scanning negatives at what size file and what resolution?

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Louise wrote:
> I have about 25 negatives taken with a good Nikon several years ago. I
> would like to have them professionally scanned so that I can work on
> them in Photoshop and eventually, perhaps, print some of them - 8x10,
> maybe 12x14 or something along those lines would be the largest I would
> want to print.
>
> What would be the optimal file size and dpi for these scans?
>
> Also, I'm in Manhattan. The only "good" photo lab I'm familiar with is
> Duggal. Any other suggestions?
>
> TIA
>
> Louise
Unless there is a cost issue I would have them scanned at a high
resolution, say 4000 dpi, make sure you get 16 bit/color tiffs and not
just jpgs.

You can always re-sample to lower resolutions if needed.

Scott

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Get them scanned at the maximum resolution available. Post processing is
always easier when you have more pixels to work with, and you can always
downsize if necessary.

"Louise" <none@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1d249f8b2c64d5d298989c@news-server.nyc.rr.com...
>I have about 25 negatives taken with a good Nikon several years ago. I
> would like to have them professionally scanned so that I can work on
> them in Photoshop and eventually, perhaps, print some of them - 8x10,
> maybe 12x14 or something along those lines would be the largest I would
> want to print.
>
> What would be the optimal file size and dpi for these scans?
>
> Also, I'm in Manhattan. The only "good" photo lab I'm familiar with is
> Duggal. Any other suggestions?
>
> TIA
>
> Louise

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Louise wrote:

> I have about 25 negatives taken with a good Nikon several years ago. I
> would like to have them professionally scanned so that I can work on
> them in Photoshop and eventually, perhaps, print some of them - 8x10,
> maybe 12x14 or something along those lines would be the largest I would
> want to print.
>
> What would be the optimal file size and dpi for these scans?

You could probably get away with 6-8Mpixel scans for this. 2000dpi or
thereabouts. Though if you are having them scanned I would choose the
highest resolution offered by the service if the price was right since
25 shots on a 650MB CD would allow a very generous saved image size.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Louise" <none@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1d249f8b2c64d5d298989c@news-server.nyc.rr.com...
> I have about 25 negatives taken with a good Nikon several years ago. I
> would like to have them professionally scanned so that I can work on
> them in Photoshop and eventually, perhaps, print some of them - 8x10,
> maybe 12x14 or something along those lines would be the largest I would
> want to print.
>
> What would be the optimal file size and dpi for these scans?
>
> Also, I'm in Manhattan. The only "good" photo lab I'm familiar with is
> Duggal. Any other suggestions?
Buy your own scanner. Very many scans will make a substantial downpayment
on a good scanner.
Jim

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Jim" <j.n@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:BsDue.1318$Lj2.1059@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com...
>
> "Louise" <none@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:MPG.1d249f8b2c64d5d298989c@news-server.nyc.rr.com...
> > I have about 25 negatives taken with a good Nikon several years ago. I
> > would like to have them professionally scanned so that I can work on
> > them in Photoshop and eventually, perhaps, print some of them - 8x10,
> > maybe 12x14 or something along those lines would be the largest I would
> > want to print.
> >
> > What would be the optimal file size and dpi for these scans?
> >
> > Also, I'm in Manhattan. The only "good" photo lab I'm familiar with is
> > Duggal. Any other suggestions?
> Buy your own scanner. Very many scans will make a substantial downpayment
> on a good scanner.
> Jim
>
>
OOPs. Bad advice. You won't be able to buy much of a scanner for the price
of scanning only 25 slides.
Jim

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Realize that a Nikon d70 yields about an 18mb image and easily prints to 8.5
x 11.
Therefore for practical purposes a scan of 35mm materials of 2000 dpi with 8
bit color will be the "equivalent" (2000 dpi is a default setting for many
film scanners, see Vuescan for the explanation) yielding approximately a
20mb file. This scan will actually contain far more picture information than
a D70 image.
In reality a scan of 4000 dpi is preferable, yielding a scan of 40-60mbs
(many scanners also have this as a default setting).
Personally I tend to scan at 2400 dpi and 8 bit color unless the image is
particularly good (alas, few of my images rate much better scans).
If you can obtain a 16 bit color scan, preferable for archival purposes, the
sizes of the scans essentially double: up to 120mbs per image. If you are
not familiar with 16bit color issues forget about that particular item.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <MPG.1d249f8b2c64d5d298989c@news-server.nyc.rr.com>,
none@nospam.com says...
> I have about 25 negatives taken with a good Nikon several years ago. I
> would like to have them professionally scanned so that I can work on
> them in Photoshop and eventually, perhaps, print some of them - 8x10,
> maybe 12x14 or something along those lines would be the largest I would
> want to print.
>
> What would be the optimal file size and dpi for these scans?
>
> Also, I'm in Manhattan. The only "good" photo lab I'm familiar with is
> Duggal. Any other suggestions?
>
> TIA
>
> Louise
>
Talk to the folks at Duggal, they can give you good advice and probably
show you examples so you can set your own quality criteria.
The rule of thumb is to print at 300 dpi. So a 3000dpi scan, for
example, would allow a 10x enlargement, and so on.
4000+ and 16 bits will allow maximum flexibility later, also cost the
most and require a fast computer with lots of memory.
Make sure your originals are sharp enough to stand this degree of
magnification.

--
Robert D Feinman
Landscapes, Cityscapes and Panoramic Photographs
http://robertdfeinman.com
mail: robert.feinman@gmail.com