Polaroid SprintScan 35 User Manual

Table of contents

Quick Scanning Guide iii

1 Installation

System requirements 1-2
Installing the software 1-3
Technical Support 1-4
Registration card 1-4

2 Scanning

Starting up the software 2-1
Inserting originals for scanning 2-2
Choosing initial settings 2-3
Making a preview scan 2-5
Adjusting settings based on the preview 2-7
Making a final scan 2-11
The Scan to Disk option 2-11

i

3 Advanced scanning settings

When to use advanced features 3-2
Image adjustment: the basics 3-2
Automated features 3-6
Exposure adjustment 3-8
Setting a white, black and gray point 3-9
Adjusting brightness, contrast, and midtone (gamma) 3 - 1 1
Adjusting the tonescale curve 3-13
Adjusting color saturation 3-14
Adjusting sharpness 3-15
Saving and reusing your settings 3-17
Plug-in preferences 3-18

4 Troubleshooting

Tips on correcting images 4-3
Hardware and software problems 4-7
Polaroid Offices and Service Centers 4-9

Appendix A: Glossary A-1

License Agreements L-1

Index I-1

ii

Quick Scanning Guide

See page Use this guide as a quick reference for scanning.

– – 1 Connect your scanner to your computer (see your scanner

hardware manual). Turn on the scanner, then your computer.

1-3 2 Install the SprintScan software, then restart your computer as

instructed.
2-1 3 Open your Adobe Photoshop or compatible application.
2-1 4 Open the SprintScan plug-in by choosing File, Acquire.
2-2 5 Insert your original. Place a mounted slide in the top access

slot, or place an unmounted slide or filmstrip negative into the

filmstrip carrier and insert the carrier into the side access slot

from the right.
2-3 6 Choose a film type from the Film pop-up menu.
2-3 7 Choose Color or Grayscale from the Type pop-up menu.
2-4 8 If necessary, change orientation to match your original by

choosing Portrait, Landscape or SuperSlide from the View

pop-up menu.
2-5 9 Click the Preview button. Your original will be moved down

in front of the lens, then raised again after preview. A preview

image will appear in the image area of the plug-in.
2-7 10 Click the rotation icon to rotate the preview image in 90º

increments, if necessary.
2-7 11 Change the area of interest, if desired, with the cropping tool

on the Preview window. (Click the Cropping button if it is not

already selected.)
2-9 12 Click the Auto Exposure button if you want the plug-in to

make automatic adjustments to the image.
2-4 13 Choose the output resolution you want from the Resolution

pop-up menu.

2-11 14 Click the Scan button. The original is lowered into the scan-

ner again. All the settings you have specified apply to the final

scan. The scanned image then appears in your imaging

application.

Quick Scanning Guide iii

1 I n s t a l l a t i o n

The SprintScan 35 software for Macintosh is an Adobe

Photoshop plug-in module that automatically transfers final

scans into Adobe Photoshop or other compatible software, or

saves final scans directly to disk.

First, connect your scanner to your computer as described in

your scanner hardware manual. Then, install the SprintScan

35 software as described in this chapter.

The software features real-time sharpening options, and tone

and color correction. Recent improvements to the software

include:

•Automatic maximum sizing of the preview window

•Simplified, efficient scanning features

•Adjustable tone curve control

•Auto highlight, shadow and contrast

•Gray balance correction

•Enhanced user interface controls, such as one-click controls

•Support for the SprintScan 35 Plus scanner

1-1

System re q u i re m e n t s

M i n i m u m •A Macintosh II family, Quadra family, PowerPC or

Powerbook computer (use appropriate Powerbook SCSI
cable as required)

•System 7.01 or later

•12 MB of RAM

•A 256 (8-bit) color monitor

•Adobe Photoshop v3.0.4 or later, or Adobe Photoshop plug­in-compliant software

R e c o m m e n d e d •A PowerPC computer

•System 7.53 or later

•32 MB of RAM

•A 24-bit color monitor

•Adobe Photoshop v3.0.4 or later

SprintScan plug-in The SprintScan plug-in requires:

•Free disk space: Three times the image size

•4 MB of RAM in addition to the requirements of the
application

Note: Application memory is the amount of memory avail-

able for the application after the system has started. The
imaging application should have enough memory (combined
RAM and hard disk memory) to allow for about three times
the maximum image size you plan on scanning. This means
you should have the minimum memory plus enough memory
for the maximum scan size. Note that the maximum scan size
depends on the images and resolutions you want to scan. For
example, scanning a 35mm slide at 500 dpi resolution
requires about 1.2 MB of memory. Scanning the same slide at
1950 dpi requires 18 MB of memory, and at 2700 dpi, about
32 MB of memory, which means utilizing the hard disk.

1-2

If you do not have the minimum required configuration for
using the SprintScan 35, contact the dealer from whom you
purchased your computer system.

Installing the software

Before you install A folder for Plug-ins must be on your system for the installa-

tion of the plug-in module. This folder should have been
included when you installed the Adobe Photoshop or compat­ible application. If you do not have a Plug-ins folder on your
system, see the user guide to your application. Note: The
SprintScan Plug-in requires 4MB of RAM beyond the normal
application requirements. To accommodate the plug-in, you
may need to increase the amount of RAM allocated to your
application.

Upgrade customers If you are upgrading from a previous version of SprintScan

35, do a full install as described below, not a Custom install.
As part of the installation, the new install program will move
your old SprintScan 35 Preferences Folder to the trash.

Installation 1 Insert the SprintScan installation disk into a floppy drive.

2 Open the disk, if its contents are not already visible.
3 Be sure to read any Read Me First file included on the disk. The

Read Me First file contains important late-breaking product
information that may affect installation and use.

4 Double-click the Installer icon to open the Installer program.

Note: If you are using a PowerBook 5300 computer, click the

Installer icon “for PowerBook 5300 owners” to install a ver­sion of SprintScan 35 that is designed to avoid problems with
older versions of that computer.

5 Click Continue on the Polaroid screen.
6 Click the Install button to install the full program, even if you

are upgrading from a previous version. To reinstall selected

parts of the software, click Custom and make your selection.

7 The system will prompt you to select your Plug-ins folder.

Double-click to open folders until the folder containing Plug­ins is selected. For example, in Adobe Photoshop, open the
Plug-ins folder and highlight the Acquire/Export folder.

8 When installation is complete, click Restart. If you have

upgraded from a previous version, empty the trash. To startup
the SprintScan 35 software, see page 2-1.

Installation 1-3

Technical Support

Before you call, have ready the following information:

•The model of your computer, including the kind of processor,
and the amount of RAM you have

•The model and serial number of your SprintScan 35 (located
on the bottom or rear panel of the scanner)

•A list of other devices attached to your system, such as CD­ROM drives, printers, external hard disks, and other SCSI
devices

•A list of any special cards and drivers that you are using,
along with any system extensions (see the Extensions folder in
the System folder)

•Other applications you are using

•A description of the problem and the wording of any error
messages on your screen when the problem occurs

Run a system diagnostic We recommend you run a system diagnostic utility to provide

detailed information about your system before you call.

Call us You may call Polaroid toll-free from within the U.S.A. at

1-800-432-5355, or fax the information about your problem
to 1-617-386-9688, Monday through Friday, 8 A.M. to
8 P.M. Eastern Time. We offer a variety of Customer Support
Services; call us for details and applicable fees. You may also
write to Electronic Imaging Technical Support, Polaroid
Corporation, 565 Technology Square 3B, Cambridge, MA

02139. In Canada, call toll-free at 1-800-268-6970. Outside
North America, contact the Polaroid office nearest you (see
pages 4-9–4-10).

Internet support Technical Support is also available over the Internet. Connect

to our web site at: http://www.polaroid.com

Registration card

Be sure to fill out and mail your registration card. As a regis­tered owner, you’ll receive information about software
updates and about the availability of new scanning products
from Polaroid.

