How to Choose a Scan Resolution & Processing Options

Selecting a scan resolution and processing options depends on your film type and purpose. The first step is to identify your film type and then find the appropriate file information table for that film type. This table will give you approximations of how many pixels you can expect for our different scan resolutions.

Select a scan resolution => Select processing options => Select additional options => Request a quote

Resolution can be a confusing topic because there are many different resolutions in the digital age; scan resolution, print resolution, display resolution, camera resolution and so on. When we refer to resolution we are talking about the scan resolution. Technically speaking, the term used to measure scan resolution is SPI (samples per inch) when the scan is in process. The resulting digital image is measured in pixels per inch, PPI. Increasing the scan resolution will result in greater detail, more pixels, a larger file size, and simply better quality. If you have a large file you can easily resize it to create a smaller version of the image without losing quality. The opposite is not true; you cannot make a digital image larger without losing quality. The bottom line is that digital imaging is subtractive.

Since higher resolution scans result in larger file sizes they also require more CD's/DVD's to store these large data files. Here's an example: About 10 4000ppi 35mm slide scans can fit on one CD if the files are saved as TIFF files. So if you have 100 scans you would need 10 CD's to store the data. Of course, the number of images that can be stored on CD's/DVD's depends on the file size, and if you look through our file information tables you will see sizes vary.

Now that you know a little about scan resolution, file sizes, and data storage you can make a more informed decision on what you would like for your project. We recommend selecting a resolution based on how you intend to use the digital files. If the images are only going to be used for online viewing then the lowest scan resolution for your particular film type will work. However, you won't be able to make large prints if you choose a low scan resolution (see file information table for print sizes). Now, if the images are going to be used for making huge prints then you will want the highest scan resolution available because it will give you the ultimate level of quality and flexibility.

If you're still confused about what scan resolution to pick for your slides/film then you can always call us toll free at 1-888-900-SCAN M-F 9AM-5:30PM CST and we will walk you through the process.

Before being able to select what, if any, processing options you would like us to use you need to know what is available and what these options do. After evaluating the new Digital ICE4 technology for several months we have come to the conclusion that the use of Digital ROC and DEE are not necessary. They can do amazing things in certain cases but we get much better results doing manual color and exposure corrections. These corrections are now included free of charge.

Option	Explanation
If you do not select any processing options...	...no processing options will be used when scanning but we will still do color and exposure corrections. Look at the color & exposure column on our examples page to get an idea of how your slides/negatives will turn out with no processing options selected. All slides & negatives are quickly cleaned before scanning, but the scanner picks up every detail. Almost all negatives have tiny scratches that can clearly be seen once scanned; slides tend to show dust.
ICE	Choosing ICE will remove dust, scratches, and fingerprints from scanned images. This is highly recommended for all images, especially negatives because they tend to be more delicate than slides. Click here for our full page write up on Digital ICE.
GEM	Choosing GEM will reduce film graininess and basically make the image look cleaner/smoother. We recommend selecting GEM processing for all negatives and any slide film above ISO 200. Click here for our full page write up on Digital GEM processing.
High Bit-Depth	Our default scan bit-depth is 8-bits/channel. By selecting high bit-depth your images will be scanned at 16-bits/channel. So, 8-bits/channel = 24 bit RGB images and 16 bits/channel = 48 bit RGB images. It is important to note that 16-bit files are twice the size of 8-bit files and they can be saved as TIFF files only. This option will give you more shades of color to work with. Although you cannot see a difference between 8 and 16-bit scans on your monitor, high bit-depth scans produce more vibrant prints due to the larger color spectrum.
Multi-Sample	Multi-sample scanning does multiple samples of a respective area of an image and then averages the passes. This reduces scanner noise and results in a "cleaner" scan. The number represents the number of samples the scanner does. Since these scans take a long time to complete they do cost more. Think of it as combining several scans into one. This is something to consider if you desire absolute perfection. We offer 2x, 4x, and 8x multi-sample scanning. Our default setting is 1x.
Cropping	Click the thumbnails to see larger images, or click here to view our cropping page. Here's what a slide looks like without cropping, it has a black border (that is the slide mount):	By selecting cropping the black edges will be eliminated, but remember you lose some of the image data by selecting this option. Cropped image:
Image rotation	Some images are taken with the camera sideways. When scanned these images look like this:	By selecting image rotation files that need to be rotated will be. When rotated they will look like this:

This is where you can choose what file type you would like your scans saved as. The scan prices include the cost of data storage and you can select TIFF or JPEG files. Getting both file types and/or multiple data sets are what cost extra.