What is DPI, and why do I need to know?
Settle down now class, in my previous post I explained the foundations on how to scan your old photos, we have done well so far. I previously mentioned about a thing called DPI. If you recall, this DPI thing means Dots Per Inch, which is a computer term for the composition of many thousands of dots, that make up your photo when it is scanned into the computer.
Stay with me now; remember me scanning the little photo from the page before? I set it at 1200 DPI which gives me many thousands upon thousands of little tiny dots that make up the digital photo, stunning stuff I know!
This is important for little photos because, when you want to repair them, a big scan will give you all of the little details to work with! Let me stop bumbling, and I will show you the difference with the power of pictures!
Here, I have scanned in the photo at 200DPI, this is the default setting for my scanner. If I were none the wiser, I thought that this was a pretty good scan! It’s there, I can see my photo. And I now have a digital version, and a physical version of the same photo, and I didn’t even need to use witchcraft! But, if you click the photo for a close up view, you’ll see that this image isn’t all that clear at all.
‘What’s the big hoo-ha all about’ I hear from the back, well, us restoration chaps need all of the juicy pixels we can get. Nothing makes me’ heart weep like telling our lovely customers to re-scan at a bigger DPI because we can’t use low DPI scans; we all know deep down that they have just jumped off a bridge……..or maybe, just given up and called it a day! Just like trying to teach me how to tie shoes, it ain’t gonna happen!
But for those people looking to right their DPI ways, look on, as I am about to explain the magic between low-and-high DPI. Brace yourselves!
Now we’re talking….. The above picture is the FULL SIZE 1200DPI scan. Caution, if you are browsing with a small monitor, then prepare to blow your tea out of your nose, as it’s very big image. For those who don’t have a messy desk now, look at the image. You’ll notice that every pock,mark and tear is visibile. It’s like we have a microscope!
When we begin to restore this photo, due to the massive scan, we’ll have a lovely time doing it! We can get in there and remove all of the tiny little flecks, as the digital image has been produced with so many pixels, we can see all of these things, and remove them for good!
If you look back at the original 200DPI scan, you would never guess that such a tiny photo had so many markings over it, eh? Why are you picking on the tiny picture, you say? Well, there is nothing WRONG with the little image. If you wanted a digital backup to keep for yourself, that’s fine.
But the moral of the story is, photo restoration work requires big scans. If some crazy person [professionally] decided to restore the 200DPI Photo, not only would it look ‘so-so’ on screen. If the customer required a print of 8×6″, the printed outcome would be laughable, and the customer would be calling sour grapes, demanding a prompt refund!
There you have it folks, that’s the mystery of the DPI in a nutshell, I hope this has been of some help, be sure to stick around for more photo restoration ‘easy reading’ basics.
