Scanner Software Settings

Below are some typical scanner (Twain) driver settings that work well with Profile Prism.

NOTE: Some scanner software/drivers may have slight variations. When variations exist, follow the settings below as closely as possible.

Use of a black backing

Most scanners have a white backing on the scanner lid. While this is convenient as a scanning background, it does not provide optimal scans. To reduce light bleedthrough which can cause minor color variations, we recommend using a black piece of construction paper behind the color targets for best results. Simply place your color target(s) on the scanner glass and then place the black construction paper on top so that it is between the targets and the white scanner lid. This step is not mandatory but in some cases can make a difference.

In addition, always cut your printer target from the printed page, leaving only a 1/8 white border around the target. Do not leave excess paper behind either target and always trim the edges so that only 1/8 inch white border is visible. The less "leftover" white that the scanner "sees", the better.

Epson Scanners

• Use the latest Twain driver available on the Epson web site
• If the scanner begins to scan in "automatic" mode, click "Cancel" to enter manual mode
• Set "Image Type" to "Color Photo"
• Set "Destination" to "Epson Stylus Printer (Photo)"
• Set resolution to 300 DPI
• UNcheck "Unsharp Mask"
• Click the "Configuration" button near the bottom of the window
• Check the "No color correction" radio button at bottom of window and click "OK"
• Other settings should then become grayed
• Do not use descreening if that option appears
• Scan

HP Scanners

• Use PrecisionScan software if available
• Set shadow to zero and highlight to 255
• Set gamma to 1.0
• Set saturation to 75%
• Set resolution to 300
• Turn off unsharp mask
• Turn off "auto exposure" if that setting is available
• Do not use descreening if that option appears
• Scan

Canon Scanners

• Included Canon software usually not sufficient to get good scans without clipping
• Specialized scanning software such as VueScan recommended

  Recommended VueScan settings:

• First, click "Scanner", "Calibrate" with scanner lid closed, white pad in place
• On the "Input" tab, select "48 bit RGB" for "Bits per pixel"
• On the "Input" tab, select "300 dpi" for "Scan resolution"
• On the "Output" tab, select "Output raw file"
• UNcheck Output TIFF, JPEG, and index file so only the raw file is saved
• UNcheck "Raw compression" on the same tab
• Set "Raw file type" to "48 bit RGB" on the same tab
• Scan
• Open scan in Profile Prism and reply "Yes" to the linear 48 bit scan prompt
• Proceed with profiling steps

Note: Scanning with multiple passes can often improve shadow detail and accuracy. While scanning may take up to 5 minutes in some cases, setting "Number of passes" on the "Input" tab in VueScan to 4 will often improve shadows in scans that suffer from loss of shadow detail/accuracy. Also note that the demo version of VueScan cannot be used for profiling due to the watermarks present on the scans from the demo.

Other Scanners

Start by setting resolution to 300 PPI and turning off "unsharp mask" (sometimes just referred to as "sharpen"). Since there are many different scanner models on the market, you simply need to find the right combination of settings that produces a minimum number of "X" markers on the color targets. Normally this involves turning off all features labeled "automatic" and selecting settings that don't cause clipping (values at either zero or 255) in the scans. If your scanner overexposes and clips the highlights regardless of the settings you use, you can try inserting several sheets of clear sheet protectors between the targets and the glass to reduce exposure as a last resort.