1-4

2 S c a n n i n g

S t a rting up the software

The SprintScan 35 system uses a Photoshop-type plug-in
module, which you installed in Chapter 1, to capture image
data. You must open your application to access the plug-in.

1 Turn on your scanner, then your computer.
2 Open Adobe Photoshop (or a compatible application).
3 Choose Acquire from the File menu.
4 Choose SprintScan 35.

The SprintScan 35 windows will appear.

2-1

I n s e rting originals for scanning

The scanner can accept 35mm slide transparencies without
removal from the mounts. You can also scan unmounted
slides and 35mm filmstrips using the filmstrip carrier included
in the accessory kit. See the instructions provided with your
scanner for inserting a slide or filmstrip. Remember that the
filmstrip carrier moves in one direction, from right to left. If
you go past the image you want, remove the carrier all the
way from the left side and then insert it again from the right.

When you choose either the Preview or Scan commands, the
SprintScan scanner automatically moves the slide down for
scanning and then returns it to the start position when scan­ning has been completed.

With your original in the scanner and the SprintScan 35 window
visible on your screen, choose some basic settings (see the next
section). Then preview the image and make adjustments if neces­sary before your final scan.

2-2

Choosing initial settings

The SprintScan plug-in provides you with files containing pre­determined settings for popular film types, both negatives and
positives, to produce an accurate and satisfactory scan. You
also choose whether you want your image scanned in color or
grayscale, and the resolution for the final scan.

Film The film type files provide basic settings that should give satis-

factory results for most popular slide transparencies and film
negatives. The generic default files can be used if your film
doesn’t appear in the list.

Note: If you do not see film types other than the defaults—

Color Slide, Color Negative, and Black & White Slide—then
the film type files have not been installed correctly in the
Preferences folder. Reinstall the Preferences folder using the
Custom install option (see page 1-3).

To choose a film type:

•Open the Film pop-up menu and choose the name of the film

you are using. The name of the current film type appears as

the selected pop-up menu item.

Type Your choice of image type depends on what sort of reproduc-

tion you want to make from an original: color or grayscale.
To choose an image type:

•Open the Type pop-up menu and choose color or grayscale.

Scanning 2-3

View You may choose portrait or landscape orientation, or the

SuperSlide format (36x36mm). In portrait orientation, height
is greater than width; in landscape orientation, width is
greater. The default is landscape orientation.

•To change orientation, open the View pop-up menu and

choose Portrait or Landscape. The image area in the plug-in

dialog box will change accordingly.

Note: If you want to change the film type, image type, or ori-

entation after making a preview scan, you’ll need to make a
new preview scan.

Note about the SuperSlide format: Be sure you do not use

the SuperSlide format with traditional slides. If you do,
SprintScan 35 scans the area equivalent to the SuperSlide for­mat. This results in part of the slide mount appearing in the
Preview window. This affects any corrections you make to the
slide.

Output resolution You can scan an original at a number of output resolutions,

ranging from 144 to 2700 dpi. The pop-up Resolution menu
lists the native resolutions, those that give you the best results.
Non-native resolutions may be selected by choosing Other
and typing the resolution you want.

The resolution you choose applies only to the final scan.
Preview scans do not reflect output resolution, but instead use
the resolution appropriate for the screen. To choose an output
resolution:

2-4

•Open the Resolution pop-up menu in the Output box and

choose the resolution value you want, or choose Other to type
a value.

The final scan size takes into account the output resolution,
the scale factor, and whether only native resolutions can be
used, as set in the Preferences dialog box. (See Chapter 3 for
information on preferences).

Making a preview scan

A preview, sometimes called a prescan, is an image scanned at
low resolution and stored in the scanner’s internal memory
buffer, which has a 1 MB capacity. The preview image also
appears in the image area of the SprintScan 35 window.
Working with the preview image, you can select an area of
interest using the cropping controls, and you can also change
the resolution of the image for the final scan.

The plug-in controls also allow adjustments to the preview
image’s tone, color, and sharpness without requiring you to
re-scan the original (these advanced settings are discussed in
Chapter 3). When everything is the way you want it, you then
choose Scan to capture the data and transfer it to your appli­cation.

To make a preview image:

1 Position the original in the scanner and choose initial settings.

Insert the film upside down with the emulsion side facing the
back of the scanner. (See the hardware manual for more infor­mation.)

2 Click the Preview button in the SprintScan 35 window.

The original is drawn into the scanner and the image is
scanned for the preview. While the scanner is working, the
ready light will be off.

Scanning takes only a short time. After the preview scan is
completed, the original returns to the start position, the ready
light glows steadily, and the preview image appears in the pre­view window, as shown in the following figure.

Scanning 2-5

Maximized Preview The SprintScan 35 software lets you get the most of your

computer’s display by making its preview window as large as
possible. It detects the size of your display and automatically
scales the preview window to the largest display possible. If
you normally use two monitors, you can use your second
monitor as your preview window.

2-6

Adjusting settings based on the pre v i e w

Working with the preview image, you can adjust the image’s
exposure, area of interest, designate the size of output and
scaling, if desired, and change the resolution for your output
scan. (You can change other image characteristics as well,
such as the tone, color, and sharpening, and see the result
almost instantly—see Chapter 3 for details.)

Preview rotation The SprintScan 35 software has a rotation icon that lets you

rotate the preview image in increments of 90º clockwise. The
rotation is retained by the software when you perform the final
scan. This saves you time because you don’t have to rotate
the image in your image processing application.

Cropping the area The part of an image that you want to capture is termed the
of interest area of interest. Use the selection rectangle in the image area

to center on the area of interest and to omit the unwanted
parts of the image from the final scan. (If you are not sure
how you will want the final image cropped, scan the entire
image area and crop it later using the tools in your applica­tion.) To adjust the area of interest:

1 Click the cropping tool, if it is not already selected.
2 Move the pointer into the image area. The pointer changes

shape depending on its placement.

3 Change the rectangle’s shape, drag it around, or create a new

rectangle.

Drag the handles
with the arrow to
change the shape and
size of the rectangle.

Drag inside the rec­tangle with the grab­ber hand to move the
rectangle.

Drag from outside the
rectangle with the
crosshair to make a
new rectangle, replac­ing the current one.

Scanning 2-7

When you change the area of interest, the width and height
values in the status bar below the image area and in the boxes
inside the Output box change accordingly. These two sets of
values are the same if the percent shown in the Scale To box is
100%. The values in the status bar below the image always
indicate the size of the rectangle in the image area.

Constraining the aspect ratio

You can constrain the cropping tool to the width and height
ratio of your choosing. When constrained, the selection rec­tangle is kept to the proportions between width and height
that you have set. To constrain the tool:

1 Double-click the Cropping tool. The Crop Setup dialog box

appears.

2-8

2 Click the Constrained Aspect Ratio button to select it.
3 Enter the ratio you want between width and height. Note that

the numbers you enter are not units of measure, but an
expression of the width versus the height. For example, the
value 3 for width and 2 for height means that regardless of
the actual size of the area of interest, the width-to-height ratio
is 3:2.

4 Click OK. Now when you drag the selection rectangle, the

aspect ratio will be maintained. The actual values in units of
measure at a particular resolution value can be viewed in the
Output box.

Opening the dialog box again and selecting Normal returns
the controls to their unconstrained state.

Auto Exposure If the button has no A in the middle of the shutter graphic,

click the button to readjust the brightness and contrast of the
image. The software estimates the best contrast and brightness
values for your original. This feature can often give you excel­lent output results without your having to manipulate settings
yourself.

Note: If the button has an A in the middle, the option has

been turned on for every scan as a default in the Preferences
dialog box; see pages 3-18–3-19. Auto Exposure has already
been applied to your image.

Setting output size The Width and Height values in the Output box reflect the
and scaling output size of the area of interest at a particular scale value.

To change the Width and Height values manually:

•Select the value in the Width (or Height) box and type a new

value.

The scaling value in the Scale To box changes accordingly.
Notice also that the value in the Height (or Width) box is also
adjusted. The adjustment of the scaling and the other dimen­sional parameter is necessary to maintain the proportions of
the area of interest within the selection rectangle.

