What kind of file to send to Frontier lab?

[final cut cafe]

I have some images that I plan to scan with my CanoScan 8400F and

then burn to CD. I will take this CD to a place that has a Fuji

Frontier lab. What is the best resolution to scan at and what is the

best file format to save as for printing on a Frontier system? The

highest resolution of this scanner is 3200dpi. Also, is it a good

idea to use the "Unsharp Mask" feature? Also, should I scan and then

in photoshop crop to my desired print size (lets say 8"x10") or

should I burn the image to the CD un-cropped and let the Frontier

system crop it to my print size?

[kelvin_lau]

Frontier labs I have used request the files in the following format: JPG or TIFF uncompressed, 8-bits per channel, set for 300dpi print resolution, Adobe RGB or sRGB colour space.

[mark_blackman1]

Charles,

not to sound flipant, but why not ask the lab in question? As to the sizing issue, they will tell you what resolution they print at (usually 300lpi). Within photoshop, use the Image Size feature to set the image size (!) and the resolution.

 

As to the use of unsharp mask, the overwhelming advice is: Yes. Personally I turn off any sharpening that my scanner can do and perform all such manilupations within PS. Once your happy with the final image (make sure you have at least used the Adobe Gamma option to set up your monitor),then save your file. As it's going to a CD I suggest you choose the least lossy format (compression is usually needed if you are uploading files directly to the printer). If you choose JPEG or TIFF, make sure you've embedded the profile (adobe 1998 is the usual default in PS)

[neal_shields]

Mark:

 

In answer to your question, "why not ask the lab".

 

When Frontier printers first came out, I ask several labs in my area and none knew. Even the Fuji web site didn't talk about print resolution.

 

The labs I ask just said to give them as big a file as possiable which is fine for files stright from 3 meg cameras but when you are scanning 4x5 negatives that isn't a very useful answer.

 

I don't know if this was an oversite on their part or if they suspected that many people would not think that 300 dpi was a quality print.

[final cut cafe]

Thanks for the response! I have a few <i>new</i> questions now!

<br><br>

My scanner has the option of outputing 600dpi. Is this worth it or should I just stick with 300dpi?

<br><br>

Also, back to cropping/sizing, if I want to get an 8x10 printed or a 4x6, should I make the file that size in photoshop? or just give the lab the largest resolution I scanned?

<br><br>

Ok, now I will sound like an idiot, I'm sure. But I have to ask these questions about Photoshop. I have older Photoshop 6 and Photoshop Elements 2 (the ladder which came with my scanner). How do I setup Adobe Gamma with my monitor? How do I select color space for a perticular file?

<br><br>

Thanks everyone!

[brandonhamilton]

Scan as many PPI as your scanner can do! This can allow for more creative cropping later. If you scan at 300 then decide you want to crop out 50% of the photo for example, you no longer have enough pixels @ 300ppi to make whatever size photo you are shooting for. If you have 600 ppi, you have more room to play with the photo. You can always change it later in photoshop.

[roger_smith4]

Input and output resolution aren't the same thing. Here's an explanation:

 

Scan at whatever your scanner's maximum resolution is (mine is 4000"dpi") and make sure whatever the final file is that you're going to send to the lab is set to 300dpi as Frontiers can't print more dots than that.

 

How many pixels do you need? Multiply your desired image size in inches by 300dpi to see how many pixels your final file needs. Want a 4x6 inch print? That's 1200 by 1800 pixels. Convert to 8-bit color SRGB, don't embed a profile, and save as .jpg or .tif and take it to your local Frontier minilab and ask for "no corrections."

 

So why scan at maximum resolution if you only need 1200x1800 pixels? Try this test. Scan at the highest resolution and then halve the image size in your image editor. Then scan in the image using the setting of half the max reslution (if max is 3200, scan at 1600.) Compare both images in your photo editor. With my scanner there is a HUGE quality difference. Maybe not with yours, so test and find out what works with your setup.

[marcovay]

I could not explain it better than http://bermangraphics.com/press/frontier.htm

 

I had pictures printed in the no correction mode after converting them to a frontier Icc profile and they were so much better than the same pictures prepared with an Adobe RGB profile.

[jpursley]

If this is a drugstore-type lab and they give you a funny look when you ask for 'no corrections', ask them to turn off ImageIntelligence.

[roger_smith4]

"I had pictures printed in the no correction mode after converting them to a frontier Icc profile and they were so much better than the same pictures prepared with an Adobe RGB profile."

 

True in my experience, too. Now try comparing an SRGB and an ICC profile and the results should be much more similar.

[jespdj]

<i>"I had pictures printed in the no correction mode after converting them to a frontier Icc profile and they were so much better than the same pictures prepared with an Adobe RGB profile."</i>

<p>Well, that's not very strange, if you understand what's happening.

<p>When you convert your image to the profile of the Frontier printer, what you see on your monitor will (more or less) be exactly what the printer produces. When you send an Adobe RGB file to the Frontier, it will interpret the color values wrong and you'll get something that doesn't look what you see on your screen at all.

<p>Read the following for a tutorial on color management and ICC profiles: <a href="http://www.computer-darkroom.com/ps8-colour/ps8_1.htm">Computer-Darkroom tutorial on color management</a>

[jws]

I have been playing around with a generic profile for the Frontier 330 and it appears that it is better than generic sRGB, but I need to do some more experimenting. You need to go to this page http://www.fujifilm.co.uk/prolabs/ and register and then you'll be able to download them.

[marcovay]

Jesper,

I understand that files prepared for diferent color profiles are different :-).<br>

What I do not quite understand is why a fancy piece of equipment like a Fuji Frontier cannot recognize an embedded color profile and translate the colors to its own color space according to the chemistry and paper stock it is using. That would be so much better for customers.<br>

The Frontier 370 I mentionned is indeed at my local drugstore. The operators are trying to do a good job and I always had good results from film. However, they have no idea what a color profile is. When I asked, they told me that as far as they know the monitor they review the pictures on is not calibrated. I also had to convince them that there was a "no correction" mode.

[final cut cafe]

So most people have recomended using sRGB or downloading the Frontier color space. If Adobe RBG has more color variations and better saturation, then wouldn't that be a better choice? Or is the Frontier not capable of printing Adobe RGB?