Which Image Program Do You Use?

[msgtdavid]

I'm interested in what other stamp collectors use for image programs.

I myself have found Microsoft Digital Image Pro 9 works great for:

Easy to use with a scanner.

Makes finding plate varieties easy.

Easy to add arrows to stamp images.

Easy to add text to stamp images.

There more advantages, but these are the most often used.

So what do other collectors use?

DAVID THOMPSON

MSGT/USAF/RETIRED

[greenwave4u]

My image processing consists of :-

1. CanoScan 9000F scanner which includes filmstrip scanning this is driven by:-

2. Vuescan Pro software which is far more powerful than most software that comes with a scanner. It also has the benefit of supporting nearly all scanners made over many years which have become obsolete. I normally scan all images at 1200dpi and save as a tiff before importing into my image program which is:-

3. Photoshop Elements 12 which does all I need to create jpgs, edit size etc, add arrows, select a part of the image to blow up etc. The program allows for creating 5 levels of jpg from low resolution to high resolution so no need to store massive images.

4. For analysis of a stamp for tampering etc, I use retroreveal.org which is an amazing program that reveals the hidden details of cleaned fiscals cancels etc.

[msgtdavid]

Hi, interesting what you use.

I can understand the need to use retroreveal, but for me I want fiscal cancels, especially printed or hand stamped cancels.  I also interested in plate varieties, but wonder if retroreval would help in this area, I doubt it, what do you think?

Glad you responded, found you replay interesting and your techniques!

Thank You

DAVID THOMPSON

MSGT/USAF/RETIRED

[billsey]

I pretty much use Paint.net for everything except scanning and use Brother Control Center with my all-in-one printer.

[malolo]

I have an Epson 3490 Photo scanner using the Epson Scan software that came with the scanner.

I save all images to a folder or my desktop, then do any processing with GraphicConverter an application developed for Mac . I think I've been using it for 20+years, updating as required.

I also have Photoshop Elements but rarely use it as it's more complicated than necessary for philately. Once upon a time I used Genuine Fractals to process and enlarge files for printing my camera photos at 16x20 images. That program would increase file sizes from 2Mb to 85Mb and show no pixelization in the prints. Printing that size on 9 color printing machines was really fun. That was in the days when a 5 MEG inage in a camera was tops, and uploading an image to the eBay Chat Board was courtiesly limited to under 100k, which worked fine. Everyone is using way too many bites to post images these days, sort of like everyone having a Buggatti that can go 250mph, but not necessary for everyday life!

This image is 104kb, no need for 2Mb images online in normal situations. Especially when it seems most people are transiting to phones with tiny screens.

[malolo]

Retroreveal is used primarily for seeing cancels that overlap, or when one really needs to get rid of color which interfers with reading details, or where colored inks were used.

Not sure what you mean when you write - "but for me I want fiscal cancels, especially printed or hand stamped cancels."

I doubt Retroreveal will help with plate varieties unless the area under scrutiny is below a cancel, etc, etc. High magnification scans work best for plate varieties, 1200+ DPI.

[msgtdavid]

I for years and years only printed the images I kept in black and white.  Then my daughter bought me a color printer, I do not like it, but have used it a few times until the color ink is all gone, now use it as a black and white extra printer.    I post in color, but print out images for myself only in black & white, have never been impressed with color printing.  Maybe I'm just an old fart.

DAVID THOMPSON

MSGT/USAF/RETIRED

[airbornestamps]

I use an Epson WF-2630 Workforce 3-1 scanner that does great work on stamps.  Then upload them into a program I found called InfranView which allows great manipulation of the image and processing to a jpeg or any other type of digital image.  https://www.irfanview.com/

[msgtdavid]

Hi

I went to the InfanView, and I must say, wonderful information, more information than I was expecting.

In your experience with InfanView, is it really easy to use, is it slow?

How long have you been using it?

Would you show me some of your images?

DAVID THOMPSON

MSGT/USAF/RETIRED

[airbornestamps]

Quite easy to use, not slow at all, and I have been using it for about 2 years now. Here are some images

[sheryll*net]

I use an Epson V30 Perfection scanner which until recently  worked perfectly. Now it crashes after each scan and I have to reboot the machine. I have reinstalled the software and tried a different USB cable. Next step is to swap out the scanner for my husband's V30 or swap out power cables. I am at a loss, as I have not found the problem listed in a Google search.

I have been using Irfanview for at least 18 years. Memorizing many of the keyboard commands means I can make exhibit scans and thumbnails for webpages quickly. I love the ability to look through a folder of images with just the click of the right or left mouse button.

I recently learned how to make panorama images by concatenating images either vertically or horizontally or both, depending on what I want the final image to look like. This is handy for showing multiple covers/postcards in eBay listings.

 I used to use and love  MS Digital Image Suite 9 but it stopped working and I can only blame its inability to process my large file directory.

I have Photoshop Elements 13 and use it to laboriously manipulate scans as it is not intuitive. If I hit it over the head enough, I can come up with some decent images.

 

 (Photoshopped out a person in a red shirt taking a photo)

[malolo]

So how do you get the formatting to allow an enlargement in this thread. My image doesn't enlarge, but all Sheryll's and airbornestamps open a new window enlarging the image, then when being clicked can go to full screen.

Information please!

[msgtdavid]

Hi I don't know what your problem is, and do not have a solution, but can tell you how I used to handle problems like this.  When I was on active duty, I was a general's aide, and when something went wacky for no known reason I would pick it up and slam in down on to the floor, then call the Base Supply Officer and tell him the General needs a new one pronto, right now.  

Always worked for me. (laughing)

DAVID THOMPSON

MSGT/USAF/RETIRED

[sheryll*net]

David, that would have worked when I lived in a house of techos, but here  I'm supposed to be the guru.  

!!

Roger, did you click on the large setting?

Here's the same scan, shown as small, medium and large.

[malolo]

Sheryll, All of yours end up having a + in the top right corner to enlarge. My image doesn't have that. I see no choice of small, medium or large anywhere.

When I write a post below the lower left of the message box is a button to "choose file". I get a drop down of my computer desktop, then I can choose from anywhere in my computer. Again, no choice of small, medium, or large.

I just discovered that if I click on the Photos icon that a window opens where I can drag an image. I did that for a test - THEN the choices showed options. Right now only square images seem to be possible. Uh, oh, now when I actually review what my post will look like, the image is a horizontal picture.

BTW - this lava flow goes to the coast where my wife's parents owned a home at Kapoho Vacationland until they passed circa 2007. We inherited the property and decided to sell which allowed us to come back to the mainland. Lucky for us we sold - the property is now under probably 30+ft of lava. No houses in the area survived. We are very lucky.  I can't believe that of all the coast line available for the lava to flow, it went through two housing areas, two miles north or south would have missed them both! Then for miles the lava would not have hurt any homes. Quite a remarkable happenstance! Why didn't we keep the property? - couldn't get tsunami insurance or lava inundation insurance, and hurricane insurance was prohibitive. I guess we were right to sell.