with images as I am and decide that what you get straight out of the box looks pretty good.

Peter G.