Quick scanner question.

[WayneF]

35mm, I assume? What's the size of the file?

I know with most 35mm scans even scanned at 1200dpi, I can get good prints up to 11x14. Scanned at higher res, then, goes up from there - I just don't know what the upper limit is.

One thing I'll say about the scanning resolution: I have found that for most purposes, 1200dpi has been more than adequate. Most of my pictures end up on a screen anyway. If I want to print, I'll rescan at 2600. (I haven't yet printed anything larger than 11x14.) I've also read - maybe even here? Perhaps someone with a better grasp on why can chime in - I've read that scanning at higher resultions has diminishing returns.

The upshot of all of this is, you can scan at lower res and still get good scans and it will be a lot faster. If your initial lower-res scan shows you something you're interested in printing or heavily cropping or whatever, then just scan those frames at higher resolutions.

I realize this is months old, and I'm very late to the party. But some unsuspecting beginner might read it.

Images viewed on the monitor screen came be quite small, to fit on the screen.

But 1200 dpi scans are not really optimum for printing even medium film at 11x14, and certainly not enough for 35 mm.

35 mm film size is 36x24 mm, about 1.4 x 0.9 inches. Enlarging 1.4 inches to 14 inches is a 10x enlargement. Meaning if you scan it at 1200 dpi, you can print 10x size at 120 dpi. Which might be acceptable enough in some casual cases, but if you want to print at 10x at 300 dpi, you need to scan at 10x 300 dpi or 3000 dpi. This is why scanners offer 3000 dpi, not really about resolution, it is about enlargement of that resolution.

It is a very simple ratio,

Scanning resolution / printing resolution is the enlargement ratio.

To print 35mm at 8x10 is 10/1.4 = 7.1x enlargement.
To print it at 300 dpi needs 300x7.1 = 2100 dpi.
Scan at the next larger round number (like 2400 dpi) and resample to print size, 8x10 at 300 dpi..

I realize you also said "If I want to print, I'll rescan at 2600".

Which is much better, but you also said "I know with most 35mm scans even scanned at 1200dpi, I can get good prints up to 11x14". I don't know that, I have higher standards than that.