You can change the units of measurement by choosing
Preferences from the Edit menu. Your choice of units may
depend on your final output. Pixels is the unit most often used
for screen display, and inches for printed output.

Scanning 2-9

Fixed size If Constrained Aspect Ratio is selected in the Crop Setup dia-

log box, the Fixed Size checkbox is available for selection.
When Fixed Size is selected, the output width and height mea­surements, as you have entered them, are kept constant, as
well as the aspect ratio between them being constrained. The
Scale To value changes to reflect the scaling required to give
the fixed width and height values. This feature can be useful if
you want to fit an image into an existing space.

You can also change the scaling value manually. For instance,
you might want an enlargement of your area of interest. To
change scaling:

•Select the value in the Scale To box and type a new value. The
values in the Width and Height output boxes change accord­ingly. The proportions of your designated area of interest are
retained.

Changing Resolution You can change the resolution for a final scan before or after

making a preview scan.

•To change the output resolution, select a new value from the

Resolution pop-up menu.

Changing the resolution will not cause any visible change on
the screen. The change is reflected in the final scan output.

Size The SprintScan 35 software can display the file size of the final

image in megabytes, MB, or kilobytes, KB. Click on the file
size in the main window to toggle between MB and KB. If the
file is less than 1 MB, SprintScan 35 displays it in KB.

2-10

Making a final scan

When you have completed the adjustments, make the final
scan. The scanner will again scan the original, and this time
the image will be transferred into your application.

To make a final scan:

1 Make your final changes to settings, as described in the previ-

ous section.

2 Click the Scan button.

The original will again be drawn into the scanner. Even at
highest resolution, scanning takes a relatively short time.

After scanning has been completed, the image is transferred to
your application. To work with your image further, see the
user’s guide for your application.

To learn about advanced image modification using the plug­in, go on to Chapter 3.

The Scan to Disk option

Scan to Disk When you use Scan to Disk, you do not have to use your

image processing application to name and store the image file
you are scanning. Scan to Disk stores the file on the hard
drive while it is performing the scan.

1 Select Scan to Disk from the Image menu.
2 Enter a name for the image in the dialog box.
3 Click Save. The SprintScan 35 software scans and stores the

image all in one step, saving you time.

Scanning 2-11

3 Advanced scanning settings

This chapter describes how to fine-tune the SprintScan 35
Plug-in module settings for a particular purpose or for unusu­al input or output. Although the standard settings and film
type files described in Chapter 2 produce satisfactory results
for most images, you can go much further with image alter­ation and enhancement. Feel free to experiment.

The advanced settings involve manipulating the tonescale for
input vs. output variations, changing the exposure and color
saturation of an image, setting white point, black point, and
gray point, and adjusting the sharpness of an image. You can
also save your customized settings and use them with other
images.

See chapter 4, Troubleshooting, for tips on fixing common
problems.

3-1

When to use advanced feature s

Here are some situations in which you might use the advanced
features of the SprintScan 35 software:

•To compensate for an original that is poorly exposed, or that
has unacceptable color balance or focus

•To design customized settings and save them as a settings file
for a specific type of original or output device

•To optimize an image, that is, to alter image values for the
best visual results.

Using advanced settings controls requires some understanding
of the terminology and of how the settings interrelate. Because
you can see the results of a change immediately, you’ll learn
best how these settings work by trying them yourself. The
next section summarizes the relationships between the con­trols. The sections that follow describe use of each control.

Image adjustment: the basics

When you preview an original, the system inputs the original
data values obtained by the scanner during prescan. To make
corrections, you use the advanced controls to change the out­put values for the final scan, relative to what the scanner
“sees” initially as input values. You can compensate for expo­sure, saturation, and sharpening faults so that the output is
better than the original from which you take the image.

Exposure The concept of exposure as used in the scanner is similar to

photographic exposure. The exposure control allows you to
increase or decrease the total amount of light available to the
image. Increasing the light can increase detail in an underex­posed image, and decreasing the light can increase detail in an
overexposed image.

By changing the exposure of an image one channel at a time,
it is possible to shift the color balance of an image. For exam­ple, an image with an overall pinkish cast can be adjusted so
the whites in the image look white and the mid-tone channels
look neutral (not dominated by any one color).

3-2

Contrast, brightness, Contrast, as the term implies, refers to differences between the
and other tone-related lightest and darkest areas of an image. Low contrast is char-
features acterized by a grayed-out appearance, where the difference

between lightest areas and darkest areas is not great. High
contrast gives a stark appearance—light areas are very white
and dark areas very black. In the SprintScan 35 system, the
red, green, and blue (RGB) channels of the image data are
evaluated in terms of a scale where 0 is the darkest end of the
range and 255 is the lightest.

White point and black point settings are another way to alter
the range. By setting a white point, you define a light area of
an image as having the value of pure white. By setting a black
point, you define a dark area as having the value of pure
black.

Brightness, highlights, shadows, and midtone (gamma) correc­tions all affect the tone of an image. Increasing brightness
increases the amount of light in the image as a whole.
Increasing the value of highlights (setting a white point)
makes values at the light end of the scale lighter, and decreas­ing the value of shadows (setting a black point) makes dark
values darker. Increasing midtones lightens values in the
midrange of the scale.

Advanced scanning settings 3-3

The figure that follows shows a graphical representation of
variations on the dark-to-light scale of values.

When working with color, the same idea applies; however,
when you are working with only one color at a time, the
changes result in differences in color casts in portions of the
image. Brightening a color makes it more apparent, and dark­ening it makes its complement more apparent.

Color saturation Color saturation is the degree of intensity, brilliance, or

purity of a color. Saturated colors are eye-catching, even loud.
Unsaturated colors are more gray or washed-out looking.
Increasing the saturation of a color makes it, and its comple­ment, more intense, even if there is not much of that color in
the image, relative to the others.

Here’s an illustration of how saturation is different from tone:
Increasing the value of blue in the color saturation settings
causes blue and its complement, yellow, to be intensified.
Decreasing the value of blue would cause both blue and its
complement to become less intense, or grayer. By comparison,
increasing blue in the tonescale settings makes all colors
become more blue; decreasing blue would make all colors
become more yellow.

3-4

Sharpening In images with light and dark areas, edges exist where

adjacent areas change suddenly in tone or color. These may be
edges of actual objects or color transitions on a single object,
such as in a checkered tablecloth. The SprintScan system
increases sharpening by enhancing the difference in values
between the adjacent areas, even improving the sharpness
over that of the original. Blurring decreases the difference.

Even in relatively smooth areas in an image, small differences
may exist, such as those between individual white threads in a
white square on a checkered tablecloth. These “flat” areas can
become grainy looking if sharpening is done on the image
overall. To avoid this effect when it’s not desired, options are
included for sharpening only edges, leaving “flat” areas
unenhanced.

Correcting an image A good strategy is to start with the Exposure dialog box to

correct the overall luminance and color, then use the
Contrast/Brightness or the Tonescale dialog box to adjust
contrast and midtone values. Finally, use the Saturation dialog
box to adjust the color intensity. Sharpening is fairly indepen­dent of the others and depends more on the final scan resolu­tion and output device (printer or monitor) than on a particu­lar image.

Advanced scanning settings 3-5

Automated features

Auto-Highlight The Auto-Highlight feature makes it easier to find an image’s

fullest tonal range by finding its lightest point. After finding
the lightest point, the SprintScan 35 software adjusts the
image accordingly.

Before using Auto-Highlight, preview an image and choose an
area of interest that contains the value that you would like to
be the lightest point in your image. Frame this area of the
image with the marquee.

•Choose Auto-Highlight from the Image menu.
Auto-Highlight finds the lightest point inside the marquee.

The SprintScan software makes it the brightest point in your
image, and adjusts the entire image based on the new high­light. Now you can move the marquee to the section of the
image you want to scan and then scan the image.

