There has been quite a lot of talk lately about scanners vs. digital I personally have had no dealings with digital, because of the cost it would take to replace the quality of photograph I get from my 35mm camera. I have already made many enquiries about the top rated digitals around, and each informed me that their top range digital camera would compare favourably, or maybe slightly better than my Minolta, but the price I would have to pay for it, could buy me a new car. So, I'll stay as I am until as such time the prices fall dramatically. Okay, that said, let me turn to scanners. You can get excellent results using print photographs and scanning them into your computer. Let me reiterate about the photographs, the photographs them selves have got to be top quality in order for the scanner to reproduce the image properly. So here is my step by step guide to how I scan photo's to upload to websites and the like. Most of my photographs that I scan in are 8" by 6" and the rest are 7" by 5", I wouldn't go any lower than these sizes to scan in. I set my scanner to 600dpi (dots per inch) then scan the photo into either Adobe Photoshop or Paint shop Pro. Once the photo is in the computer the size of it is huge, about 17mb big. Too big to upload anywhere, but the quality is very good. Now, I save that first to my HD. As a bitmap, not jpeg. So I always have the original scan. Next I reduce the image size in Paint shop Pro In resize I use percentage of Original and put that to 30% I tick resize all layers and tick maintain aspect ratio, then press OK. Then next job is to go to image- noise- and despeckle. Once this has been accomplished, I turn my attention to the image sharpness and brightness/contrast sections. When these are correct, I use Gamma correction, this moves RED GREEN & BLUE all together. What in effect you are doing is altering brightness in a way, but keeping the colours together. When I think the photograph is okay, I save it as a jpeg ready to upload to my website. So now I have gone from a 17meg photo to one which is around 150 KB mark. Quite a considerable difference in photo size you will agree, but the quality is as the original, hardly any loss from the main 17MB picture I save to my HD. Once I have all photographs done this way from a roll of film, I transfer the originals from my HD to CD. For future use. Here's a photo which started out life as 17.5meg now only 161.5KB Photo was taken using Minolta X300s 35mm camera -28mm wideangle lens - f22 for 2.5 seconds Always remember to look around the layout and make sure nothing unwanted like cigar ends, ashtrays, screwdrivers etc are in the photograph, - Ooops, forgot the dog. [This message has been edited by Paul Templar (edited 28 January 2001).]
Paul, Fantastic pictures of your layout including the dog lol. do you have more pictures of your layout? ------------------ Regards Paul #1-Moderator & Member number 50 SPAD Investigator #1 ICQ 61198217 http://users.bigpond.net.au/railroad2000
Thanks Colonel, you asked about more photo's, okay, I'll upload another for you. To see more on the same lines, here's my website http://www.badger-creek.co.uk Here's the inside of my sawmill at night. [This message has been edited by Paul Templar (edited 28 January 2001).]
That's all I get here too watash?? What's going on here??? ------------------ Bill (#16) "Get Goosed on the Yreka Western"
Paul Some of the crew at Trainboard could see your photos here -- some of us got the red "X" in a box -- what's the trick to viewing your photos?? ********** As it turned out Paul's server was down. You should now be able to access his homepage at this URL http://www.badger-creek.co.uk ******************** Don Brown Tucson AZ USA [This message has been edited by dbn160 (edited 28 January 2001).]
The only problem is DAMN HOST SERVER is on the blink, did this last week, come in here the expensive way. PHOTO's now up another way [This message has been edited by Paul Templar (edited 28 January 2001).]
I had a box pop up with my trainorders user name and password on it, when I clicked ok, the pictures loaded Clever, eh? Dunno how it does that Great pictures, Paul ------------------ Alan Curtis. Moderator. Member #12 The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
Yeah Alan, I put the photo's in straight from trainorders instead of members.trainorders, thats why the user name came up. Changed them all back. cheers How's your N-scale Andersley Western Railroad coming on? [This message has been edited by Paul Templar (edited 28 January 2001).]
Trying to get down to some serious progress on the layout. It has been neglected a bit recently. There are lots of things to do, so I will try to concentrate on particular areas. Progress will be reported (with pictures) on the web site (Link below) ------------------ Alan Curtis. Moderator. Member #12 The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
Alan, thought you might like to know that your Alan's American Gallery, comes up error. Might be the same problem I keep getting . HOST SERVER DOWN.
Whoops! The url was incorrect in my signature I should have checked it SORRY! ------------------ Alan Curtis. Moderator. Member #12 The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
Excellent photos, Paul. Your layout looks great! Here's similar done with digital... Click on the above to see the full 685K 1600x1200 image. Digital photo taken with layout lighting - 0.027 sec@f2.6, ISO equivalent of 80, handheld. Image as taken with no adjustments bar above reduction. Click on the above to see the full 685K 1600x1200 image. No film, no processing, no delay. 10"x8" prints at photo quality on photo paper at a fraction of the cost, little of the wait, and none of the hassle. Can even be uploaded directly without the need to scan and manipulate. In other words, each has it's advantages and disadvantages and is only as good as the equipment used. Gary. ------------------ Gary A. Rose The Unofficial TC&W page TrainBoard Moderator and Member No.377 NARA Member No.17 N to the Nth degree! [This message has been edited by Gats (edited 30 January 2001).]
Hi Gary, You are dead right about only as good as the equipment used, and also the guy behind the camera. Thats got to be the best digital photograph I have seen on the net so far. congrats. What is the camera, and how much was it. Now, that, I can use if the price is right. One other question, could your digital camera do this kind of work. [This message has been edited by Paul Templar (edited 31 January 2001).]
Very nice phots, Paul. There is no question, Traditional photo and a slide scanner will always be better than any digital photo (at least for a few years to come). Jean-Louis Simonet visit traiN'ternet: http://www.trainternet.org/
Yeah, and my Daddy can beat up your Daddy! Seriously guys, both have their merits, but the same could be said for steam vs diesel. It's whatever floats your boat... ------------------ Ed Harrison Ed's Mental Cab Ride [This message has been edited by ten87 (edited 31 January 2001).]
Ed my friend, I wasn't been nasty when I asked -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ...could your digital camera do this kind of work... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I was interested in finding out if a digital .Coulddo this, thats all.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Paul Templar: ...I wasn't been nasty when I asked... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I'm sure you weren't. I just wanted to try and cut the tension a little. I'm partial to the digital camera myself, but mostly because of me being a penny pincher. I do have to point out the incredible detail in the digital photo of the saw mill. If you look at the big version, you can actually see the shirt button on the prototoype person standing stage left!
