Curious ocurrence after scanning

[GiddyupGilbert]

Xara 10 or 9: I use Photoshop and scan some wallpaper using a Brother DCP-7065 at 8.5X11(8.25X10.5). I save as a high quality .JPG. Each will reflect proper size. I do all my work in Xara. When I open or import the file comes in at 103 inches. I'm scanning at 1200X1200 because I'd like excellent reproduction. What am I doing incorrectly? Also when I go to Page Options/Units and convert from pixels to inches I have to do this with each photo. Shouldn't it stay at inches until I convert back to pixels? All thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

[Gamerprinter]

My question to you is why 1200 x 1200 dpi - that's a crazy high resolution. While some inkjet printers can certainly print 1440x1440 dpi, almost no printed images show a distinct difference above 600 dpi. Some black and white hi-end photography gains a benefit from 1440 dpi printing, almost nothing else does. Hi end image quality for most photography is only effective at 300 to 600 dpi. You can print it at 1440 but you'll get no noticeable improvement to print quality. The only other time very hi resolution is effective is if the printed document has very tiny text on it and you want it to be readable. Try printing a high res scan at 600 dpi, and then print at 1200 dpi - you'll see no noticeable difference. Thus for such a purpose working with 1200 dpi provides no benefit, it only makes it harder to work with in various software apps like Xara and takes longer to print. You can get excellent print reproduction at 600 dpi, why go higher, in most cases the human eye can't notice the difference? Its a fallacy to think that a 1440 dpi print is going to be better than a lower res print - only in the rare cases mentioned above will it matter (hi end b/w photography and tiny readable text.)

[GiddyupGilbert]

Point taken, thanks Gameprinter. What I was remembering was that in print a few years ago 1200X1200 was the magic number for line drawings, having the pixelization disappear. What your telling me makes sense; just did one at 600 and it comes in at 55 inches instead of 100. Maybe 300X300 will make it come into Xara at the percieved scan size of 8-1/2X11; gonna' try that next. Thank you again.

[mwenz]

1200 DPI is a good scanning resolution for line art. 600 DPI is generally good for gray scale scanning. 300 DPI is generally good for continuous tone images.

Image size when imported means little. Resize it down to the page size once imported and look at the left side of the status bar for the effective resolution.

[pauland]

It's a bit ironic to scan at high resolution, but save using jpg - a lossy format.

[handrawn]

Hi Gilbert

Firstly scanning resolution and printing resolution are two completely different things - you often have to scan at a much higher resolution than you would print in order to get the proper detail in the scan - I have a Brother MFC, it needs to be at least 1200dpi for some work or the colours are washy and detail lost.

edit - and I agree with Paul, especially if it's line art, jpg is not a good format to use

[GiddyupGilbert]

Funny you should mention that. I personally use PNG whenever possible. .JPGs are lossy, but you need not be overly concerned if you're not enlarging the graphic too much. .PNGs also are usually smaller in size. This round I'm not using line art; am making wallpaper designs (bitmap). I just figure, rightly or wrongly, everyone can display .JPGs.