[filmscanners] Re: Tips For Sharp Scans Using Nikon 5000 ED

["Preston Earle" <PEarle@triad.rr.com>]

Karen or John Hinkey asked, "Well, I just bought a used 5000 ED to scan a
good part of my slides (I'm all digital now) as my SS4000 has seen its last
days. Any tips on getting the sharpest scans possible from it? I have
VueScan, so that's an option."
-------------------

I don't know anything about the 500ED, but I do know a little about
sharpening. I think the most important thing is not to try to get perfectly
sharp scans from the scanner. Proper sharpness is dependant on image size
(and thus, resolution), so it should be the last step in producing an
image--after defect-elimination, after color- correction, and, finally,
after resizing to the appropriate image size/resolution for whatever the use
for that image is. A screen image, a 4x6 print, and an 8x10 print will all
be sharpened differently. Some people suggest sharpening a little in the
scanner, but I think it's best to turn off all sharpening in the scanning
process and apply it only after all other image processing has been done. I
find that using unsharp masking in Photoshop with settings of threshold = 3,
radius = resolution in ppi/200, and amount = whatever gives the right look
when viewed on screen with the image size set to show the actual finished
image size (100%, 4"x6", 8"x10", etc.).

There is also a high-radius-low-amount method that you can read more about
in Dan Margulis's Professional Photoshop book:
http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Photoshop-Classic-Guide-Correction/dp/032144017X
 .
He has posted the chapter on sharpening on-line at
http://www.ledet.com/margulis/PP5E_Ch06_r1.pdf but there is much more in the
book.

Preston Earle
PEarle@triad.rr.com
www.sawdustforbrains.blogspot.com


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