aengus
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posted on July 27, 2005 05:57:36 PM
Hi Folks.
I'm attempting to scan many, many postcards with an older HP all in one. I can't seem to get them to scan small (50kb) so I can get them on Vendio AND Look good at the same time.
My quesitons are:
1. any tips on doing this on an HP 2110V
2. Anyone know which scanner I should buy that can scan multiple fotos that I can later crop FAST??
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replaymedia
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posted on July 27, 2005 06:12:20 PM
I'm not into postcards, but my comic books are nearly the same as far as scanning goes, so here's my advice:
I'm not familiar with your particular scanner, but all the details are really in whatever software you are using to scan and manage your images. The tools are actually probably included n the DRIVER for your scanner.
In your "scanner program" set the scanning resolution to a reasonable number, for example 72dpi. This is the resolution most web images are scanned at. Anything higher is printing quality and is going to be HUGE for an internet picture.
Assuming your cards are all the same size, you can often set the scanner to only scan at the smaller size, meaning NO CROPPING should be necessary.
In my own case, I use an Epson Perfection 1650, and I can set the resolution and scan area right within the "TWAIN Driver" that comes with the scanner.
Scan, Save. Scan Save. Repeat ad infinitum. No image manipulation necessary!
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Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum sonatur.
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carolinetyler
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posted on July 27, 2005 06:21:00 PM
I feel your pain - I remember the days of taking regular pics, waiting at Walmart for them to be developed, then scanning each one individually only to find it looked crappy. Thank goodness the prices for digital cameras finally fell!
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Caroline 
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sparkz
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posted on July 27, 2005 06:22:11 PM
I don't know if there is any scanner that can produce a decent raw jpg that is only 50k. My HP scanner outputs to TIFF format. It's common for some of them to be over 1 mb in size. I just collect all of the tiff images in one directory, switch over to Irfanview and select the batch conversion feature, and convert all the tiffs to .jpg compressed images which are a suitable size for use on Ebay. It's actully a simple process. The conversion / compression process only takes a few seconds.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
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MAH645
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posted on July 27, 2005 06:49:47 PM
When I scan something I use Microsoft Picture it to do the editing. I also use it to edit my picture from my digital camera.
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Two men sit behind bars,one sees mud the other sees stars.
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bizzycrocheting
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posted on July 27, 2005 07:42:33 PM
My very best investment was in Photoshop Elements 3.0. Pricey at $99.00, BUT it cut my scanning time in less than half. I am able to use the "save for the web" feature after cropping the picture and it shows how the image will look. I can then play with it to bring down the time in loading for 56k dial-up. I can make my images look large and clear with very little download time. It definitely was worth every penny!
Diane 
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yourbigstore
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posted on July 28, 2005 06:21:27 AM
I use the mivhov image resizer you can download it for free it will convert just about anything to whatever you need. Im sure there may be better one's out there but it seems to work good for me.
Surfdog
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eauctionmgnt
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posted on July 28, 2005 06:22:39 AM
I'm still not quite sure why anyone would want to use a scanner for paper ephemera. I sell vintage advertisements, and found that a MUCH quicker and easier way is to use a copy stand (with lights) and a digital camera with a good macro. The copy stand lets you get the camera right in position (so you don't have to crop!) and the lights can easily be adjusted to eliminate any glare. Then, I use Photoshop Elements (an excellent program) to batch rotate, resize, and rename all my files. In about a half-hour... I can have about 100-200 pictures ready for upload. I'd like to see anyone beat that with a scanner! Copy stands are cheap (not much more than a scanner) and even most cheap digital cameras have a good enough macro for the job (I've been using an old Fuji Finepix 1400 1.3 Megapixal and it's been great!)
If your're interested, here's a link to a thread where I talk more about this:
http://www.vendio.com/mesg/read.html?num=2&thread=585777
I really hope that helps!
