Tips from Ron Stark

Many scanner models -- including our own Microtek scanners -- come equipped with black backing material under the scanner lid.

That's the surface that holds your media (the stuff you're scanning) in place.

That black backing material is kind of special because it's got a low reflective surface, and it does its best at NOT being there in the scanning process. Our tech chefs go nuts trying to select just the right kind of surface that will help you get the best scans time after time.

In fact, Microtek has a name for this -- Zero Reflection Design Technology™ -- a patented scanning technology that dramatically improves digital images by eliminating artifacts created through light reflection.

But there are times when the black stuff IS visible.

This happens when the media you're scanning is thin enough to let light pass through.

If this happens to your scans, here's what you do:

Place your media on the scanner. If the scanner's light is showing through your media, you need to change the backing material to a white card. Use several pieces of paper, mat or core board or anything with a relatively white surface. It doesn't have to be snow white -- just very light will do. Don't, however, use something like pale blue or yellow.

What happens is that some of the light that penetrates the media surface bounces off the black backing material, returning gray light in the process and dulling the scanned images as a result.

That's why I suggested not using pale blue or yellow for your backing material -- as either color would tint your scan. Oops, now I just suggested another technique!

Happy scanning.

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