Digital Photography : Scanning Resolution Questions When scanning photos for use on computer screens (not for printed output), there are two schools of thought. One school says to scan images at a lower dpi setting. This way, the file sizes are small, and the image quality is relatively nice enough for the screen when you use 72-96 dpi. Another school of thought, one which I recommend, is to use a larger scan setting if possible, 300 to 600 dpi. This may seem like overkill, but the extra detail will be worth it if you can stand the larger images and longer scan times. If you are using the image for on-screen viewing then save the higher resolution image and downsample the image to the lower 72 dpi resolution. Save this lower resolution with a different file name. My experience has shown the larger images resize very well to the screen, creating better images that those resulting from scanning at a lower dpi. Your results may vary, but if you have a good scanner, plenty of hard drive space, plenty of memory, and a good bitmap editor, (such as Photoshop) go for the higher dpi and create some sharp images for use on your computer screen. Save the higher res images for print later on since low res images don't print very well. 1. Install and maintain an Antivirus Program: most if not all virus invasions can be thwarted by installing these programs and keeping them updated. 2. Install a Firewall Program: or activate the firewall that comes with Windows XP. Also make sure your files and folders are password protected if you share them on a network. 3. Install the latest Critical Updates for Windows: allow Windows to manage your updates automatically. Please note, Helpful.com, Helpfulboard, and Helpful Computer Consulting do not assume any responsibility or liability to any party who wishes to follow these tech tips. |