It stands to reason that scanners should also be calibrated.  I've
tried it with less that stellar results.  Has anyone tried this with
any success?

What method(s) have you tried for calibrating a scanner that are not working
as well as you would like?

Are you suggesting using the ACRCalibrator script for calibrating a
scanner?  If so, how did you create a RAW file from a scanner?

   Jpeg’s and Tiff’s can be opened with Camera Raw, at least the lower
resolution (200 or so).

Step 1---From Photoshop CS3 scan the ColorChecker with an HP 5550c scanner
and its generic software.  I use a resolution of 200.  I’ve tried 1200 but
neither the Jpeg nor the Tiff will open in Camera Raw.

Step 2---Rotate (if necessary) and save the image as a PSD, JPG, and TIF.

Step 3---Using Bridge, open the JPG (or TIF) in Camera Raw.  Confirm the
ProPhoto and 8-bit color settings.

Step 4---“Open” the image in Photoshop.

Step 5---Run the AcrCalibrate script.

   The first time I tried this, the script took 5 hours to run and the
results seemed reasonable.  The second time, the script took 50-minutes and
some of the sliders were at max (±100).  I will try again but will switch
off the scanner’s color correction.

  _____  

From: acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com [mailto:acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com]
On Behalf Of steve sprengel
Sent: Friday, 27 June 2008 11:54
To: acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com
Subject: [acrcal] Re: Scanner calibration

What method(s) have you tried for calibrating a scanner that are not working
as well as you would like?

Are you suggesting using the ACRCalibrator script for calibrating a scanner?
If so, how did you create a RAW file from a scanner?

It stands to reason that scanners should also be calibrated.  I've
tried it with less that stellar results.  Has anyone tried this with
any success?

A JPG has colors "compressed" enough to cause problems.  You might be able to get by with a TIF or PSD, but the scanner needs to be used in a consistent way between when the color-checker is scanned and the photos, themselves, are scanned.  

Another thing to think about is that Tom's script only uses three of the 24 color patches to compute the calibration so is unlikely to be very good for very bright and dark colors.  If you really want to use a script to calibrate your scanner, you should probably use a script more like Tindemans variation that uses all 24 color patches instead of just three:  http://www.21stCenturyShoebox.com/

But if you want to calibrate your scanner for use with something like Photoshop, I'd suggest using a "real" calibration process that generates ICC or ICM color-profiles that you can assign to your scans that uses a color-target like an IT8 that has many more than 24 colors covering the entire spectrum and brightness range.

A scanner-based printer-profiling process can generate a scanner ICM as a side-effect.

I use MonacoEZColor which is no longer available, to do this.

I think the ProfilePrism product from DDISoftware may generate scanner ICM files along with the printer-based ones, although I do not have this product so I am not sure.  The website should say one way or the other.

Once it is created, to use an ICM scanner profile with ACR/LR you would acquire the scanned image in Photoshop, assign the scanner-profile and then save it, then open it in ACR or Lightroom, which will take that assigned profile into account.  Depending on your scanner software, it may also allow you to assign the profile on the way into Photoshop, but mine doesn't, so I assign it, manually.

From: Walter G Phaneuf
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 11:22 AM
To: acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com
Subject: [acrcal] Re: Scanner calibration

   Jpeg’s and Tiff’s can be opened with Camera Raw, at least the lower resolution (200 or so).

Step 1---From Photoshop CS3 scan the ColorChecker with an HP 5550c scanner and its generic software.  I use a resolution of 200.  I’ve tried 1200 but neither the Jpeg nor the Tiff will open in Camera Raw.

Step 2---Rotate (if necessary) and save the image as a PSD, JPG, and TIF.

Step 3---Using Bridge, open the JPG (or TIF) in Camera Raw.  Confirm the ProPhoto and 8-bit color settings.

Step 4---“Open” the image in Photoshop.

Step 5---Run the AcrCalibrate script.