[ edited by eauctionmgnt on Jul 28, 2005 06:23 AM ]
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sthoemke
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posted on July 28, 2005 12:11:55 PM
Many scanners have an option to automatically crop retangular objects when scanned. If not, you should be able to adjust the settings to a particular range so can just place the postcards in the same location on the scanner and not worry about cropping.
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classicrock000
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posted on July 28, 2005 01:00:22 PM
aengus-I have a HP all in one-the 7110 model.However like MAH-I also you Microsofts Picture it! its easy to use and you can do lots of other things besides resizing
[ edited by classicrock000 on Jul 28, 2005 02:12 PM ]
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neglus
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posted on July 28, 2005 01:08:19 PM
I don't know eauction - I still have yet to see a photo image of a postcard that can compare favorably with one of my scans. The key to successful postcard selling is all about image presentation and if it takes a little longer to scan then so be it..ditto to photo hosting. Save a few bucks by using ebay images instead of Vendio....NOT WORTH IT!!
I use a microtek scanner (cost $150) and you can set it to scan & crop 4 postcards at once - can condense and name in IRFAN (free).
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http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
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eauctionmgnt
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posted on July 28, 2005 01:41:53 PM
Neglus,
Here's a few samples of some of my ads that are closer to post-card size:
These ads range in size from 3x5" to 6x8". As you can see... the text is nice and sharp. Any lack of detail is almost certainly a result of my JPEG compression, and not the sharpness of the Macro photography. You really ought to give it a shot and see how it works for you.
I agree completely about using Vendio's picture service instead of eBay's. The super-sized pictures really help!
[ edited by eauctionmgnt on Jul 28, 2005 01:46 PM ]
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sanmar
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posted on July 28, 2005 01:56:28 PM
I agree with eauction; A digital camera will give you a much sharper image than a scanner. I have a HP 6110xi with a flatbed scanner, but rarely use it. My Olympus C-5000 with 5 megapixels really does a great job.
Life Is Too Short To Drink Bad Wine
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aengus
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posted on July 28, 2005 07:42:16 PM
WOW.
Thanks so much for all the advice. I'm impressed!!
I will try a few of your suggestions(and check out your stuff).
Again, I really appreciate the help.
Aengus
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neglus
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posted on August 1, 2005 11:37:48 AM
eauction:
Well I tried taking digital pictures instead of scanning today - I have come up with one conclusion .. I AM A LOUSY PHOTOGRAPHER!!! lol
Actually the results weren't too bad - I do think it would save time if I could get it down.
I haven't invested in a copy stand yet - I used a dark lawn chair and did my photos outside in full sunlight (in 90 degree temp i might add)...other than the sweat dripping from my brow and almost dousing my postcards, it worked pretty well but I could not get a "straight on" shot. I notice yours have a slight angle to them too...am I being too picky? Will buyers know that the actual postcard is square??
Here's one of the photos:
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http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
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vintagepostcardsdotorg
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posted on August 1, 2005 12:12:23 PM
neglus,
??? why are you spending the time to do digital images that are always going to have a black background and look crooked (unless more time is spent cropping)...i'm confused. your regular auction/store pictures look great!!! if it ain't broke, don't fix it, is my vote
which reminds me, i store my images at vendio. how are you getting your images large like you do in the eBay listings? you're giving the url to an image you have hosted on vendio, right? does VD charge extra to do this, if you're NOT launching auctions from within VD? thanks.
http://stores.ebay.com/postcards-postcards?refid=postcards-postcards
http://www.vintagepostcards.org
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neglus
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posted on August 1, 2005 12:40:32 PM
Vintage - I am experimenting. I do like my images the way they are but if I can get comparable results and spend significantly less time scanning (meaning more time to list), then I might consider changing methods. I have a gazillion cards to list and there is just one of me...sighhhhh..
I use Vendio to list & can use up to 10,000 MB storage for free with my listing plan. I never delete images because so many are connected with active store listings and I don't take the time to figure out which can be deleted and which can't be. I am using about 2,359.48MB now.
