In this article, I'm going to discuss one of the more gratifying and cost effective methods of going digital with your photographs: "scanning."  Scanning images is a fun and effective way to convert regular printed photographs into computer ready image files that you can use for on-screen display, emailing, websites or presentation programs.

· Handheld units that you pass over an image

· Sheet-fed units that  feed an image through a scanning process

· Flatbed units with a glass surface that works much like a copying machine

· Multi-function units that print, fax, copy, and scan

· Slide and film scanners

All these devices use the same general process for converting a photo into a digital image.  Scanners look at a photo and divide it into rows and columns of tiny little dots called pixels (computer talk for picture elements).  The more dots per inch (dpi) of photograph, the sharper the resulting digital image (resolution).

 Scanners can scan photos at really high resolutions in the range of 600 to 1200 dpi.  A photograph scanned at these high resolutions will produce a relatively large file with detail levels that are lost on the typical computer monitor.  Large files take up valuable storage space and can be slow to up and download from the internet.

A discussion about printer resolution would sound the same as with monitors.  Printers are limited by their own maximum dpi output.  More resolution than can be printed is unnecessary.

The point, then, is to consider how you want to use an image.  This will help you determine the resolution you want to scan it with.  For computer display, scan at about 100 dpi or less.  For printing, use the printer resolution as your guide.

Scanning at higher resolutions has its place, however.  I've found it valuable to use really high resolutions for capturing small parts of photographs, such as individual faces in group photos for family tree pictures.  The part of the original photo I'm interested in capturing may only be a half inch square, but by using a high resolution scan I can easily enlarge that little part to a nice display or printable size.  The software that comes with most scanners allows this kind of cropping and enlarging.  This can be a lot of fun!  A good clear photograph contains a lot of fine detail that can be brought out and used with surprisingly good results.

Cost,

Quality,

Your PC,

Use,

Workspace,

The cost of scanners ranges from under $100 to over $1000.  Good results can be had anywhere in that range.  Generally, the more you spend, the more capability you get, but even the low priced units will do a nice job of converting your 3" X 5" photo into a digital image you'll be happy with. 

You'd think that scanner quality is related to cost, however in the world of scanners, competition has driven the market price of scanners down with the result being that good quality equipment is available throughout the price range.  The best advice here is to compare features and try before you buy. 

Your PC may influence your selection process.  All scanners need to "hook up" to a PC.  The type of connections available on your PC is one of the features you need to determine before selecting a compatible scanner.  USB connections are nice and convenient but if your PC only has a parallel port connection, then that's what you look for in your scanner.  You may also be faced with the "to SCSI or not to SCSI" choice.  SCSI (small computer system interface) connections typically require a SCSI card in your PC and may involve some installation work beyond simply connecting a cable or two.

Do it all machines that can scan, fax, print, and copy are great for some applications, but single purpose devices generally offer better, uncompromised results.  Almost any scanner can function as the front end of a faxing operation and with the right software serve as the eyes of a copying system that outputs to your printer.

If your deskspace is already cluttered with computer odds and ends, you'll need to give consideration to the space available for a scanner.  Flatbed scanners take up the most space with their large "footprint."  Next in space grabbing requirements are the sheet fed scanners.  These function like the upright sheetfed printers and have a smaller footprint than their flatbed cousins.  Hand held scanners take up the least amount of real-estate but are becoming rare on the store shelves since competition has driven the price of the full sized scanners down so low.

But what if the photos you want to digitize are on slides, or worse yet, you've only got the negatives?  Slide and film scanners are available to solve these problems.  These scanners are extremely high resolution  and designed to accept the small slide or film strip images.  Some regular document scanners claim to be able to scan these small images, but for the best results, a scanner designed for slides and film is still the best answer. 

If you're starting from scratch with PCs or are considering a major replacement upgrade to your existing system, a lot of PC suppliers are bundling printers and scanners as a package.  That's not a bad way to start.  There's also some printer manufacturers that are offering scanning cartridges that snap into the ink cartridge receivers of their printers and let you reduce the "bird" population with one stone.

Scanning can be a rewarding and cost effective means of creating digital images for your PC.  When compared to digital photography or video frame grabbing, it has its place and may be the best choice for your application.  Some of us end up with all of the above and find that's the right answer also.  You just have to cut down on the sirloins a little more.

Going digital with images is part of what's happening in today's PC rich environment.  Whether you want to transfer your family albums to a media that won't fade with time or you want to be able to prepare a kick-butt presentation to punch your million dollar breakthrough business proposal, developing and understanding a few basic skills in image digitizing will prove useful and rewarding. 

Have fun!

Ken McBee