   The first time I tried this, the script took 5 hours to run and the results seemed reasonable.  The second time, the script took 50-minutes and some of the sliders were at max (±100).  I will try again but will switch off the scanner’s color correction.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----

From: acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com [mailto:acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of steve sprengel
Sent: Friday, 27 June 2008 11:54
To: acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com
Subject: [acrcal] Re: Scanner calibration

What method(s) have you tried for calibrating a scanner that are not working as well as you would like?

Are you suggesting using the ACRCalibrator script for calibrating a scanner?  If so, how did you create a RAW file from a scanner?

It stands to reason that scanners should also be calibrated.  I've
tried it with less that stellar results.  Has anyone tried this with
any success?

Thanks for your time and effort!

  _____  

From: acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com [mailto:acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com]
On Behalf Of Steve Sprengel
Sent: Friday, 27 June 2008 17:11
To: acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com
Subject: [acrcal] Re: Scanner calibration

A JPG has colors "compressed" enough to cause problems.  You might be able
to get by with a TIF or PSD, but the scanner needs to be used in a
consistent way between when the color-checker is scanned and the photos,
themselves, are scanned.  

Another thing to think about is that Tom's script only uses three of the 24
color patches to compute the calibration so is unlikely to be very good for
very bright and dark colors.  If you really want to use a script to
calibrate your scanner, you should probably use a script more like Tindemans
variation that uses all 24 color patches instead of just three:
http://www.21stCenturyShoebox.com/

But if you want to calibrate your scanner for use with something like
Photoshop, I'd suggest using a "real" calibration process that generates ICC
or ICM color-profiles that you can assign to your scans that uses a
color-target like an IT8 that has many more than 24 colors covering the
entire spectrum and brightness range.

A scanner-based printer-profiling process can generate a scanner ICM as a
side-effect.

I use MonacoEZColor which is no longer available, to do this.

I think the ProfilePrism product from DDISoftware may generate scanner ICM
files along with the printer-based ones, although I do not have this product
so I am not sure.  The website should say one way or the other.

Once it is created, to use an ICM scanner profile with ACR/LR you would
acquire the scanned image in Photoshop, assign the scanner-profile and then
save it, then open it in ACR or Lightroom, which will take that assigned
profile into account.  Depending on your scanner software, it may also allow
you to assign the profile on the way into Photoshop, but mine doesn't, so I
assign it, manually.

From: Walter G Phaneuf <mailto:wgphan...@gmail.com>  

Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 11:22 AM

To: acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com

Subject: [acrcal] Re: Scanner calibration

   Jpeg’s and Tiff’s can be opened with Camera Raw, at least the lower
resolution (200 or so).

Step 1---From Photoshop CS3 scan the ColorChecker with an HP 5550c scanner
and its generic software.  I use a resolution of 200.  I’ve tried 1200 but
neither the Jpeg nor the Tiff will open in Camera Raw.

Step 2---Rotate (if necessary) and save the image as a PSD, JPG, and TIF.

Step 3---Using Bridge, open the JPG (or TIF) in Camera Raw.  Confirm the
ProPhoto and 8-bit color settings.

Step 4---“Open” the image in Photoshop.

Step 5---Run the AcrCalibrate script.

   The first time I tried this, the script took 5 hours to run and the
results seemed reasonable.  The second time, the script took 50-minutes and
some of the sliders were at max (±100).  I will try again but will switch
off the scanner’s color correction.

  _____  

From: acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com [mailto:acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com]
On Behalf Of steve sprengel
Sent: Friday, 27 June 2008 11:54
To: acrcalibrator@googlegroups.com
Subject: [acrcal] Re: Scanner calibration

What method(s) have you tried for calibrating a scanner that are not working
as well as you would like?

Are you suggesting using the ACRCalibrator script for calibrating a scanner?
If so, how did you create a RAW file from a scanner?

It stands to reason that scanners should also be calibrated.  I've
tried it with less that stellar results.  Has anyone tried this with
any success?

<BR