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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
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    3

    Smile What is the best file format for scanning text into Photoshop?

    Hi All,

    I am scanning several pages of text (text only) then bringing the text into Photoshop, reducing the size of the scanned text in Photoshop in order to create a final layout and them print. I am aware that scanned text will not give me the best quality possible.

    All the text is black in color and all the text background is white.

    Can anyone tell me the best file format (JPG. GIF etc…) to scan these texts for best print quality result using Photoshop? Besides file format, any other suggestions on how to improve the scanned text will be very welcome!

    Thanks,
    Andy
    IP

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    Placitas, New Mexico, USA
    Posts
    41,476

    Default Re: What is the best file format for scanning text into Photoshop?

    TIFF at 300dpi. JPEG is not good for text, and GIF is a 256 color web bitmap format.
    IP

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Alexandria, VA, USA
    Posts
    968

    Default Re: What is the best file format for scanning text into Photoshop?

    Andy,

    Try an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) program. Bing or Google 'Free OCR". There are several online services. Basically it can read a 'picture' of text and convert it to editible characters for MS Word type pgms.
    ~Fred
    IP

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    3

    Default Re: What is the best file format for scanning text into Photoshop?

    Hi Fred C and gwpriester,

    Under normal circunstances I would try using OCR as you suggested (never used before but heard of it), but I am scanning some old documents and the original old "defects" on the document (background and text) are suppose to show up on the final print. I need to keep the final print as original as possible to the original document, the only difference just a bit more readable. Also I will need to reduce the size of the originbal documets to fit in my Photoshop layout.

    I think I will try to scan as a TIFF at 300 dpi as gwpriester suggested and see how it goes.

    Let me know if you have any other suggestion now that you have a bit more information about my project.

    Thanks very much Fred C and gwpriester!
    Andy
    IP

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    UK.
    Posts
    360

    Default Re: What is the best file format for scanning text into Photoshop?

    A way I bring back the punch to text is to duplicate the text layer then with Levels bring the levels control points together to greatly increase contrast and restore white, then change that layer blend mode to multiply, now what you have is the text looking as strong as the file can stand. Click image for larger version. 

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    IP

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    Placitas, New Mexico, USA
    Posts
    41,476

    Default Re: What is the best file format for scanning text into Photoshop?

    For anybody who goes the OCR (optical character recognition) be aware that unless you are using a very excellent (and expensive) OCR product, you will have to do some scrupulous editing to make sure there are no typos or misspelled words.
    IP

  7. #7
    pollostar is offline Banished New Member (No PMs)
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
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    1

    Default Re: What is the best file format for scanning text into Photoshop?

    JPEG and GIF both are good.
    IP

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    1

    Default Re: What is the best file format for scanning text into Photoshop?

    Quote Originally Posted by pollostar View Post
    JPEG and GIF both are good.
    I want to join - the same idea.
    IP

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2000
    Location
    Bracknell, UK
    Posts
    8,659

    Default Re: What is the best file format for scanning text into Photoshop?

    Andy, in case you're tempted - don't use jpeg for this project, it introduces artifacts and GIF isn't suited either.

    TIFF is great and PNG.

    If you are going to manipulate the images to try and improve clarity, etc, you may wish to scan at a higher resolution than 300DPI, then manipulate that then scale back down to 300DPI - really depends on whether you intend to manipulate the images or not.
    IP

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Dunoon, Scotland
    Posts
    4,778

    Default Re: What is the best file format for scanning text into Photoshop?

    The only way to get crisp text is to use OCR & then spend a small amount of time in a text editor to check text and any other artifacts that have been produced. I don't normally disagree with Gary but in this case I do about the level of quality of the free OCR's or the one supplied with our printer.
    Design is thinking made visual.
    IP

 

 

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