Photo Problem - Can Someone Take A Look??

[James Jaragosky]

Hi James,

Mentioned earlier in the thread the scan gap is a metric value, it's the metric equivalent to the imperial dpi. You might say its .085mm per inch is the same as 300 dpi.

Regarding the dot size. If the dot measured .005", 300 dots placed exactly next to each other would give you 1.5" so to place them at the side of each other over 1 inch they would overlap by 30%.

If you are currently using .05 as your scan gap that's the same as around 508 dpi. In this case a .005" dot size overlap would be considerable. I have found that so much overlap causes a loss of clarity in the output hence I mainly use images no larger than 300 dpi.


Like most people, when talking about images I think in terms dpi. I find it difficult to work in dots per mm or Cm or whatever it is. Thats why I use the conversion chart. A quick glance at the chart tells me what the scan gap should be for a given dpi.

Sorry if that's about as clear as mud!!

Regards

Dave.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. your explanation was very clear.
Jim J

[Karen Thompson]

Good Afternoon All

Well, I just thought I’d let you know how I got on. I had a play about with this photo (again) and with the scan gap settings according to the suggestion made by Dave Lock (thanks again Dave).

Now I have come to the conclusion that either I’m totally useless or it’s just this particular photo .

What I have found that if I keep the photo to its original size (or smaller) it’s fine – however it’s when I enlarge it that the problem comes up. I’ve attached photos of the results done at 300 dpi, apologies for the quality (note: all size resampling was done from the original image before photograv etc...).

As you can see (hopefully) the guys face in the smaller version has more clarity to it than the larger one – this is what’s making me wonder about increase in size causing the problem. I know I have much to learn about photo-paint amongst other things .

Anyway thankfully the guy isn’t in a rush for the piece so I will have to tinker about a bit more I think.

Comments/critisms (sp). are all very very welcome
Thanks everyone for your input so far.

Regards
Karen

[Darren Null]

Just a resize shouldn't be doing that. What software are you using? Is the original image big enough? Can you post the original graphic? Are you doing anything else while resizing?

[Dan Hintz]

Karen,

Both times you've posted these images the differences always look like contrast changes. In this sequence, the first one looks too light for the woman, and the second is too dark for the guy. I have to ask the same as Darren... are you certain nothing else is being done to these images? No other filters have been chosen for post-processing (either graphics software or laser driver)?

[Karen Thompson]

Just a resize shouldn't be doing that. What software are you using? Is the original image big enough? Can you post the original graphic? Are you doing anything else while resizing?

Hi Darren

Original pic attached - I'm using Corel Photo-Paint (X4).

Firstly, I'm cropping the image to cut out most of the background then Image-Resample then selecting the size I want say 20cm width and dpi (originally) at 600; after that I've then gone to Image-Cutout Lab to take out the background then the vignette - That's It!!

The above was the same when I tried the photo at 300 dpi and each one was done from the original image (attached).

I'm ready to give up at this point - but I'm also "pigged off" enough to not let it beat me.

Karen

[Karen Thompson]

Karen,

Both times you've posted these images the differences always look like contrast changes. In this sequence, the first one looks too light for the woman, and the second is too dark for the guy. I have to ask the same as Darren... are you certain nothing else is being done to these images? No other filters have been chosen for post-processing (either graphics software or laser driver)?

Hi Dan,
I'm positive no other filters are being used in photo-paint and as for LaserCut, I haven't touched the driver software.

I'm now at a complete loss this is the 1st photo I've had any problems with..........so far .

Regards
Karen

[Darren Null]

20cm width and dpi (originally) at 600

Well there's a lot of your problem right there. If that's the original image, you're left with about 888 x 616 pixels of useable image after cropping the background.

So 20cm @ 600dpi....that's.....(wanders around muttering)...2 362.20473 pixels across needed; so your program is interpolating -making up- the extra pixels. You're asking paint to make the image 265% larger and -frankly- it's not happy with that. Anything above a 50% upsample, and you should really go with a program designed specifically for that.

I use this one, because it's free and works as well as anything, and better than most:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/imageenlarger/

So. Enlarged it (2500px across- gives you some wiggle room). Played around with the settings. Cropped out the background. Saved as a .png to keep the invisible background.

EDIT: 20cm@600dpi is !!!4725px!!! across. It was the conversion from imperial that got me. *facepalm* Update coming....

[Karen Thompson]

Haha that all makes sense now...... Darren I've sent you a PM and a HUGE thanks.

I'll start again......... we'll see how it goes.

More than likely I'll be back again.

Karen

[Darren Null]

Here you go:
http://ropa-militar.com/aaa_e0.zip

It's a 79Mb tif file compressed to a 26Mb zip. No chance whatsoever of getting it on the board, hence the direct link. And while I was in there I knocked a bit off the chap's suntan so the features ought to come out more evenly.

The original was a 532% increase...no wonder the big image looked sheddy. That's pushing it even with enlargifying software.

[MR.MATTHEW ROUSE]

Hello,

when you talk about gap setting.is that on the laser software itself or in corel or in some other software?
This is somehting totally new to me so forgive my dumb question if it is one.
Thank you in advance

[James Jaragosky]

Hello,

when you talk about gap setting.is that on the laser software itself or in corel or in some other software?
This is somehting totally new to me so forgive my dumb question if it is one.
Thank you in advance

I set my scan gap with the laser software. In Newelydraw it is under the raster properties settings.

[Barb Macdonald]

I like the first one, and lower dpi is usually better, and no, you are not an eedjit.
I wear that particular crown.
Crappy photo=Crappy Image.
But I like the first one!
It's great! Don't be so perfectionistic, if you can. Not everybody has your eye. It's a photo
Looks good to me
(cowers)