Re: filmscanners: Puzzled about display resolution

[Arthur Entlich <artistic@ampsc.com>]

Robert Kehl wrote:

> Well if you think you're puzzled, I'm really puzzled.  Why would anyone use
> anything but the highest resolution available for scanning and viewing
> images created with high resolution devices such as filmscanners.
> 
> Unless your scanning at 72 dpi from a flatbed for use on the web, you really
> ought to try a higher resolution, as high as your video card/monitor
> combination will let you go.  Sure, sure the fonts are hard to read.  So go
> into control panel and select "large fonts".  But look at your images in the
> highest resolution you can.
> 
> I use 1024x768 for word-processing and e-mail on my 17" monitor, but for
> images I always use 1600x1200 whether on my 17" or 19" monitor.  Once you
> try it it will be hard to go back.
> 
> Bob Kehl
> 

You are making a number of assumptions which may not hold true for many 
monitors and video cards.  You are assuming that most monitors and cards 
are sharper when placed in a higher pixel mode, and that more than 
likely is actually not true.

Further still, since you likely still cannot see a high res film scan at 
a one to one ratio at 1600 x 1200 pixels, the graphics card is still 
having to downsample the result by some factor to see the full image, 
and you again assume the downsampling is done more accurately at that 
resolution than another, which again may not ne true.

Certainly, screen updates at 1600 x 1200 are going to be slower than 
lower resolutions.

In fact, the only advantage I can see by using the resolution you 
suggest is that more of the image will be visible when zooming 1:1. 
When I work on an image in photoshop, and I need that kind of accuracy, 
I just zoom in to get a 1:1 ration or beyond.  In general, running your 
monitor at a higher frequency, necessary for the 1200 x 1600, means 
unless it is a very good monitor and video card, more smearing, a lower 
refresh rate, that some find annoying, possible a lower bit depth screen 
image (depending upon the video card memory) and more RF and 
electro-magnetic splatter.  It also means ridiculously small icons, 
tools and cursors, unless you have a large screen size to begin with.

Oh, did I mention your monitor will probably burn out sooner at that 
screen mode?

Art