Digital Prints

88
Mastering Digital Printing
VueScan: VueScan is an
advanced scanning program
that works with most flatbed
and film scanners (it’s
updated continuously) to
produce scans that have
excellent color fidelity and
color balance. Developer Ed
Hamrick says that VueScan is
the world’s most popular
scanner software, used by
over 50,000 people worldwide,
and I don’t doubt it. It’s
reasonably priced ($60 or $80), works with Mac, Windows, and Linux, and it only takes
a few minutes to download and install (www.hamrick.com).
I’ve tried it myself, and it’s very intuitive. Photographer Tom O Scott also uses it. “I love
the incredible amount of control you have over the scan in VueScan,” he says. “There are
dozens of options you can configure for every type of film. One feature I like is the ability
to set a different resolution for preview scans versus final scans. Also, I really like to
“serialize” the output files. A ‘+’ at the end of the file name increments each scan by one
so you don’t overwrite your files.”
SilverFast: LaserSoft’s Silver-Fast Ai scanning software, which works as either a stand-alone
or Photoshop plug-in, is even more powerful than VueScan, but it also costs more (the price
varies by scanner model). This is a very professional scanning application that’s more like a
suite of features or modules. Version 6 includes: Smart Removal of Defects (SRD), Selective
Color Correction (SCC), Selective Color to Gray (SC2G), Grain and Noise Elimination
(GANE), remove multiple color casts (MidPip4), adjust and process any negative for optimum
results (NegaFix), and generate ICC color profiles (IT8 Target Calibration).
“I’ve been using SilverFast Ai for more than four years,” says publisher and professional
landscape photographer Jerry D. Greer. “With the additional IT8 calibration, custom IT8
targets, SilverFast guide book, and a little time to master the program, a photographer can
transform a mediocre scanner into a professional imaging tool.”
For Mac or PC. www.lasersoft.com
Flatbed Scanners
Like photocopiers, flatbed scanners are basically boxes with a flat glass plate that you put
the artwork on (face down). This can be photo or artwork prints, books, even 3D found
objects like seashells (see “Scanograms” box). A moving CCD array travels the length of
the bed scanning as it goes. Earlier flatbeds could only scan reflective art, but the newer
generation can now do a decent job with transparencies and film negatives as well; these
are sometimes called “dual-media” scanners. These either use an adapter or special lid construction
that allows light to shine from above onto the CCD sensors, or they have special
drawers with film holders built into the base of the scanner (see Figure 3.9).
The VueScan interface from photographer
Tom O Scott showing one of the
features he likes best—the ability to go
up to 12 passes on a scan. He finds this
crucial for eliminating dust and noise.
Courtesy of Tom O Scott
www.tomoscott.com