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Re: digital V traditional



My apologies for having not read the referenced thread on scanning fees.
Digitization here is handled by staff only.

One of the mental errors made concerning digitization is the subconscious
equating of scanning with photocopying. Low end scanners facilitate that
myth by offering a push the button and the image is scanned approach.

Digital photographs do have appropriate applications, just as photographs
have limitations. For example, photographs of 18th century text or maps
taken with a digital camera that can not achieve a minimum 300+ dpi or
"resolution" are generally illegible, (there are of course exceptions.)

A good rule of thumb is to use a digital camera for display in a digital
medium, like the web. However, images to be used for analog display, like
most of the TV world, should really be taken with an analog camera, or a
high end digital camera with 600+ dpi and lossless compression. I'm not sure
how the halftoning effect would play out in a printed publication, but my
inclination is that the higher resolution the better the results.

As caretakers of our holdings we need to ask questions of our clients that
will help us deliver quality service.
    Is this image for a digital presentation, or will it be viewed in an
analog environment?
    Has the client established file specification requires?
    What software and hardware will be used for viewing the image?
    Are there file size limits? (This affects dpi and color specs.)
    Do they need lossless or is lossy compression acceptable?

Then you have to look at what actions are best for your collection.
    Copyright?
    Are there preservation/conservation concerns for the original?
    Is it oversized? Can you scan oversized?
    What are the color options and which is optimal for presentation?
    Are there housing, framing, or 3d/thickness issues that would negatively
impact the resulting image?

The result should be an agreement that does not raise client expectations
above what can be delivered, and controlls that allow you to protect your
holdings while delivering an anticipated quality service.

Remember that it's easier to reduce quality and size of a digital file than
to enhance it.

Cathy Brown, CA
North Carolina State Archives
Raleigh, NC 27601
919-733-3952

My opinions... .

ESSE QUAM VIDERI --
To be rather than to seem



----- Original Message -----
From: "David Smolen" <dsmolen@NHHISTORY.ORG>
To: <ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
Sent: Monday, August 13, 2001 4:18 PM
Subject: digital V traditional


> I found the posting on scanning fees quite interesting. Has anyone had
> problems with people who don't want digital photos? It seems like there
are
> a lot of people out there who still prefer traditional photographs to
> digital. I have had TV people tell me that if they try to shoot extreme
> close ups of digital photos the dots show up. Is there a DPI level that
can
> work for TV? Please respond to the list.
>
> Thanks,
>
> David Smolen
> Special Collections Librarian
> New Hampshire Historical Society
> Phone: 603-856-0647 ext.647
> Fax: 603-224-0463
> dsmolen@nhhistory.org
> http://nhhistory.library.net

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