|
|
Article Number A03152002
If I scan images at a higher resolution, I'll get better results on the printout, right?
Not necessarily! Scanning is an art that deserves (and has had) books written about it. The real
limit to quality is how the image will ultimately be reproduced. For professionally printed output,
lower-grade paper means a wider halftone screen with fewer lines per inch (lpi). On a laser printer,
shades of gray result from variations in toner coverage. Will it end up on the printed page or on-screen?
Either way, the real issue is how many "extra pixels" you'll need in the original scan.
Dpi (dots per inch) is the most common measure of print quality. But the lines per inch, based on
halftone reproduction, is equally useful. A print resolution of 600 dpi corresponds to about 100
lpi. So as a general rule, the optimal scanning resolution for print work (in dpi) is about
one-third the dpi setting (i.e. twice the resultant lpi) on the printer or other device that
will be used. Bottom line: 200 dpi scanning is fine for most printed output.
 Back
|
|
