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The
HP PhotoSmart S-20's new software is presented in
two screens. The first provides selection of the type
of media and resolution that is to be scanned, as well
as thumbnails of the preview images made by the scanner.
Click on the upper left corner of a thumbnail frame and
a larger preview is presented with dialog windows to adjust
size, orientation, sharpness, tone level, and color, as
well as a histogram which reflects the affect of the adjustments.
Photos © 1999, David B. Brooks, All Rights Reserved
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When it was first introduced
the Hewlett-Packard Photo-Smart scanner was an unprecedented bargain
for the photo enthusiast. It was capable of scanning prints up to 5x7"
as well as film, and it was a compact, convenient to use design. Now
after considerable acceptance and success of the original S-10 model,
HP has released an S-20 model upgrade. The sleek, diminutive desktop
design remains the same, but the scanning specifications for film have
been improved, the handling of positive and negative 35mm film has been
extended for mounted or film strip format, and the software is now even
easier to use, more efficient, and offers a fuller manual control of
color adjustment. In other words, none of the compromises imposed by
the limitations of the S-10 are found in the new S-20, and the price
of the new model is the same as the original cost of the S-10, $499.
Another new feature of this latest S-20 PhotoSmart scanner is it has
a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection interface. For users with relatively
new PCs this will not be a problem as most since the release of Windows
98 include a USB connector. For users of older PCs it will be necessary
to be running Windows 98 (Windows 95 does not support USB without a
patch), and a PCI/USB interface card will have to be installed. The
film scanning resolution of 2400dpi has been retained, but now at an
increased color depth of 36 bit, 12 bits per RGB channel. Output directly
from the PhotoSmart scanner's software used as a stand-alone application
can be saved in .BMP, .TIF, compressed .JPG, as well as FlashPix .FPX
file formats. Microsoft PictureIt 99 software is also bundled with the
scanner.
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Full
resolution scans from slides, including the option to select
between regular slide film (E-6), Kodachrome, or old faded
slides, can result in accurate, well-balanced image files
of 8x10" at 300dpi that will make fine photo-realistic
ink jet prints.
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Scanning With The New HP PhotoSmart
S-20. First, I had to install a PCI/USB interface card in my computer
before setting up the S-20 scanner. This was quite an easy job as the
card is fully plug-and-play, and the driver for it is on the Windows 98
system CD. HP is very, very explicit in repeating the instructions several
times that users should install the PhotoSmart scanner software before
connecting the scanner. I followed the instructions and took note of the
many warnings, which resulted in a very smooth and uneventful installation
and setup.
To begin testing I scanned a print version (5x7") of the IT-8 international
color reference, and made the scan using only the software's auto
adjust. I then made a print from the file saved from this scan. The almost
exact match in the print to the original IT-8 reference print was very
encouraging. So, I continued my tests, including a selection of Kodachrome
slides. I soon found that the new software, although easy to use and much
more flexible to adjust final scan output, does not include any automatic
correction for highlight/shadow color caste removal, so the manual color
balance adjustment needs to be used if the color in the original is off.
And, although there is a histogram display which is most useful, it is
not interactive, it just reflects the affect of any manual changes made
with the highlight, mid-tone, shadow slider controls. Nevertheless, the
manual control options support making adjustments to compensate for inadequacies
in the original image, which the S-10 model did not allow.
Of the Kodachromes I scanned for testing, some involved parts of the image
in direct sun as well as significant areas in shade. I was able to use
the HMS slider control to adjust the final scan to include good tonality
and detail in shadows and highlights. But, I found I could get even better
scans in terms of the image qualities in the final result when I began
scanning using the S-20 TWAIN driver from within Photoshop 5.0.2. I was
surprised to discover the PhotoSmart scanner transfers its full 36-bit
scan to Photoshop and opens the image in 16-bit Mode in the Photoshop
workspace. This allows scanning difficult images that require extensive
color correction adjustment using the Level and Curve adjustments in Photoshop
before converting Mode to 8 bit (24-bit RGB) without any data loss. The
results I obtained scanning without any manual adjustment in the PhotoSmart
software with the HP S-20 into Photoshop, and then color correcting in
16-bit Mode, were very close to what I would expect using a much more
expensive scanner and professional scanning software. So, besides providing
an easy to use scanning software utility as a stand-alone application
with much more flexibility than was available with the previous model,
the S-20 can also be used with the more extensive color correction tools
of Photoshop.
Evaluation And Recommendation. Considering the original HP Photo-Smart
S-10 scanner has a large and enthusiastic following, with all of the improvements
in the new S-20, it now offers the typical 35mm photo enthusiast an ideal
and affordable beginning and the basis for a great digital darkroom. Although
my testing of this new model largely concentrated on just how much difference
the new specifications and features improved the product, its most likely
use of scanning strips of color negatives, and that is its forte. The
built-in, automatic translation from a color negative to positive image,
considering all of the variations in dye base color and density of different
brand films, works exceedingly well. Scanning at its maximum 2400dpi,
the HP S-20 produces a nice 8x10 image at 300dpi which results in very
high fidelity prints made with a "photo-realistic" ink jet
printer. Selling at the original price for the S-10, the new HP PhotoSmart
at $499 is an even better buy.
For more information about the HP PhotoSmart S-20 scanner, call (800)
752-0900 or visit their web site at: www.photosmart.com.
Technical Specifications
Scan Formats:
Prints to 5x7"; 35mm film in strips of five frames; and mounted
35mm film images, positive and negative, black and white, and color
Resolution: 300dpi prints; 2400dpi 35mm film
Color Depth: 12 bits per RGB channel = 36 bits
OS Support: TWAIN driver for Windows 95/98
Interface: Universal Serial Bus (USB)
Dimensions: 3.9x8x11.6"
Weight: 6 lbs
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