Question: Scanner problems or ?

[john_brewton]

I finally got the software to upgrade my old HP scanner to Windows

XP. So I immediately scanned a good "M" b/w to my printer. Now I've

scanned some prints to be posted on this website and they came out

well, but when I printed this new shot on my (admittedly) cheap HP

printer all the details were blown out and the print resembled one

of those shots you see from the Civil War. The original Leica shot I

scanned is razor sharp. I've already ordered a new HP 7960 and I

figure this will solve the problem, but could this be a scanner

problem? By the way, my printer does just fine with 8 x 10 digital

color prints.

Any help appreciated and I know an answer may be difficult without

seeing what's going on.

Thanks.

[olivier_reichenbach]

But how does the print compare with what you see on your monitor? If the image is okay

on your monitor, then it's not a scanner problem. And what do you mean by «Civil war»

look? Sepia tone? Fuzzy? Lots of moustaches and guns? ;)

[steve_barnett2]

If you have installed new drivers for your old scanner then you may have to start again learning the correct settings for it. There is no way to tell what the problem is from your description, but my bet would be that some 'check box' isn't ticked correctly. Also are you sending the scan directly to your scanner, or using an editing software? The problem may be elsewhere.

[john_brewton]

As always, all responses are appreciated. Olivier, when I refer to a "Civil War" print, I am talking about an old photo which has been blown up, usually for a history book, that ends up blurry and/or sepia in tone. Civil war photos of the destruction of buildings in bombardments usually show this.

 

On a more positive note, a photo professional friend of mine has solved my problem and it is all scanner related. I'll be ordering a Minolta 5400 or Scan Dual IV in the next day or so, unless someone out there thinks there is something better for the same price.

Cheers, John

[godfrey]

Nearly any scanner available today can be used to make excellent prints, and nearly any

scanner will produce crappy results if not used correctly. It sounds to me like your

expectations are such that you'll just plug in whatever you buy, press a button, and perfect

prints will pop out of the printer.

 

You should discard this fantasy ... It ain't gonna happen.

 

Godfrey

[dale_schreiner]

Godfrey's right that it's not the case that "you'll just plug in whatever you buy, press a button, and perfect prints will pop out of the printer". But having bought the Minolta 5400 and HP 7960 combo a couple of months ago with no previous scanning experience, I've been very pleased with the immediate results I got without a great deal of image tweaking. In fact, it gave me the confidence to experiment and learn more right away since I could usually rely on the default settings if I got frustrated (or lost in the options). So I highly recommend you stick with this combo and build your scanning/printing skills with it. I'm glad that I did.

[john_brewton]

Dale, thanks for your advice. My only worry now is if my computer is up to handling the 5400. I'll call Dell to see what I need to add. I really have done a lot of homework on the internet and while it appears that a Scan Dual IV would do okay, it does appear (on paper, other's comments) that the 5400 is the way to go.

 

For those of you who seem to think I'm looking for an easy way out or that perhaps I'm lazy - not true! I'm careful where I put my money in regards to technology because I'm leery of companies who are always outdating their own products. Plus I want a quality product which is reliable. Oh yes, and then there are those "not again!" responses from my wife!