Olympus-OM
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [OM] ( OM ) Query on how to get a better image

Subject: Re: [OM] ( OM ) Query on how to get a better image
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2003 00:19:31 -0700
Well, nobody else seems to have looked into this, so here goes....

The 562kb image on your site, fern-label.BMP, is only 438x438 pixels, which is just right: 438*438*3/1024=562. With an image size of 6x6 inches, that is 72ppi and the individual pixels are each 1/72" square. The very definition of pixelation is pixels large enough to be individually seen, and that's what you have here.

Considering that the image that created the actual label went through compression and resizing and lost a lot of dynamic range somewhere in the process of printing/scanning, it looks remarkably similar to the original. They couldn't make up resolution they didn't receive.

My guess would be that you need to send a label with at least 150dpi resolution and probably higher to the label producer to get the kind of results you want. This means an uncompressed image of at least 2.4mb and probably more like 10mb. The label maker should be able to guide you on this. They should know what input they need. Even with compression, you will need to get a fairly large file to them.

On another point I've made before, scanning off a 4x6 print looses a lot of detail and dynamic range. Even if the image will eventually be reduced and loose range in the printing process, starting with a film scan will give better end results. If the image was scanned and printed, is it possible to get the scan and start with that? In this particular case, working backward, if the print was scanned at 400dpi and the image ended up at 438x438 pixels, the image used for the cover was only slightly bigger than 1" square on the print, hardly the best start to the reproduction process. If you can't get a higher res film scan, can you get a bigger print? Going to 8x10 (or just an 8x, 4x6 of the desired area) would double your resolution. A 16x enlargement would quadruple it, giving an image of the area used for the label just over 4x4". Scan that on the flatbed and you will lose a bit of dynamic range, but at least you will have enough resolution.

It's a lovely image and design and I'll bet the CD it goes on is a unique resource. It deserves the best.

Moose

Brian Swale wrote:

Query on how to get a better image for a stick-on CDROM label.

Hi folks,

I've just made my first CDROM stick-on label and I'm not happy with the results

See http://homepages.caverock.net.nz/~bj/Cdrom/

There is the original scan produced (see the first page) as follows:

Photographed on transparency
Transparency scanned and printed as a 4 x 6 inch glossy print Print scanned using a KTX 4800AP flatbed scanner at 400 dpi under the control of the program CDLaboratory and saved as a BMP image. 143kb (I had eventually to upload a jpeg copy as the 563 kb BMP image persistently wouldn't up/down-load accurately).

I took this image and used a variety of Adobe Photoshop to add the text as a separate layer, saving it again as a bmp image.

Then, below, it is as submitted to the UBIX photocopier laboratory They used the NERO cdburner program to slightly resize it and fit it to the particular Avery stick-on label page they use.

Note that there is little pixelation in the jpeg/bmp and the added text has clear borders. Use your browser to magnify the image 300% to bring it up to about the size of the label print. ........................................ The UBIX photocopier laboratory used a Konica (that's the in-house UBIX copier brand) to produce the printed label.

What I noticed immediately was severe pixelation in the colour photocopier image on the stick-on label To get this image I scanned the Konica print at 400 dpi and saved it as a JPEG, which I resized to bring the file size down from 702 kb to 502 kb. You may need to bring the browser image down to 30%. To my surprise I have not been able to reproduce the pixelation that I find so offensive, including the pixelation of the text.

None of these images have been sharpened.
One alternative that has been suggested to me by my computer-
maintenance guy, is to use a colour printer that is able to print directly on the CDROM top surface.
Comment and specifics on this will be much appreciated.

PS; don't feel you NEED to look at these images; if you ALL download them my ISP bill will be through the roof. They are nothing remarkable.

Taken with an OM - forget for now which one, and probably a 50 mm lens. Took about 15 minutes stooped over the frond to get the shot with a fitful wind blowing and couldn't use a tripod due to site limitations.

Cheers, Brian

< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >





< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Sponsored by Tako
Impressum | Datenschutz