What is the proper resolution for scanning a photograph intended for use in a printed piece, and how large should I scan it?
300 dpi is the standard resolution for scanning a continuous tone image (i.e. a photograph). An image should be scaled to no smaller than the size at which it will be used in the piece. Scanning it larger than the final size wont do any harm. Furthermore, if the image is to be used more than once at various sizes, it should be scanned at the largest size. • What is the proper resolution for scanning line art or text? 1200 dpi is the standard resolution for scanning these types of originals. • Why does a graphic image taken off the Web look ragged when printed? Graphics that are meant to be viewed over the Internet are typically saved in a low resolution format (such as .jpg or .gif) because this creates a small file size which allows for faster downloading. The resolution of these files is typically 72 dpi, which is an insufficient resolution for high quality printing. When there is a continuous-tone original available to scan, an image should be rendered at 300 dpi when it is intended
300 dpi is the standard resolution for scanning a continuous tone image (i.e. a photograph). An image should be scaled to no smaller than the size at which it will be used in the piece. Scanning it larger than the final size won’t do any harm. Furthermore, if the image is to be used more than once at various sizes, it should be scanned at the largest size.