Auto-Shadow Similar to the Auto-Highlight feature, Auto-Shadow finds an

image’s fullest tonal range by finding its darkest point. After
finding the darkest point, the SprintScan 35 software adjusts
the image accordingly.

Before using Auto-Shadow, preview an image and choose an
area of interest that contains the value that you would like to
be the darkest point in your image. Frame this area of the
image with the marquee.

•Choose Auto-Shadow from the Image menu.
Auto-Shadow finds the darkest point inside the marquee. The

SprintScan software makes it the darkest point in your image,
and adjusts the entire image based on the new shadow. Now
you can move the marquee to the section of the image you
want to scan and then scan the image.

Auto-Contrast Auto-Contrast combines the effects of the Auto-Highlight and

Auto-Shadow features. Auto-Contrast finds an image’s fullest
tonal range by finding the image’s lightest and darkest points
and adjusts the image accordingly.

3-6

Before using Auto-Contrast, preview an image and choose an
area that has a tonal quality that you like. Frame this area of
the image with the marquee.

•Choose Auto-Contrast from the Image menu.
The SprintScan software adjusts the entire image based on the

area in the marquee. Once you have adjusted the image, you
can move the marquee to the section of the image you want to
scan and then scan the image.

Auto-Expose The Auto-Expose option on the Image menu is identical to the

icon in the Preview window (see page 2-9). When selected, the
plug-in estimates the best contrast and brightness values for
an image, based on the area of interest.

For example, if an area of the image has the levels of bright­ness and contrast that you want, select the area with the crop
box and select Auto-Expose (or click the button with the shut­ter icon). The software will then readjust the rest of the image
based on the selected area. In many cases Auto-Expose will
give you acceptable results, without having to make correc­tions to individual brightness, tone and contrast controls.

• Choose Auto-Expose from the Image menu.
To turn Auto-Expose on for every preview scan, see

page 3-19.

Advanced scanning settings 3-7

E x p o s u re adjustment

•From the Image menu, choose Exposure to display the

Exposure dialog box. It offers features that simplify exposure

control for all film types and that automate color cast removal
for negatives.

The Exposure dialog box contains several options for correct­ing under or overexposed originals. There are Color Balance
controls for red, green, and blue. The top slider adjusts all
three at once, which shifts the overall darkness and lightness of
the original.

3-8

You can use the Automatic Cast Removal buttons to fix an
objectionable color cast in negatives. There are three methods for
removing a color cast in negatives. The best method depends on
the image you are scanning and the image content enclosed by
the cropping frame. If you do not like any of the methods, you
can click the None button and no automatic color cast removal is
a p p l i e d .

The image is updated automatically when you change exposure
s e t t i n g s .

Tip: Increase or decrease the exposure until the brightest parts of

the image are correct. If darker areas of the image still need to be
lightened, use the Gamma control in the Contrast/Brightness dia­log box. Increasing the exposure too much results in a loss of
detail in the whites.

You can reset the exposure values to their defaults at any time by
clicking the Reset button.

Setting a white, black and gray point

White point When you set a white point, you pick a light area of the image

that you want to have the lightest value; that is, that point is
made white.

To set a white point:

1 Click the white point eyedropper button, with the icon of an

eyedropper with white ink. The cursor changes to an eyedrop-

per tool.

2 Move the eyedropper tool over a light area that you want to

designate as the white point of the image. The RGB values of

the pixel under the tip of the eyedropper are displayed in the
status bar.

3 When the eyedropper is over the pixel you want as the white

point, click. All color component values are changed to the

value 255 (pure white). Values in the rest of the image are
adjusted accordingly.

Retain cast: Hold down the Option key when you click with

the eyedropper to lighten the values while retaining the color
cast. The values of the color components are increased pro­portionately.

Advanced scanning settings 3-9

Black point The Black Point tool has a similar effect, but at the other end

of the scale. When you set a black point, you assign a dark
area of the image the darkest value—that point is made black.

To set a black point:

1 Click the black point eyedropper button, with the icon of an

eyedropper with black ink. The cursor changes to an eyedrop-

per tool.

2 Move the eyedropper tool over a dark area that you want to

designate as the black point of the image. The RGB values of

the pixel under the tip of the eyedropper are displayed in the
status bar.

3 When the eyedropper is over the pixel you want as the black

point, click. All color component values are changed to the

value 0 (pure black). Values in the rest of the image are
adjusted accordingly.

Retain cast: Hold down the Option key when you click with

the eyedropper to darken the values while retaining the color
cast. The values of the color components are decreased
proportionately.

Gray point The gray point tool lets you choose a neutral point in the

image by which the rest of the image can be adjusted.

3-10

To set the gray point:

1 Click the gray point eyedropper button, with the icon of an

eyedropper with gray ink. The cursor changes to an eyedrop-

per tool.

2 Move the eyedropper tool over an area of the image that you

want to make neutral. The RGB values of the pixel under the
tip of the eyedropper are displayed in the status bar.

3 Click to designate the gray point. The SprintScan software

neutralizes the point by adjusting the brightness levels, then
adjusts the values in the rest of the image accordingly.

Adjusting brightness, contrast, and midtone (gamma)

As you use the controls to vary different components of an
image, you’ll see the results almost instantly in the preview
window. To make changes to brightness, contrast, and mid­tone (gamma) values:

•Choose Contrast/Brightness on the Image menu.
The use of each of the controls in the Contrast/Brightness dia-

log box is described in the sections that follow. The Reset but­ton undoes any changes you make and resets the sliders to
their values as stored in the settings file.

Brightness control Moving the Brightness slider increases or decreases the overall

amount of light in the image. Output values increase as the
slider moves toward the right. Use the Channel pop-up menu
to alter values for all colors (RGB) or for individual color
channels (Red, Green, Blue). (If you are scanning in grayscale,
the only active choice in the menu is Black.) Brightening a
color makes it more apparent. Brightening green, for example,
will make the entire image appear green, while dimming green
will make the image appear more magenta (magenta is the
complement of green).

Advanced scanning settings 3-11

Contrast control Moving the Contrast slider alters the contrast between dark

and light areas. High contrast, at the right end of the slider,
makes everything look starkly black and white; low contrast
makes everything look gray. As with the Brightness control,
you can vary all color channels or individual channels using
the Channel pop-up menu, if you are scanning in color.

Gamma control The tonescale curve is a graph of input values against output

values. The gamma (γ) value is an exponential value control­ling the shape of the curve. When the curve has an upward
bow in it, the midtones (middle range) of the output have
been brightened compared with the input. This effect of
brightening midtones is an approximation of how human eyes
see images.

A gamma value of 1 results in a straight line. As you move the
Gamma slider to the right, the tonescale curve bows increas­ingly upward, indicating brightening of the the midtones. Use
the Channel pop-up menu to choose all color channels or
individual channels. With an individual color selected, moving
the slider to the left has the effect of removing that color com­pared to the other two and heightening its complement. For
example, if you choose the blue channel and move the gamma
slider to the left, the image will appear more yellow.

3-12

Adjusting the tonescale curv e

The Tonescale dialog box lets you change the highlights, mid­tones, and shadows of an image separately by adjusting the
tonescale curve. To display the Tonescale dialog box:

•Choose Tonescale from the Image menu.

The lower left corner of the scale represents the darkest val­ues, and the upper right corner is the lightest values. The hori­zontal axis represents input from the original, and the vertical
axis the output. At the top is a pop-up menu from which you
choose which channel components to modify: RGB reflects all
color components taken together. Red, Green, or Blue shows
only the curve for that particular component. If you are scan­ning in grayscale, the only active choice in the menu is Black.

Note: When you adjust a curve for a single color, you are

effectively changing the color balance.
The Reset button sets the curve to its initial value.

•To adjust the curve, click a point on the curve to create a con-

trol point, then move the point to reshape the curve. The

Preview window immediately reflects the adjustments you
make to the curve. There is no limit to the number of points
you can create. To delete a point, move it on top of an exist­ing point; they become one.

