How Do You Get The Best Scans Of Your Stamps?

I have been searching the forums for the last three hours trying to find a thread I remember reading that gave specific advice for the scanner settings to use to produce the best stamp scans.

I just got a new Epson V600 Photo scanner and I'm trying to learn how to use it properly to create stamp images for analysis and study. My eyesight is not all that great anymore and I need high resolution scans for properly identifying many early stamps such as the US 1851 issues.

I found some old threads from 2011 to 2013 including a scanning tutorial but I'm not sure how much things have changed since then. Also, many of the software programs mentioned in those old threads are no longer available.

If there is a recent thread giving step by step instructions please point me to it (maybe I imagined it?). Otherwise, I would appreciate any advice regarding scanner settings and available software tools.

Thanks!

Moderators, if there is a better sub-forum for this topic please move it?

Here's one older topic

https://goscf.com/t/44202

I use the Canon Lide 220. Works great.

.
One vote for VueScan software.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Congratulations ! Well done you.

Let's try and get you going................ I'll go slowly

1. Get some Black Kraft paper, and "blu tak" it to the inside lid of the scanner.

2. When you load Epson, you should be met with something like this..?....

3. Where do you want your scans to go?

There is a little box on Right Hand Side of "Scan"
A folder with a picture of a face...click that and set where the scans are to go to.

Plop a stamp on the platen. (Face down)

CLICK "Preview" (The scanner will scan a preview of the platen)

Right mouse hold down and draw a "carousel" or "Marquee" around the stamp.

Set Resolution to 600

Scan !

Let us know if you hit problems

TIP: You can draw up to 40 or so, "Carousels" and the scanner will do each stamp separately, whilst you have a cuppa, and an Iced Vo Vo.

You will need a FREE deskew program, I use (and donate) to Postmaster GS here on SCF "Stamp Fix"

The result..............

"I have not yet begun to Scan!"

I am not sure about the blue tak advice. Having something tacky and lumpy on the inside of the scanner lid does not sound optimal. If I need to scan with a black background I use a piece of thin black card.

I assume you are using MS Windows and you only want to see the image on the screen not print it. I would scan at the highest resolution your scanner has. Rod222 suggests 600 I use 1200 but see what works for you. Save the image as a jpeg at the highest quality setting and you are good to go.

If you only want to look at the image Windows has adequate image viewers built in. I do not ues thePe but a quick look on my Windows 10 systen showed a progran called "photos" which looks perfectly OK. As it is included with Windows you do not need anything else.

AQ

Your flat bed scanner is factory calibrated to properly generate colors with the scanner lid closed. The bottom of the scanner lids are typically white. So if you want accurate colors, do not use a full black background unless you recalibrate your scanner with the black background. (Note, a placing stamp in a black background holder like a 102 card is fine.) Being able to calibrate your scanner and then save the profile is another good reason to buy and use an application like VueScan.

You can also learn more about digital imaging here http://stampsmarter.com/features/Color_Images.html

To calibrate your scanner you will need a IT8-Target. These either came with your scanner of you will have to purchase one. For example
https://www.silverfast.com/show/it8...gets/en.html

Don