I upload my images at about 800x550 pixels size (scan at 150%) and don't use the "click to enlarge" feature in Vendio so my auction images are shown at that size. I use IRFAN to crop, name and compress them.
If you are storing images at Vendio but not listing through Vendio you might check out the listing plans - listing could be as cheap as image storage. I am sure you are allowed to post images here that are stored at Vendio even if you don't use the Sales Manager plans.
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http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
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vintagepostcardsdotorg
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posted on August 1, 2005 12:47:22 PM
hmmmm, thanks neglus! maybe i'll check out their listing plans. i've got thousands of images stored on VD, too.
re: scanning...i've managed to delegate packing and shipping successfully, to a family member. so far, i haven't found anyone who will scan well - you know what i mean, make sure the card isn't crooked when scanned? make sure to get the complete image? tweak it slightly if need be? don't bend the card in the process? sigh.
have you ever tried hiring someone to do this? i'm toying with the idea. i hear the going rate is about 10 cents an image...i don't want a teenager in high school because well, they'll dump me to go on a date and i need someone reliable. there's a woman in town who works at her family's puter shop and sits there and plays solitaire all day and she's expressed some interest. unfortunately for all concerned, i have a short fuse and have been accused of being "too blunt" from time to time. 
have you tried farming the scanning out and, if so, any luck at all with it?
http://stores.ebay.com/postcards-postcards?refid=postcards-postcards
http://www.vintagepostcards.org
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eauctionmgnt
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posted on August 1, 2005 01:44:21 PM
Neglus,
Not bad for your first attempts! Let's see if I can help give some pointers.
1) If you use a copy stand you should be able to reduce a lot of the angle problems. (although, personally I don't think most bidders mind and are aware that most post cards are rectangular...)
2) Another issue with curvature is your lenses zoom setting (I'm assuming your camera does have a zoom lens...) If it does, set the zoom to the halfway point. Otherwise, if it is zoomed out, you'll get a convex distortion (know as barrel distortion) or if it's zoomed in, you'll get a concave distortion (known as a pincussion distortion). I have to admit, sometimes I forget to set the zoom to the halfway mark... which is why some of mine still have a slight curvature.
3) Backgrounds can be anything you want them to be. If you want to have a true white background... you might want to try placing a light box (like you would view slides on) under your postcard. That should help to provide a truly uniform backdrop. Personally... I like the grey background I get from my copystand, though.
I really think that all-in-all... as you get the hang of this, you'll find it to be much easier and just good quality as scanning. In fact... there are some cases where it's better than scanning. I'm sure you've had cases where a post-card has curled a little bit. When you place it on a scanner, it probably looks nice and flat in the image (because the scanner is making it be flat). But it doesn't stay that way! That's what's great about the copy stand. You're taking a photo which gives a more 3-dimensional view than the 2-dimensional view you get on a scanner.
Anyhow... keep playing with it... and if I can give you any more tips.. just let me know! I'm sure this will be a BIG time saver for you!
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neglus
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posted on August 1, 2005 02:36:35 PM
VINTAGE: My 21 year old home from college daughter WAS helping me ship this summer before she started her 40hr/wk lifeguard job - now she can't be relied upon. The 19 year old wants NOTHING to do with postcards (even though POSTCARDS are paying her tuition!). My husband helps when he can..he travels a lot for his job.
I haven't hired anyone to help me though sooner or later I might have to think about it. That's why I am always on the lookout for ways to save time - verdict is still out on the photo vs scan but I really appreciate the help eauction. I will play with it as I have time. I am not sure how I had the zoom set - I'll try halfway next time. I have a Nikon 3200 Coolpix and don't have a clue how to use most of the features!
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http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
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stonecold613
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posted on August 1, 2005 09:13:29 PM
What I used to do before I had my digital camera was to scan the photo or item, then open Paint Shop Pro and then use the capture funtion of PSP to surround and copy the scan. My photos went from about 400 kb to 70 kb (on average) and the quality of the images didn't suffer.
