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Lesson 1 Part 5: Scanner Tutorial-HP Scanner

HP Scanner Software: Brightness/Contrast Control Tools
Welcome to the HP Scanner overview. This section is intended to provide a brief introduction to HP's DeskScan II software. The information presented herein is in no way meant to supplant the tutorial information for Part 3 located at ScanTips.Com. So at the conclusion of this overview be sure to return, or continue as the case may be to the Scanner tutorial Part 3 for this section.

Below is the general control panel for HP's Brightness/Contrast Control Tool.


The Contrast as defined by HP in their User's Guide manual refers to the range between the darkest pixel and the lightest pixel in an image. Between these two opposing pixel shades, are a certain number of gray shades, transitioning between these two colors. The Contrast control allows the user to vary this number of gray shades. A high contrast image would have more shades of gray compared to a low contrast image.

The brightness control adjust the balance of light and dark shades in your image. Basically, you want to manipulate these controls to get the widest range possible for your image. Using this control, as expressed in ScanTips.Com, can be detrimental for the final scan of your image as it tosses away information permanently once saved. Using the HP Highligh and Shadows Control Tools is similar to the Histogram manipulation discussed in ScantTips.Com and is another way to manipulate the tonal distribution for your image. Highlight and Shadow does not cause a discarding of your image pixels, but reassigns the RGB values as defined by your selection of image points.

Should all this prove too cumbersome for you, the most useful tool to automatically adjust these settings is the AutoExposure Control Button. autoexposure button It is located in-between the Brightness and Contrast sliders (see image above..currently grayed out). This control will automatically correct for light and dark tonal adjustment within the selected area of the image. So experiment with manual adjustment of Hightlight and Shadows, Emphasis, and Brightness/Contrast. Should you not be able to achieve the results your looking for, then press the AutoExposure Control Button and see what the software calculates for you.

The DeskScan II software offers valuable built-in Help in this area as well. Below are two examples of HP's HELP for Brightness and AutoExposure. So be sure to check out what HP offers for instruction directly within their software program.





Back to Scanner Tutorial Part 3

HP DeskScan II additional Tools:

Go here to get the big picture map Lesson 1 dealing with images Lesson 3 deals with image purpose Lesson 5 deals with presentation layout Feel free email instructor for clarification & inquiry Go here for clear definitions as needed See what is new here Check out the entire site layout here
Lesson two deals with selecting image type Lesson 4 discusses presentation attributes Here you can rehearse your new skills Here's where we can evaluate your skill If you need to convese here is the place This goes back to opening splash page