Canon Lide 200 review / evaluation

Scanning photos for the web with the Lide 200

Test flowers for the Canon Lide 200 review "Scanning photos"
This is the full frame paper copy in all its glory huuu!

  

Many people are mainly using
there photos for display in
different web photo sharing
communities and web albums
like Flickr and Picasa.

If you then would like to show
your photos from your old photo album (you can find it somewhere deep inside the wardrobe)
then a flatbed scanner could
be the answer for your how to
do it question.

I will use the image to the
left to show you what kind of
result you can expect to get
from scanning paper photo
copy's!

 

I found the photo negative for this photo and decided to scan it with my filmscanner to get something to compare the paper copy scan against.

Scanned with the Canon FS4000US

Scanned from a paper photo copy on Canon Lide 200

Scan from photo negative @4000ppi
with Canon FS4000. down sampled
to a 1000px wide image.
Crop is at 100% from that 1000px wide image (Very large web image)
It has slight sharpening applied and are saved at JPG quality 4 (10=max)
Full image file size is 170kb

Scan from paper photo @600ppi
with Canon Lide 200. down sampled
to a 1000px wide image.
Crop is at 100% from that 1000px wide image (Very large web image)
It has slightly more sharpening applied compared to the FS4000 scan. Image was saved at JPG quality 4 (10=max) Full image file size 170kb
I could live with any of the the images above for web use (Scan quality wise :0)
In this case the paper copy workflow is much more easy and fast since you can
actually preview the image as you hold the photo in your hand.
That is far fro easy with a film negative!

Scanning a photo for enlargements
This example is scanned @ 1200ppi* (not dpi* as Canon states in the scan gear software)
The scanned image measures 15x10 cm (about 6x4in (slightly cropped to 14x9.5cm)).
The resulting file from this scan would make it possible to print at 55x40cm (22x16in) at 300 ppi resolution.
Auto tone on and fading correction set to medium, Canon Lide 200

Image above was scanned with the following settings to get the colors above.
*1200ppi
*Auto tone ON
*Fading corrections ON
*All other settings to off or none.
Image size reduced to 600 px wide for web use.

All setings and corrections set to off
Image above was scanned with the following settings to get the colors above.
*1200ppi
*All settings to off or none.
Image size reduced to 600 px wide for web use.
If you hold your pointer over the image you will get a curve tool corrected version
of this image (curve correction applied afterwards in image editor) .
The zoom able image above will make it possible to view pats of the image magnified, You can also pan around in the zoomed image.

Use the ruler at the bottom to get a sense of how large the print would get and what quality you can expect to have at the given size.

Use a ruler to compare the scale at the botom of this image on your screen.
Then to the following adjustments, If each cm on the on screen ruler messures 4cm on your real life ruler then you will view the actual possible print size an quality at 300dpi.(just take in count that sharpening should be adjusted in regards of sizing)

You can also download this image [HERE] or [HERE] to make your own conclution and test prints!


Dust and scratch removal function


In the advanced menu of Canon Scangear
you will find a drop down selector called -
"Reduce dust and scratches".

I tried this feature and to the left you can se the result.

I will only show you the results from the setting "High" of this "Reduce dust and scratches" function since this auto retouch
effect is very marginal.

You will probably find the largest effect on the B&W photo and on the small dust particles.

Scratches are hardly reduced at all so don't expect miracles from this feature.

Dust and scratch removal, Canon Lide 200
B&W photo dust and scratch removal
 

*ppi=pixels per inch a resolution and pixel count figure for cameras scanners and screens.
*dpi=dots per inch a resolution and ink dot density count for printers.