RootsChat.Com
Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: rogtut# on Monday 04 June 18 11:23 BST (UK)
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I have 2 photos measuring about 2.5 inches width and 3.5 inches height. They are of my great grand parents who both died in the mid 1900s and are in sepia (?) tone.
How should I scan them to optimise restoration? R
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Hello rogtut#
There are lots of topics at the top of this section which cover scanning and how best to post a picture here is the link http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=198165.0
Regards
Sarah
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Hi Rog...I have quite a few that size and found that scanning them at a resolution of 600-800dpi gave a good result. As they tend to curl or move on the scanner bed, if you put a piece of white card over them it helps to keep them in place.
Carol
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I would suggest you scan at the highest optical resolution your equipment can handle.
The reason for this is printers screens etc. are getting better all the time in a few years a resolution of 300 dpi will not even be entry level and you may not have access to those photos by then.
Cheers
Guy
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Guy...My answer was based on the fact that Rog would want to post them on here for restoration and the suggestion I offered would be best for file size 500kbs for posting on here.
Carol
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Just an addition to Cazza's otherwise excellent scanning tutorial: the .jpg quality (=compression level) is important too.
Check your scanner settings. The scan resolution should be 300 dpi (or preferably 600 dpi). The saved file type could be .png or .jpg. Hopefully, you'll see some kind of 'quality level' (e.g. 'best', 'high' or a number 1-10 (or 1-12). Yoiu should aim to save at a .jpg quality level of 'high' or 'best' or about 80% of the maximum.
If you find that the file is too large to post on Rootschat (more than 500KB) let us know. Sometimes it's better to reduce the resolution, often it's better to reduce the .jpg quality level. A resolution of about 300 dpi is fine as is a .jpg quality level of about 75-80% of the maximum. Try to avoid reducing either one too drastically!
Mike
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As I have said many times before on here...simplicity gets the message across:
Postcard size = 300dpi
Small photos = 600dpi
Passport Photos = 800dpi
Locket Photos = 1200dpi
All scanned in colour mode and saved to highest quality.
In my 11 years experience of restoring photos on here...it has always worked.
Scanning photos over 600dpi often creates resizing issues due to file size restrictions of 500kbs which can lead to problems for the poster and can be counter productive.
For some posters...successfully scanning and posting a photo is in itself is a big achievement.
Carol
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Guy...My answer was based on the fact that Rog would want to post them on here for restoration and the suggestion I offered would be best for file size 500kbs for posting on here.
Carol
Sorry I had not noticed that
Cheers
Guy
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Hi,
I have read the tutorial but do not seem to be able to downsize the photo I would like to post on here and ask if someone might restore it. I have an iMac with iPhoto. For this amateur, that is normally all I need. I have managed to reduce the size on screen but even clicking on 'save', it makes no difference, it comes back to full screen when reopened. If someone could point out what more I can do, I would appreciate it. I can take constructive criticism! Jim
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Hi Jim
Did you try this way of reducing the size in iPhoto:
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-resize-images-in-iphoto-11/
Insert:
For Mac users, iPhoto makes it easy to resize a photo. Here's how:
To resize a photo in iPhoto '11, select the photo or photos you want to adjust and click on the File button from from menu bar. Then choose Export or hit Command-Shift-E. In the Export window, choose File Export, which lets you adjust the size of the image. Your options are small, medium, large, and full-size. You can also select a custom size. If actual photo size is less important than the size of the file, you can also adjust the JPEG quality, choosing from low, medium, high, and max.
Gadget
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Also
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/resize-images-iphoto/
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A bit more, when you are adjusting in iPhoto, try to optimize the compression, dpi and hxw size to get the least compression and min of 300 dpi.
Gadget
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Hi Gadget,
Many Thanks for your advice on resizing a photo in iphoto and the 2 subsequent additions.
When I saw iPhoto '11 in your post, I assumed it to be El Capitan which as you know is 10.11.
I followed your words until reaching Export Window then, as I couldn't go further, it became a bit academic. I have (hopefully attached 2 screen shots to show where I became 'lost'. After saying that, somehow but unknown to me how, I seem to have been successful in getting the photo onto the site although awaiting approval. I will now be having a look at the sites you kindly directed me to.
Best regards, Jim
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Hello again Gadget,
I went through the 'make use of . com' site you sent, Thank You for that. From that I realised that I am no longer in iPhoto but in Photo. But there was a suggestion on the site to use Preview instead.
I tried that to find there is more for me to play with although the photo (reposted) is far smaller at 50 mm x 29 mm but 300 pixels so I am hoping it is sufficient for someone to restore it for me. However, I now have 2 photos awaiting approval, 1 very large, the other very small so I'll wait and see what happens. Anyhow, I wanted to bring you up to date as it was you that pointed me in the right direction. Thank You again, regards, Jim
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Thanks for letting us know how you're getting on, Jim. I'm looking forward to seeing the results :)
I assumed that you'd managed to keep the iPhoto app as many Mac users did.
Gadget
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Hello Gadget,
As a mostly technophobe, I knew nothing about keeping the iPhoto from the early OS I had from 2007, long before Apps were around to confuse me. However, as I previously said, I can now resize in Preview which before tapping onto your link I would never have thought of.
Thank You again. Regards, Jim