Digital BW, The Print

Kevin writes:

> If I understood the description of your method
> correctly, the image dimensions of the scanned
> image is much larger than that of the digital
> image (19meg vs couple hundred meg).  If you
> view each at the pixel level you cannot make
> a direct comparisons.  The one viewed at a higher
> magnification will look less sharp have more
> apparent grain etc.

Yes.  When you look at a scan at 100% ("actual pixels") in Photoshop, you're
looking at the equivalent of a very, very large enlargement of the image.
For example, when I look at a 6x6, 4000 dpi scan at 100% on my 20-inch
monitor, this is the equivalent of examining a 7x7-foot print from 18 inches
away!  Naturally, grain is visible at this degree of magnification.

For this reason, scans almost always look soft when viewed at 100%.  The
softness is sometimes the result of the scanner (some scanners are better at
achieving their nominal resolution than others), sometimes the result of the
lens (some lenses cannot resolve well enough to profit from the maximium
resolution of a scan, so the image on film is not as sharp as it could be),
and sometimes the result of film (some films run out of resolution, at least
when it comes to higher-speed films ... this isn't a problem for Tech Pan!).

> As Martin said, the print is the real test though,
> Prints from both would likely be very good and the
> difference lost on the average print purchaser.

Moral:  If the scan looks soft on your screen at 100%, don't despair.  It
will still look razor sharp when you print it.