A slide scanner is a device used to transfer photography from slides directly into the computer. These scanners are specially designed to help a photographer create high quality copies of slides. By converting the photo to digital, you are able to manipulate the photo in new ways. Software makes changes easy and convenient.

A variety of slide sizes can be transferred using a slide scanner. Individual slides will contain one picture each. Film strips will have several pictures on one strip. Slide scanners may accept one type or the other, and some scanners offer the convenience of using either format.

Scanners cannot improve photo quality. If the original slide is blurry or out of focus, a digital image will also be blurry. Yet, you may be able to enhance your photo using the software that accompanies the scanner. Most often, you will be able to manipulate the contrast, sharpness, and level of color. Additionally, you will be able to crop the photo to create focus on the key elements.

A slide adapter may come with your scanner. This is a useful tool in scanning. A slide adapter fixes the location of the scan. By stabilizing the photo, you will decrease editing time once the photo is transferred.

Scanners offer a large variety of specifications. Each specification should be evaluated prior to purchasing. One important aspect is the resolution. Typically, a slide scanner will report the maximum hardware and interpolated resolutions.

Quality of the scan can be evaluated by resolution and sharpness. Resolution is reported as dpi. This stands for dots per inch. A typical number may be 4800×9600. The first number indicates the dpi for the x-axis, and the second number is for the y-axis. Higher numbers indicate a better resolution.

The hardware resolution is usually lower than the interpolated resolution. The interpolated resolution indicates how large the digital output will be for the slide. Slides are quite small. So, you need to be able to increase the size to make the transfer useful. Yet, despite the increase in resolution, the quality of the photo does not improve.

Sharpness of the scan is dependent on the light source of the scanner. Florescent bulbs produce lower quality scans. A light source utilizes a CCD array to convert light into electrical charge. Each electrical charge sends a signal to the scanner in order to recreate the image. Dark images reflect less light, creating a darker image in the scan.

Depending on the amount of slides you need to scan, you may need to look at higher end models. These models tend to be faster, pushing through more slides in an hour. The higher end models will retain the quality at this faster rate. However, a slower scanner may still fit your needs. These are usually less expensive.

A slide scanner offers a wide range of advantages to photographers. Digital images are easier to manipulate, and the software provided helps accomplish simple improvements. Additionally, digital images can be uploaded onto the Internet and used for social networking, email, and more. A slide scanner is an important addition to the toolbox for photographers today.

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