Advanced scanning settings 3-13

Adjusting color saturation

Saturation refers to the intensity or brilliance of a color. You
can change the saturation using the controls in the Saturation
dialog box. The Reset button sets all sliders to their initial val­ues or the values stored in the settings file.

1 Choose Saturation from the Image menu.

2 Drag the sliders to change the values; the individual sliders

control the red, green, and blue values respectively.

The saturation settings can give you brash or subtle color
effects, as you choose. Note that the saturation settings have
no effect if you are scanning in grayscale.

3-14

Link Colors: The Link Colors checkbox allows you to

increase or decrease saturation of all colors when it’s selected.
Moving any one control moves the others as well, keeping the
relative settings the same. In this way you can change satura­tion without changing color balance from that of the original.

Adjusting sharpness

1 Choose Sharpen from the Image menu.

2 Select the effect you want from the buttons in the Effect box.

You can increase the sharpness of an image beyond the focus
of the original, or you can reduce the sharpness for a softer
effect. You can also choose to smooth “noise,” or the detail of
background areas, for a smoother overall appearance.

To adjust sharpness:

The choices are described in the table that follows. The draw­ings on the next page show schematically what changes take
place at the edges of different areas.

Advanced scanning settings 3-15

Sharpening Effect
options

Unaltered image Edges and flat areas

as input

Sharpen Sharpens the entire

image; heightens all
differences

Sharpen Detail Sharpens edges; does

not change differences
in flat areas

Sharpen Detail Sharpens edges and
& Smooth Noise smooths flat areas

Blurring Effect
options

Smooth Noise Smooths (lessens

differences in) flat
areas, leaves edges
unchanged

3-16

Blur Softens the entire

image; both edges
and flat areas
smoothed

Sharpen Detail and Sharpen Detail & Smooth Noise are the
options likely to produce satisfactory results in most cases.

3 Use the sliding control on the left side to increase or decrease

the amount of change of the effect you have chosen. The high-

er the number, the greater the effect. The slider range is from
0 to 10.

Saving and reusing your settings

You may want to save the settings you have created for a par­ticular image so that you can use them again with the same
original or others like it. Parameters that are saved in a set­tings file include tonescale, saturation, sharpening, area of
interest, and resolution.

To save settings:

1 Choose Save As from the File menu.
2 In the dialog box, give your settings file a name.

3 Click OK.

To open an existing settings file:

1 Choose Open from the File menu.
2 Locate the file using the directory dialog box.

3 Click Open.

Advanced scanning settings 3-17

Plug-in pre f e re n c e s

The SprintScan 35 Plug-in Preferences dialog box allows you
to set certain preferences that will be in effect until you
change them.

•Choose Preferences from the Edit menu.

Units (default: Inches)

You have a choice of inches, millimeters, pixels, points and
picas as your units of measure in the dimensions areas of the
main screen. When Use Native Resolutions is checked, Pixels
is dimmed and cannot be selected.

3-18

1 Open the Units pop-up menu and choose the units you want.
2 Click OK.

Use Native Resolutions (default: selected)

Native resolutions are those resolutions that give the best out­put results. When the Use Native Resolutions checkbox is
unselected, you get the exact resolution that is needed, taking
into account the output sizing values (see Setting output size
and scaling in Chapter 2). When Use Native Resolutions is
selected, you get the nearest native resolution greater than
what is needed.

1 Click the checkbox to select or deselect native resolutions only.
2 Click OK.

Startup with Last Settings File (default: unselected)

When this option is selected, the plug-in remembers the last
settings file used and loads the file the next time the plug-in
starts up. When deselected, the default settings are used at
start-up.

Scan Again (default: unselected)

When you turn on the Scan Again preference, the SprintScan
35 plug-in re-opens after you complete each scan. This allows
you to scan a number of images without having to open the
SprintScan 35 plug-in each time.

Exposure Options Perform automatic exposure on preview (default: selected)

Check this option to turn on Auto Expose as a default setting.
The software will automatically correct exposure during the
preview scan for every scan, until you turn this option off.
When you check this option, the letter A appears in the Auto
Expose shutter icon in the Preview window to indicate it has
been turned on in the Preferences dialog box.

When this option is turned off, you can turn on Auto Expose
for individual images by using the icon or the menu item; see
pages 2-7 and 3-7.

Warn if color cast is detected (default: selected)

If the software detects a color cast when setting a white point
or black point, it displays a dialog box asking if you want to
remove or retain the color cast.

Advanced scanning settings 3-19

4 Tro u b l e s h o o t i n g

If you cannot resolve a problem using this chapter and the
hardware manual, contact Polaroid Technical Support. Before
you call, have ready the following information:

•The model of your computer, including the kind of processor
and the amount of RAM you have

•The model and serial number of your SprintScan 35 scanner
(located on the bottom or rear panel of the scanner)

•A list of other devices attached to your system, such as CD­ROM drives, printers, external hard disks, and other SCSI
devices

•A list of any other cards and drivers that you are using, along
with any system extensions (see the Extensions folder inside
the System Folder)

•Other applications you are using

•A description of the problem and the wording of any error
messages that you see on your screen when the problem
occurs

4-1

Call us You may call Polaroid toll-free from within the U.S.A. at

1-800-432-5355, or fax the information about your problem
to 1-617-386-9688, Monday through Friday, 8 A.M. to
8 P.M. Eastern Time. We offer a variety of Customer Support
Services; call us for details and applicable fees. You may also
write to Electronic Imaging Technical Support, Polaroid
Corporation, 565 Technology Square 3B, Cambridge, MA

02139. In Canada, call toll-free at 1-800-268-6970. Outside
North America, contact the Polaroid office nearest you (see
pages 4-9–4-10).

Internet support Technical Support is also available over the Internet. Connect

to our web site at: http://www.polaroid.com

4-2

Tips on correcting images

This section describes how to make corrections to originals
having common photographic faults. Note that many situa­tions can be improved simply by clicking the Auto Exposure
button. Understanding the various controls, however, can give
you finer control over the results.

The original is underexposed (too dark) or overexposed
(too light).

A well exposed image has good detail in the highlights (the
lightest areas of the image) and in the shadow areas (the dark­est parts of the image). An underexposed image is dark over­all; it lacks detail in the shadow areas, the midtones are too
dark, and the highlights are not light enough. An overexposed
image is too light overall; it lacks detail in the highlight areas,
the midtones are too light, and the shadow areas are not dark
enough. To correct for exposure:

1 Choose Reset All on the Edit menu.
2 Choose Exposure on the Image menu to display the Exposure

dialog box.

3 If the image is underexposed, increase exposure by moving the

master slider to the right. If overexposed, decrease exposure
by moving the master slider to the left. Adjust the image so
that the highlights are bright, but still show detail.

4 If the shadow regions are now too light, use the Auto-

Contrast feature from the Image menu. If they are still too
light, use the black point eyedropper.

5 Choose Contrast/Brightness on the Image menu to display the

Contrast/Brightness dialog box.

6 Using the Gamma (midtone) button for the RGB channel,

increase or decrease the gamma control to correct the mid­tones and shadows.

Troubleshooting 4-3

The original has too much contrast.

An image that has too much contrast has highlights that are
too light and lack detail, and shadow areas that are too dark
and lack detail. To correct for this:

1 Begin with the image controls (Contrast/Brightness,

Tonescale, Saturation and Exposure) set to the default set­tings. Click the Reset button on the individual dialog boxes if
necessary.

2 Choose Exposure on the Image menu to display the Exposure

dialog box.

3 Increase or decrease the master exposure slider until the image

highlights are bright, but still show detail.

4 Choose Contrast/Brightness on the Image menu to display the

Contrast/Brightness dialog box.

5 Using the Gamma (midtone) button for the RGB channel,

increase or decrease the gamma control until the dark areas
are dark, but still show detail.

Tip: The usual procedure for reducing contrast is to lower the

exposure to correct the highlights, and then increase the mid­tone/gamma to correct the shadows.

The original lacks contrast.

