Photo Review

Modern scanners are very versatile and most can handle a wide range of original document types. In this article we show you how to match your scans for print and screen viewing, and how to calculate the scanning resolution required for optimum results.

The durability of digital prints is an important issue, with many paper manufacturers making claims about the longevity of prints on their media. This issue is vital if you want prints for display or to hand on to future generations because some ink/paper combinations are even more prone to discolouration than traditional photo prints.

We've covered one cost-effective printing strategy in printing multiple images on a single sheet of paper. But this isn't the only way to keep your printing costs low.

There are often times when you would like to print several photographs on one sheet of paper. Maybe you need a number of copies in smaller sizes than the paper you have; perhaps you would like to minimise paper wastage by making the best use of the available space on the paper. Most image editors support this facility, although some hide it away so it's difficult to find.

In addition, most frames will only display JPEG images and a limited range of video files (typically MOV, AVI, MPEG-1, and MPEG-4). If your camera supports other file formats they will need to be converted before they can be displayed.

The Print Options box on the Main driver page provides several check boxes that can affect the printing process. The top box allows you to print pages in Reverse Order. Check this box when printing multi-page documents to ensure the pages will be stacked in the order in which they should be read.

Because a special coating is required to accept the ink, inkjet papers can normally be printed on only one side. Some manufacturers also make double-sided papers with coatings on both sides, but these are comparatively rare - and not available in many sizes or surface types. So, in most cases, it's important to tell which side to print on so you can load paper correctly.

All printers come with software for producing prints. This bundled software always includes the printer driver and often adds editing application. An online instruction manual is sometimes provided. The functionality of the software usually reflects the price and complexity of the printer, with entry-level printers providing very simple editors.