Training
for the scanner operator is as essential as good hardware and scanning
software.
A good scanner operator never has to use Adobe
Photoshop for any corrections whatsoever. A professional scanner
does all the color correction and all operations within the scanning
software, before the scan. The only reason you need Photoshop is
to resize the object if you need another size.
A
beginner, or a lazy scanner operator (such as myself several years
ago), will just use the scanner software to move the scanned image
into Photoshop, and will do all the color corrections in Photoshop.
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Maya,
A.D. 200, Museo Popol Vuh, Guatemala. Scanned
from a 6x6 cm transparency.
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If
you your scanner accepts SilverFast,
then by SilverFast and scan with that. SilverFast is far superior
to Photoshop anyway. If your scanner is a Creo
or other prepress scanner than your $10,000 scanner software most
likely has the features included in Silver Fast. Fortunately SilverFast
does not cost $10,000. www.silverfast.com.
A
good operator is as important as good hardware. It is crucial that
the budget takes into account the need for training and the cost
of training.
Even
with an idiot-proof scanner, an idiot will get poor results. We
have witnessed a case where even a trained photographer and a trained
Photoshop person both failed totally to produce good scans with
a Umax
scanner--they had zero training.
Yet
Lance Beck and Andrea David (of our FLAAR team) were able to get
professional
results, simply because they were willing to learn.
A
"low bid" scanner is an invitation to low quality scans.
A midrange or high-end scanner, if it has good scanning software,
is more cost-effective in the long run than a cheap scanner with
no-name software.
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FLAAR Premium Report - Series on Scanners |
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FLAAR now has a great variety of reports, where you can find practical information,
help and tips about which you need.
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