Time To Purchase A Slide Scanner. What You Need To Know!

By Andy Zain

Do you have old family photos that you would like on your computer? Do you use a film camera but want your photos online? Well, a slide scanner is the answer. These scanners transfers the image from your slides to the computer. It even comes with software that makes editing a breeze! Digital pictures offer a wide variety of conveniences not available with film. Find the scanner that fits your needs!

Film slides come in a variety of sizes based on your camera type. You may have a film strip. A strip contains several photos per item. There are also individual slides, which contain only one picture per slide. Slide scanners may not accommodate both types. Be sure to research the types of slides you have and what you need before investing.

Scanners cannot improve photo quality. If the original slide is blurry or out of focus, a digital image will also be blurry. Yet, you may be able to enhance your photo using the software that accompanies the scanner. Most often, you will be able to manipulate the contrast, sharpness, and level of color. Additionally, you will be able to crop the photo to create focus on the key elements.

A slide adapter may come with your scanner. This is a useful tool in scanning. A slide adapter fixes the location of the scan. By stabilizing the photo, you will decrease editing time once the photo is transferred.

Compare the specifications between scanners before purchasing. Scanners should indicate the resolution capacity. The specifications may indicate the maximum resolution of the hardware and the maximum resolution, interpolated.

Quality of the scan can be evaluated by resolution and sharpness. Resolution is reported as dpi. This stands for dots per inch. A typical number may be 4800x9600. The first number indicates the dpi for the x-axis, and the second number is for the y-axis. Higher numbers indicate a better resolution.

Interpolated resolution indicates the size of the digital output. This is always larger than the hardware resolution. This is especially important in slide scanning because the slide is very small. However, keep in mind that the quality of the scan does not increase.

Sharpness of the scan is dependent on the light source of the scanner. Florescent bulbs produce lower quality scans. A light source utilizes a CCD array to convert light into electrical charge. Each electrical charge sends a signal to the scanner in order to recreate the image. Dark images reflect less light, creating a darker image in the scan.

Depending on the model, the speed at which the machine scans will vary. Typically, higher end models scan faster and will not lose photo quality. Less expensive models may produce high quality copies, but the scan speed is slow. This is of most importance when scanning a large amount of slides.

A slide scanner offers a wide range of advantages to photographers. Digital images are easier to manipulate, and the software provided helps accomplish simple improvements. Additionally, digital images can be uploaded onto the Internet and used for social networking, email, and more. A slide scanner is an important addition to the toolbox for photographers today. - 30530

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