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Optimizing Scanning / Adjusting Image Quality

Adjusting Brightness and Contrast

Making the Highlight setting
Making the Shadow setting
Making the Gamma setting
Applying a preset tone curve

Adjust brightness and contrast before adjusting image color. Brightness and contrast settings should be made in the order shown above.

Making the Highlight setting

Highlights are the brightest areas of an image. Follow these steps to adjust the Highlight setting.

Click the Image Controls button in the Preview window.

Click the eyedropper button under Highlight.

The pointer changes to an eyedropper, with movement restricted to within the Preview window.

Move the eyedropper to the location you want to select as the highlight point and click it.

The brightness of the pixel at the point you click is set as the highlight level, and the other parts of the image are adjusted accordingly.

To change the highlight level of the point you selected, move the Highlight slider left or right, or enter a value between 61 and 490 in the text box.


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Making the Shadow setting

Shadows are the darkest areas of an image. Follow these steps to adjust the Shadow setting.

Click the Image Controls button in the Preview window.

Click the eyedropper button under Shadow.

The pointer changes to an eyedropper, with movement restricted to within the Preview window.

Move the eyedropper to the location you want to select as the shadow point, and then click.

The brightness of the pixel at the point you click is set as the shadow level, and the other parts of the image are adjusted accordingly.

To change the shadow level of the point you selected, move the Shadow slider left or right, or enter a value between 0 and 60 in the text box.


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Making the Gamma setting

Gamma is the difference in contrast between the light tones and dark tones of an image. Changes in the gamma level only affect mid-tones, and can be effective for bringing out details normally hidden in shadow or highlights.

original image

set to 1.80

set to 2.60

Follow these steps to adjust the Gamma setting.

Click the Image Controls button in the Preview window.

Move the Gamma slider left or right, or enter a value between 0.5 and 5.0 in the text box.


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Applying a preset tone curve

The Tone Correction feature provides preset tone correction curves that let you adjust the contrast within an image. This allows more control over the image when used in conjunction with the settings in the Image Controls dialog box.

Click the Tone Correction button in the Preview window, then select a preset tone curve from the Tone Curve Name list. The preset tone curves are described below.

Linear

A linear tone curve has no tone correction. Use this setting if you are satisfied with the tone of the preview image.

Lighten

Adjusts darker images (like underexposed film) to make them slightly brighter.

Darken

Adjusts brighter images (like overexposed film) to make them slightly darker.

Flat Contrast

Flattens high contrast images to make them look more natural.

High Contrast

Increases the contrast of dull images.

Open Shadow

Improves details in the dark areas of images.

Note:
See Tone Correction for more information on tone correction.


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Version 1.00E, Copyright © 2001, SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION