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Useful Information on Scanning
> Resolution
Resolution
What is Resolution?
The data in the image you have scanned is a collection of dots carrying information about brightness and
color. The density of these dots is called "resolution", and resolution will determine the amount of detail
your image contains. The unit of resolution is dots per inch (dpi). Dpi is the number of dots per inch (2.54
cm).
The higher the resolution (value), the more detail in your image; the lower the resolution (value), the less
detail.
Setting the Resolution in MP Navigator EX
In MP Navigator EX, you can specify the resolution with Scanning Resolution in the Scan Settings dialog
box.
Images for Display on a Monitor
Documents to be viewed on a display should be scanned at 150 dpi, which is close to the resolution of a
standard monitor.
For film, set the resolution to 600 dpi since images are enlarged approximately four times their original
size when scanned.
Images for Printing
Images to be printed should be scanned at a resolution that corresponds to the resolution of the printer.
For example, if you want to print documents using a 600 dpi black and white printer, you should set the
resolution to 600 dpi. For film, set to 2400 dpi since images are enlarged approximately four times their
original size when scanned.
With a color printer, specifying the resolution at half the resolution of the printer should be fine. For
example, if you want to print using a 600 dpi color printer, you should set the resolution to 300 dpi for
documents and 1200 dpi for film. However, with a high-resolution printer, printing takes longer than
usual if you set the resolution to half the resolution of the printer.
Example of Appropriate Resolution when Printing to Scale
If you print a document at twice the size both vertically and horizontally, the resolution of the document will
be reduced by half. If the resolution of the original document is 300 dpi, the resolution of the enlarged
document will be 150 dpi. If you print the document with a 600 dpi color printer, the lack of detail in the
image may be obvious. In that case, if you scan at the Scanning Resolution of 600 dpi, the resolution will
be 300 dpi even if you double the size of document and you can print the document with sufficient quality.
Conversely, if you print a document at half scale, it should be sufficient to scan at half the resolution.
When Printing Color Photos at Twice the Size
Document resolution: 300
dpi
Scanning resolution: 600
Print at twice the size
Scanning resolution/actual scanning
resolution: 600 dpi
Printing resolution: 300
dpi
Page 258 of 334 pagesResolution