An image that lacks contrast has a flat or overall gray appear­ance; there are no true blacks or whites. To correct an image
that lacks contrast:

4-4

1 Choose Auto-Contrast on the Image menu. The area of inter-

est is analyzed, and the contrast is automatically adjusted. The
Auto-Contrast feature is somewhat conservative, so you may
need more correction.

2 To further brighten the highlights, use the white point eye-

dropper.

3 To further darken the shadows, use the black point

eyedropper.

The original is correctly exposed, but has a color cast.

As an example, a scene photographed in the shade will often
have a blue cast. To correct a color cast:

1 Choose Exposure on the Image menu to display the Exposure

dialog box.

2 If the image is a negative, try each of the three Automatic Cast

Removal buttons. Each uses a different method for automati­cally correcting a cast. One of them will likely correct the
problem.

3 If the image is a positive image, try Auto Exposure first.

Then, try the gray eyedropper on a part of the image that
should be neutral. Lastly, try adjusting the red, green, and
blue sliders manually to fix the color cast.

Note: You may have trouble determining which color is off.

Common mistakes are confusing blue with cyan and magenta
with red. Try moving the different color sliders and watch the
preview. For example, if you think the image is too blue,
adjust the blue slider. As you move toward blue, the cast
should get worse, and moving toward yellow should remove
it. If this doesn't seem to be working, try moving the red slider
and you may find you've mistaken a cyan cast for blue.

4 Neutralize minor color casts in the shadows, highlights or

midtones with the gray point eyedropper.

Common color casts:

•Pictures taken outdoors in the shade are blue. To correct,
move the slider toward yellow.

•Pictures taken with outdoor film under tungsten lights are
red-yellow. To correct, move the sliders toward cyan and
blue.

•Pictures taken with outdoor film under fluorescent lights are
green or yellow-green. To correct, move the sliders toward
magenta and blue.

Troubleshooting 4-5

Tip: Some experience in judging color will go a long way in

helping you to fix a problem. If you are having difficulty, try
starting with an image that looks correct. Experiment with
this image by moving the color sliders to create color casts
and observe the effect on the image.

Equal values of R, G, and B in a neutral part of the image
indicate successful color cast correction. These values can also
help determine which way to adjust an image.

The colors of the image are too intense or are washed­out.

Color saturation is the intensity, or purity of a color.
Saturated colors are bright and eye-catching. Unsaturated col­ors are gray, muted, or washed-out looking. Adjust your
image as follows:

1 Choose Saturation on the Image menu to display the

Saturation dialog box.

2 If the image is undersaturated, increase the color by moving

the master slider to the right. If oversaturated, decrease the
color intensity by moving the master slider to the left.

Tip: Usually, you'll find values between 1.0 and 1.4 to be

pleasing. Although many people prefer colors that are slightly
more intense than reality, increasing the saturation too much
will produce colors that look unnatural.

4-6

H a rd w a re and software pro b l e m s

Note: For connection and scanner operation problems, see

also the scanner hardware manual.

The power indicator light comes on, but the ready light
does not.

The scanner’s self-test may have detected a problem. Try issu­ing a scan command with the SprintScan 35 Plug-In Module;
the software may report more about the problem.

There is a communication problem between the computer and
the scanner. Attempt to access the scanner with the plug-in to
check whether the software can “see” the scanner.

The light itself may be faulty. Contact your dealer or Polaroid
Technical Assistance.

The SprintScan 35 plug-in can’t “see” the scanner.

Check that the scanner is plugged in and turned on. If it is
not, shut down the computer, turn on the scanner, and then
start up the computer.

Check the SCSI connections. Are both ends of the cable
securely fastened, including the diamond-shaped clips?

Shut down your computer and turn off the scanner. Wait a
few minutes, then turn on the scanner. Next, turn on the com­puter. Open your application and the SprintScan 35 plug-in
and try again to make a preview scan.

On startup, the scanner driver displays an icon when system
extensions are loaded. The number in the icon is the SCSI ID
number assigned to the scanner. If the icon is not shown or if
the icon has a bar through it, it means that the system was
unable to see the scanner in the SCSI chain. (1) Go over the
installation instructions again. (2) If you have more than one
SCSI device in the chain, try disconnecting the other devices
and connecting only the scanner. If the scanner then works,
the problem may be one of your other devices or an ID
number conflict.

Troubleshooting 4-7

Does any other SCSI device in the chain, if you have any, use
the same SCSI ID number? Each device must have a unique
number.

Nothing happens when you click Preview.

It’s normal for the scanner to pause before scanning for
calibration. The mechanism may move up and down slightly.
After the calibration cycle, the mechanism should begin to
lower for the preview scan. The initial preview may take
several seconds.

An “insufficient memory” message appears when you
try to make a final scan.

Your application takes care of memory allocation when you
make a final scan. An insufficient memory message may indi­cate that you do not have enough RAM, or storage on your
hard disk, or both, to continue. See your application’s user
manual. Strategies include closing other applications and win­dows, freeing storage on your hard disk, and scanning an
image at a smaller scale or lower resolution.

4-8

P o l a roid Offices and Service Centers

Australia

Polaroid Australia Pty Ltd
13–15 Lyonpark Road
PO Box 163
North Ryde, NSW 2113
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Belgique/België

Polaroid (Belgium) S.A.-N.V.
rue Colonel Bourg 111
Kolonel Bourgstraat 111
1140 Bruxelles-1140 Brussel
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Toll free: 32 2 78 155 905

Brasil

Polaroid do Brasil Ltda.
Av. Paulista, 1776/11º andar
Cerqueira Cesar
São Paulo - Capital
01310-921
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Canada

Polaroid Canada Inc.
350 Carlingview Drive
Etobicoke, ON M9W 5G6
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Toll free: 1-800-268-6970

Danmark

Polaroid a.s.
Blokken 75, 3460 Birkerød
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

España

Polaroid (España), S.A.
Calle Orense 16, 2ª planta.
28020-Madrid, Spain
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

France

Polaroid (France) S.A.
12 Bis Ave. Gay Lussac 78391
La Clef de Saint-Pierre, B.P. 7
78996-Elancourt Cédex
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Great Britain

Polaroid (U.K.) Ltd. &
Polaroid Export Operations
Wheathampstead House
Codicote Rd.
Wheathampstead
Hertfordshire AL4 8SF
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Hong Kong

Polaroid (Far East) Ltd.
32/F Windsor House
311 Gloucester Road
Causeway Bay
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Italia

Polaroid (Italia) S.p.A.
Via Piave 11
21051 Arcisate (Varese)
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Deutschland

Polaroid GmbH
Sprendlinger Landstrasse 109
63069 Offenbach
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Japan

Nippon Polaroid Kabushiki
Kaisha
Mori Building, No. 30
2-2 Toranomon 3-chome
Minato-ku, Tokyo (105)
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Troubleshooting 4-9

México

Polaroid de México S.A. de C.V.
Paseo de la Reforma 195-Piso 17
C.P. 06500 México, D.F.
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Del interior al 91 (800) 70-727
Ventas 91 (800) 70-747

Portugal

Polaroid (España) S.A.
Sucursal em Portugal
Edificio Monumental
Avenue Praia da Vitória 71-A, 4ºB
1050 Lisboa
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Nederland

Polaroid Nederland B.V.
Zonnebaan 45
3606 CH Maarssen
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Reparaties:
Polaroid (Europa) B.V.
Hoge Bothofstraat 45
7511 ZA Enschede
Tel.: [phone]

New Zealand

Polaroid New Zealand Ltd.
Camera Services
24-26 Anzac Avenue
Auckland
Tel.: [phone]

Norge

Polaroid (Norge) A/S
Industriveien 8B
1471 Skårer
Tlf.: 47 67 90 47 10
Fax: [phone]

Österreich

Polaroid Ges.m.b.H.
Eitnergasse 5A
1231 Wien
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Puerto Rico

Polaroid Caribbean Corporation
Centro de Seguros
Ave. Ponce de León 701,
Miramar, Santurce 00907
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera

Polaroid AG
Hardturmstrasse 133
8037 Zürich
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Suomi

Polaroid Oy
Sinikalliontie 10
02630 Espoo, Finland
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Sverige

Polaroid AB
Ekholmsvägen 36, Box 204
127 24 Skärholmen, Sweden
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

U.S.A.