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Alive in 2005
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neglus
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posted on August 1, 2005 10:50:21 PM
Vintage - I just looked at your listings - it looks like you are using ebay photo hosting and not Vendio. If you have uploaded to Vendio image hosting and want to use the full size image in your listings, add the html to the description itself (otherwise you will get the tiny image from ebay photo hosting no matter how large your image is). You can still upload image to ebay to get the image at the top and the bottom and to select gallery if you want it.
I think the html is:
<p><center><img src="http://RIGHTCLICKONYOURIMAGETOGETVENDIOLOCATION.jpg">
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http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
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vintagepostcardsdotorg
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posted on August 2, 2005 06:31:39 AM
thanks, neglus - i'll try this in my "spare time," hahahaha, have about as much spare time as it sounds like you do!
hey, this is off topic but i'm too lazy or busy to start a new thread right now - i used to have my referral code the same way you do, as ?refid=store.
however...upon recently calling the 800 # for ebay store support and specifically asking about this, i was told something different than the ?refid=store, the impression one gets from visiting eBay's info about store referral credits.
what this person said was, to identify our _own_ store and get the credit, it needs to be ?refid=store name
i.e. ?refid=moody-mommys etc.
?refid=postcards-postcards
want to give them a call and see what they say, to confirm it? it sort of makes sense that they'd want us to point to our own individual stores.
off to get some valium...dental work this afternoon and the dentist has learned that he works faster when i'm pleasantly out of it...once took him 3 hours to get a filling in my mouth...naw, i'm not neurotic about dentists!
http://stores.ebay.com/postcards-postcards?refid=postcards-postcards
http://www.vintagepostcards.org
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neglus
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posted on August 3, 2005 08:41:57 AM
VINTAGE: The trouble with Live Help is that they don't know diddly squat! You can call 10 times and get 10 different answers. I'll see if I can find some kind of answer on the Store Sellers Board (I remember a thread about it) or maybe post the question there and other users (who are better informed than Live Help) will help?
eauction - I just placed a bid on a copy stand - before I bid higher (is it a good price? - the ones I looked up on Google were higher) - can you take a look and see if its the right kind? http://tinyurl.com/banou Seller is the Jay half of "jayandmarie" fame (I think the CD biz is hers)
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http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
[ edited by neglus on Aug 3, 2005 08:45 AM ]
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vintagepostcardsdotorg
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posted on August 3, 2005 10:35:53 AM
neglus,
i agree, everyone at ebay's "live help" is clueless. who i talked to about this referral id was a lady at the 800 # for store owners. i even read her my full sig line and paths to my stores and had her repeat about 3 times that the referral id should be ?refid=storename. however, since i don't totally trust any ebay help, that's why i was wondering if you could check too, to see if you got the same result...or a different one.
http://stores.ebay.com/postcards-postcards?refid=postcards-postcards
http://www.vintagepostcards.org
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eauctionmgnt
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posted on August 3, 2005 10:41:32 AM
Neglus,
Yep! That's the right kind all right. It's the same exact model I use! (there are more expensive ones out there... but they don't offer much more in the way of features). The price seems pretty reasonable... and their s/h costs don't seem too high (at least not here on the east coast). I think I paid somewhere between $60-80 for mine new... at that was at Dealer cost.
2 bits of advice I can give with this stand:
1) Get the 100 Watt flourescent light bulbs from SAM's club (or Cosco, BJ's etc...). Even though the rating on this stand is only for 60 watts... that rating is for Incandescent lighting. Since the 100 Watt flourescent bulbs only give off about the same amount of heat as 1 20-30 watt incandescent... you're able to get brighter lights without any overheating.
2) You might want to get a little L bracket. (If I get a chance, I could take a picture of mine if you like). An L bracket attaches to the screw-thread and lets you take pictures horizontally as well as vertically. You might not need this since you're taking just small postcards... but I needed it to turn the camera 90 degrees and take larger sized ad photos.
Hope that helps... and hope you win the auction!
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