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>Dear Sci-Arters, > Even though I have been using the scanner for some time, I am not >completely satisfied with the results. I want to have more control over the >scanning process. The scanner's manual is only about installing and >setting it up, it doesn't explain how to use gamma settings, edge emphasis >options, brightness, contrast, lightness.... I have been trying to adjust >them to fit my needs, but the consequences are often unpredictable. I'm >afraid this is a very basic subject matter for most of you, but I'd love >to receive some advice. > Thanks in advance, Silvia. > >Silvia Troyo Unless you are trying to get perfect scans out of the scanner, and have no intention of adjusting them in PhotoShop, or similar program, I would save most of those operation for Photoshop. The only thing I would do in the scan software is set a Highlight point so that if your scanner uses more than 24-bit color, it can devote more bits to looking for shadow detail. Then your only other decision is- should you use the auto correction features of your scan software: If it is good software, yes. If it is bad software, no. If you are trying to optimize color/contrast across a wide collection of pieces that don't need to match each other, yes. If you are scanning a number of pieces that must have a particular color look the same in each, no. All the rest you will have to experiment with, or buy a book, or check the company's web site to see if they have a file with the info you need. If I recall, you are involved with scanning a lot of old documents?, so I can understand your desire to automate all that adjustment up front in the scanner. Unless you have good auto adjustment in you software, you will still be doing a lot of adjustment in the scan software, since you will have a wide range of images. Only with time and experience will you be able to set up a collection of scan settings, and know which one to load for a particular object you want to scan. What type of scanner do you have? Britt Britt Griswold Goddard Space Flight Center/NASA Code 253, Bldg. 8 Rm N15 Greenbelt, MD 20771 USA [log in to unmask] (301) 286-3381