Polaroid Corporation
Technical Support
Toll free: 1-800-432-5355

4-10

Appendix A: Glossary

black point A point in an image that you select to be set to pure black

(value 0 or the lowest value in the range). Any areas that had
been darker than the selected point are clipped to the same
value. Compare white point.

CCD Abbreviation for charge-coupled device; a light-sensitive elec-

tronic device that converts light into an electrical charge. The
SprintScan 35 scanner uses a CCD to read an original image
and transmit its data to the computer.

contrast The relative difference between light and dark areas of an

image. High contrast gives a stark appearance; low contrast
gives a gray or flat appearance.

crop To select a rectangular area of interest in an image using the

framing bars (or gray border). You can change the size of the
rectangle and can move it around the image area to center the
part of the image you want as your final scan. Changing the
framed area can affect settings in the Output box.

dot The smallest unit in a bitmapped image. The abbreviation dpi

stands for dots per inch, a measure of image resolution.

A-1

emulsion The light-sensitive coating on photographic film or paper.

The emulsion side should face the read of the scanner for
scanning (emulsion side toward the lens).

gamma An exponential factor in the tonescale equation that is a

means of easily adjusting midtone brightness of an image. The
purpose of this factor is to replicate the eye’s natural tone dis­crimination.

halftone A type of image that uses a pattern of dots of varying size to

represent shades of gray or color. The tighter the dot packing,
i.e., the greater the dots per inch (dpi), the less perceptible are
the individual dots and the higher the apparent resolution.

h i g h l i g h t s The lightest parts of an image. Setting a white point designates

the most extreme highlight value.

hue A more technical term for what we speak of as colors. Hues

are different points along the continuous color spectrum.

midtones The parts of an image between the lighter and darker areas;

the middle portion of an image’s tonescale curve. See also
gamma.

negative An image in which color values have been reversed, e.g.,

white is shown as black, and so on. The film type files included
with the SprintScan 35 system allow conversion of 35mm
negative images to positive images upon scanning.

pixel Short for picture element; the smallest discrete element in a

picture. Pixel is interchangeable with dot, although pixel most
often refers to dots on the monitor screen rather than image
dots.

positive An image in which color values are roughly the same as in the

subject itself. Slides are positive images; 35mm film negatives
produce positives upon printing or computer manipulation.

resolution The measure of detail in an image, usually given in dots per

inch (dpi) or pixels per inch.

A-2

RGB Abbreviation for red, green, blue; one of the standard color

models. Computerized color images using this model are com­posed of combinations of red, green, and blue color values.

sampling A process that converts an analog signal into digital values for

computer use. Images can be saved by measuring the red,
green, and blue (RGB) components of the image and assigning
a range of values to each component. The higher the sampling
rate, the better the reproduction of the image.

saturation The degree of intensity of a color. Low saturation results in a

gray or washed-out appearance, and high saturation in a
bright, attention-getting appearance.

SCSI Acronym for Small Computer System Interface; pronounced

“scuzzy.” An industry standard for connections and commu­nication between the computer and peripheral devices.

shadows The darkest parts of an image. The black point designates the

most extreme shadow value.

sharpen To improve or enhance the level of detail in an image. It is

possible to create effects that exceed “perfect” focus.

smooth To lessen the level of detail in an image by reducing the differ-

ence between edges of areas.

TIFF Acronym for Tagged Image Format File; a file format used to

store black-and-white, grayscale, and color images.

tone The brightness, range, and balance of reds, greens, and blues

in an image. Tone varies depending on color balance, contrast
between highlights and shadows, and dimness or brightness of
midtones (gamma variations).

tonescale A graph showing input values versus output values for a

scanned image. As you vary brightness, contrast, and gamma
values, the changes are reflected in the tonescale graph.

white point A point in an image that you select to be set to pure white

(value 255 or the highest value in the range). Any areas that
had been lighter than the selected point are clipped to the
same value. Compare black point.

Appendix A: Glossary A-3

License Agre e m e n t s

P o l a roid SprintScan License Agre e m e n t

U.S.A. and Canada IMPORTANT: By opening the sealed disk package accompa-

nying this manual, you indicated your acceptance of the follow­ing Polaroid License Agreement.

Polaroid License Agreement
(SINGLE-USER PRODUCTS)

This is a legal agreement between you, the end user, and
Polaroid Corporation. By opening the sealed disk package,
you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this agreement.
If you do not agree to the terms of this agreement, promptly
return the unopened disk package and the accompanying
items (including written materials and binders or other con­tainers) to the place you obtained them for a full refund.

POLAROID SOFTWARE LICENSE

1 GRANT OF LICENSE. Polaroid grants to you the right to use

one copy of the enclosed Polaroid software program (the
"SOFTWARE") on a single terminal connected to a single
computer (i.e., with a single CPU). You may not network the
SOFTWARE or otherwise use it on more than one computer
or computer terminal at the same time.

2 COPYRIGHT. The SOFTWARE is owned by Polaroid or its

suppliers and is protected by United States copyright laws and
international treaty provisions. Therefore you must treat the
SOFTWARE like any other copyrighted material (e.g., a book
or musical recording) except that you may either (a) make one
copy of the SOFTWARE solely for backup or archival pur­poses, or (b) transfer the SOFTWARE to a single hard disk
provided you keep the original solely for backup or archival
purposes. You may not copy the written materials accompa­nying the software.

3 OTHER RESTRICTIONS. You may not rent or lease the

SOFTWARE, but you may transfer the SOFTWARE and
accompanying written materials on a permanent basis provid­ed you retain no copies and the recipient agrees to the terms

L-1

of this AGREEMENT. You may not reverse engineer, decom­pile, or disassemble the SOFTWARE. If SOFTWARE is an
update, any transfer must include the update and all prior
versions.

4 DUAL MEDIA SOFTWARE. If the SOFTWARE package

contains both 3 1/2 inch and 5 1/4-inch disks, then you may
use only the disks appropriate for your single-user computer.
You may not use the other disks on another computer or
loan, rent, lease, or transfer them to another user except as
part of the permanent transfer (as provided above) of all
SOFTWARE and written materials.

90-DAY SOFTWARE WARRANTY

Polaroid warrants that the SOFTWARE media will be free of
defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 90 days
from the date of purchase.

CUSTOMER REMEDIES. Polaroid's entire liability and your
exclusive remedy shall be, at Polaroid's option either (a)
return of the price paid or (b) repair or replacement of the
SOFTWARE that does not meet Polaroid's Limited Warranty
and which is returned to Polaroid with a copy of your receipt.
This limited Warranty is void if failure of the SOFTWARE
has resulted from accident, abuse, or misapplication. Any
replacement SOFTWARE will be warranted for the remainder
of the original warranty period or 30 days, whichever is
longer.

L-2

NO OTHER WARRANTIES. Polaroid disclaims all
other warranties, either express or implied,
including but not limited to implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular pur­pose, with respect to the SOFTWARE, and the
accompanying written materials.

NO LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.
In no event shall Polaroid or its suppliers be liable
for any consequential or incidental damages
(including, without limitation, damages for loss of
business profits, business interruption, loss of
business information, or other pecuniary loss)‚
arising out of the use or inability to use this

Polaroid product, even if Polaroid has been
advised of the possibility of such damages.
Because some states do not allow the exclusion
or limitation of liability for consequential or inci­dental damages, the above limitation may not
apply to you.

U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS

The SOFTWARE and documentation are provided with
RESTRICTED RIGHTS. Use, duplication, or disclosure by
the Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in sub­paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of the rights in Technical Data and
Computer Software clause at 52.227-7013.
Contractor/Manufacturer is Polaroid Corporation, 549
Technology Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139.

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Should you have any questions concerning this Agreement, or
if you wish to contact Polaroid for any reason, please write:
Electronic Imaging Technical Support, Polaroid Corporation,
565 Technology Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139.

License Agreements L-3

P o l a roid SprintScan License Agre e m e n t

Outside U.S.A. and IMPORTANT: By opening the sealed disk package accompa-
Canada nying this manual, you indicated your acceptance of the fol-

lowing Polaroid License Agreement.

Polaroid License Agreement
(SINGLE-USER PRODUCTS)

This is a legal agreement between you, the end user, and
Polaroid Corporation. By opening the sealed disk package,
you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this agreement.
If you do not agree to the terms of this agreement, promptly
return the unopened disk package and the accompanying
items (including written materials and binders or other con­tainers) to the place you obtained them for a full refund.

POLAROID SOFTWARE LICENSE

1 GRANT OF LICENSE. Polaroid grants to you the right to use

one copy of the enclosed Polaroid software program (the
"SOFTWARE") on a single terminal connected to a single
computer (i.e., with a single CPU). You may not network the
SOFTWARE or otherwise use it on more than one computer
or computer terminal at the same time.

L-4

2 COPYRIGHT. The SOFTWARE is owned by Polaroid or its

suppliers and is protected by United States copyright laws and
international treaty provisions. Therefore you must treat the
SOFTWARE like any other copyrighted material (e.g., a book
or musical recording) except that you may either (a) make one
copy of the SOFTWARE solely for backup or archival pur­poses, or (b) transfer the SOFTWARE to a single hard disk
provided you keep the original solely for backup or archival
purposes. You may not copy the written materials accompa­nying the software.

3 OTHER RESTRICTIONS. You may not rent or lease the

SOFTWARE, but you may transfer the SOFTWARE and
accompanying written materials on a permanent basis provid­ed you retain no copies and the recipient agrees to the terms

of this AGREEMENT. You may not reverse engineer, decom­pile, or disassemble the SOFTWARE. If SOFTWARE is an
update, any transfer must include the update and all prior
versions.

4 DUAL MEDIA SOFTWARE. If the SOFTWARE package

contains both 3 1/2 inch and 5 1/4-inch disks, then you may
use only the disks appropriate for your single-user computer.
You may not use the other disks on another computer or
loan, rent, lease, or transfer them to another user except as
part of the permanent transfer (as provided above) of all
SOFTWARE and written materials.

90-DAY SOFTWARE WARRANTY

Polaroid warrants that the SOFTWARE media will be free of
defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 90 days
from the date of purchase.

CUSTOMER REMEDIES. Polaroid's entire liability and your
exclusive remedy shall be, at Polaroid's option either (a)
return of the price paid or (b) repair or replacement of the
SOFTWARE that does not meet Polaroid's Limited Warranty
and which is returned to Polaroid with a copy of your receipt.
This limited Warranty is void if failure of the SOFTWARE
has resulted from accident, abuse, or misapplication. Any
replacement SOFTWARE will be warranted for the remainder
of the original warranty period or 30 days, whichever is
longer.

THIS WARRANTY EXCLUDES ALL INCIDENTAL AND
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES AND DOES NOT AFFECT
YOUR STATUTORY RIGHTS.

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Should you have any questions concerning this Agreement, or
if you wish to contact Polaroid for any reason, please write:
Electronic Imaging Technical Support, Polaroid Corporation,
565 Technology Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139.

License Agreements L-5

I n d e x

A

adjusting

brightness, contrast and

gamma, 3-11–3-12
color saturation, 3-14
exposure, 3-8–3-9
sharpness, 3-15–3-16
tonescale, 3-13

Adobe Photoshop

installing, 1-3
starting, 2-1

advanced features, using, 3-2
area of interest, 2-7
aspect ratio, constraining, 2-8
Auto-Contrast, 3-6

Auto-Expose

button, 2-9
on Image menu

setting in Preferences, 3-19
Auto-Highlight, 3-6
Auto-Shadow, 3-6
Automatic Cast Removal, 3-8
automatic exposure (default), 3-19

B

black point

defined, A-1

setting, 3-3, 3-10
blurring options, 3-16
Brightness

control, 3-11

defined, 3-3

I-1

C

color cast correction, 3-8, 4-5
color cast warning, 3-19
Color (Type list), 2-3
color saturation. See Saturation
connecting the scanner, 1-1
Constrained Aspect Ratio button, 2-8
contrast. See also Auto-Contrast

defined, 3-3, A-1
control, 3-11

correction, 4-4
correcting images, 3-5, 4-3
crop, defined, A-1

Setup dialog box, 2-8

tool, 2-7

help, 1-4
highlights, 3-3–3-4, 4-3, A-2. See

also Auto-Highlight

hue, A-2

I

initial scan settings, 2-3–2-4
inserting originals, 2-2
installing SprintScan 35, 1-3
insufficient memory message, 4-8
Internet support, 1-4

L

landscape orientation, 2-4
License Agreements, L-1–L-5
Link Colors, 3-14

E

emulsion, A-1
Exposure

brightness control, 3-11

defined, 3-2

dialog box, 3-8

F

Film list, 2-3
fixed size checkbox, 2-10
final scan, 2-11

G

gamma, 3-3, 3-12, A-1
Glossary, Appendix A
gray point, 3-10
Grayscale (Type list), 2-3

H

halftone, A-1
height values, 2-9

M

Macintosh computers,

compatible, 1-2
maximized preview, 2-6
memory requirements, 1-2
memory, insufficient, 4-8
midtone (gamma)

defined, A-2, 3-3–3-4

control, 3-11–3-12

N

native resolution, 2-4, 3-18
negative, A-2

O

orientation (view), 2-4
orientation, changing, 2-7
output resolution, 2-4
overexposed imaged, correcting, 4-3

I-2

P

pixel, A-2
plug-in preferences, 3-18–3-19
Polaroid Offices and Service

Centers, 4-9–4-10
Polaroid Technical Support, 1-4, 4-1
portrait orientation, 2-4
positive, A-2
PowerBook 5300 computers, 1-3
Preferences dialog box, 3-18
prescan, 2-5
preview

button, 2-5

rotation, 2-7

scan, 2-5

window, 2-6
problems, correcting, 4-7

Q

Quick Scanning Guide, iii

R

RAM required, 1-2, 1-3
Read Me First, 1-3
registration card, 1-4
resolution

changing, 2-10

defined, A-2

output, 2-4

pop-up menu, 2-4
retain cast, 3-9, 3-10
reusing your settings, 3-17
RGB, defined, A-3

S

sampling, A-3
saturation

correcting, 4-6
definition, 3-4, A-3

dialog box, 3-14
saving your settings, 3-17
scaling, 2-9, 2-10
Scan Again (Preferences), 3-19
Scan button, 2-11
scan size, 1-2
Scan to Disk, 2-11
scanning

final, 2-11

preview, 2-5
SCSI, 4-7, A-3
settings, saving and reusing, 3-17
shadows, 3-2–3-3, A-3. See also

Auto-Shadow
sharpening

defined, 3-5, A-3

dialog box, 3-15–3-16
Size display, 2-10
size of scanned images, 1-2
slides, inserting, 2-2
smooth, A-3
SprintScan 35 software

features, 1-1

installation, 1-3

main window, 2-2

Preferences, 3-18–3-19

Preview window, 2-2
starting up the software, 2-1
Startup with Last Settings File, 3-19
SuperSlide format, 2-4
system requirements, 1-2

Index I-3

T

Technical Support, 1-4, 4-1
TIFF, A-3
tone, A-3
Tonescale, 3-13, A-3
Type list, 2-3

U

underexposed images,

correcting, 4-3
Units (of measurement), 2-9, 3-18
Use Native Resolutions, 3-18

V

View, 2-4

W

warranties, L-2, L-5
white point

defined, A-3

setting, 3-3, 3-9
width values, 2-9

“Polaroid” and “SprintScan” are trademarks of Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, MA U.S.A.

Other product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

PXW8529 8/96 QX/ZBR Printed in U.S.A.