Kia Ora
Our Church has an Analogue photo copier for it's newsletters etc.
I have tried converting my colour digital photos to B&W using Grayscale, Col
our
Channels, Channel Mixers & other experiments, but the result is always total
ly
unacceptable when photocopied, usually too dark even when lightened as much 
as
possible.
On the other hand, some seemingly random colour photos straight copied come 
out
reasonably well.
Is there a hue or contrast or other factor I might use to trick the photocop
ier
to produce an acceptable result? I am not expecting magic!
Thanks
Mac

>Our Church has an Analogue photo copier for it's newsletters etc.
>I have tried converting my colour digital photos to B&W using Grayscale,
>Colour
>Channels, Channel Mixers & other experiments, but the result is always tota
lly
>unacceptable when photocopied...

Before you go any farther: How are you printing the image? What kind of prin
ter
are you using?

You can get excellent results from a photocopier, if you are printing the im
age
correctly; the way you print the image, and the kind of printer you use, is
critical.

To get decent results from a photocopier, you should not use an inkjet
printout, you should use a halftoned printout from a laser printer.

If you have a PostScript laser printer, set the laser printer to use an 85 l
ine
halftone (or less). If you have a laser printer that is not PostScript, you 
can
get good results by using Image->Mode->Bitmap. In the Bitmap dialog, choose
Output Resolution: 1200 dpi, Halftone, 85 lines per inch, Round dot.

To prepare the image before you do this, use the Curves command. In the Curv
es
command, pull the midtone down about 10-15%, and pull the shadow end down so
 it
is no more than 85% printing. the result will look washed-out on your comput
er
screen, but will darken up again on the photocopier.

Then, print it with an 85-line halftone, or convert it to bitmap with an
85-line screen, and try that.

Printing to an inkjet printer will likely produce extremely poor results whe
n
photocopying, unless the photocopier has an "artwork" or "photograph"
setting--typically found only on high-end photocopiers.

--
Biohazard? Radiation hazard? SO last-century.
Nanohazard T-shirts now available! http://www.villaintees.com
Art, literature, shareware, polyamory, kink, and more:
http://www.xeromag.com/franklin.html

macknife@ihug.co.nz (Mac Lynch) writes:

> Kia Ora
> Our Church has an Analogue photo copier for it's newsletters etc.
> I have tried converting my colour digital photos to B&W using Grayscale, C
olour
> Channels, Channel Mixers & other experiments, but the result is always tot
ally
> unacceptable when photocopied, usually too dark even when lightened as muc
h as
> possible.
> On the other hand, some seemingly random colour photos straight copied com
e out
> reasonably well.
> Is there a hue or contrast or other factor I might use to trick the photoc
opier
>  to produce an acceptable result? I am not expecting magic!

OK, as I understand it, you are taking a color image file, converting
to monochrome in the computer, printing, and copying the result. Could
the problem really be an incompatibility between the printer and the
copier?  If the copier has some odd sort of spectral response, it's
possible that your printer (inkjet?) is using inks with spectral
curves that are incompatible with the copier.

--
-Stephen H. Westin
Any information or opinions in this message are mine: they do not
represent the position of Cornell University or any of its sponsors.

In article <c95pcp$pp6$1@lust.ihug.co.nz>, macknife@ihug.co.nz (Mac Lynch)
wrote:

> Kia Ora
> Our Church has an Analogue photo copier for it's newsletters etc.
> I have tried converting my colour digital photos to B&W using Grayscale,
Colour
> Channels, Channel Mixers & other experiments, but the result is always
totally
> unacceptable when photocopied, usually too dark even when lightened as
much as
> possible.

The problem is the photo scanner. It wants just two tonmes: black and
something else (usuallly white). Your picture cannot change the behavior
of a simple photocopier via the print you give it. You want proof? Scan
the palm of your hand. It's not really high-contrast B&W, but that's what
it will produce.

In article <20040527183622.29967.00000008@mb-m22.aol.com>, tacitr@aol.com
(Tacit) wrote:
 
totally 
>
> Before you go any farther: How are you printing the image? What kind of
printer
> are you using?
>
> You can get excellent results from a photocopier, if you are printing
the image
> correctly; the way you print the image, and the kind of printer you use, i
s
> critical.

You presume too much this time, Tacit. You have no idea what kind of
photocopier he is using. My assumption is that is yet another stump-stupid
high contrast copier. Nothing in the world can help such a machine.

>You presume too much this time, Tacit. You have no idea what kind of
>photocopier he is using. My assumption is that is yet another stump-stupid
>high contrast copier. Nothing in the world can help such a machine.

I've actually achieved very good results from such a photocopier, provided t
he
images are halftoned with a coarse (63-85) line screen. A halftoned image ha
s
only two tones--black and white--and you can, with some skill, get remarkabl
y
good results from a normal photocopier. Hell, I published small-press magazi
nes
that way for *years*! :)
--
Biohazard? Radiation hazard? SO last-century.
Nanohazard T-shirts now available! http://www.villaintees.com
Art, literature, shareware, polyamory, kink, and more:
http://www.xeromag.com/franklin.html

Bits of truth abound in most of the replies you have so far. I would second
the motion that copiers are not greytone devices. You have to half-tone your
photos first. Someone suggested 85 lines per inch. That might be too many
but give it a try. I think 75 might be better...maybe even 65 for older
copiers.

If you have postscript in your printer halftoning is done there. Since we
are just talking photos here I hope you have Photoshop. When you convert
your greyscale image to bitmap you will have the option of halftoning there.
Print that out and paste it on the sheets that have the data.

Now...this is comp.graphics.apps.photoshop...if it was comp.publish.prepress
then we would be talking high-end layout programs like Indesign or Quark.
There are others like MS Publisher for less advanced users. You should be
using one of these so you can assemble everything before you print it out.
You may find that printing it from a laser is simple and fast enough that
you abandon the copier...and then your quality will go way up.


"Mac Lynch" <macknife@ihug.co.nz> wrote in message
news:c95pcp$pp6$1@lust.ihug.co.nz...
> Kia Ora
> Our Church has an Analogue photo copier for it's newsletters etc.
> I have tried converting my colour digital photos to B&W using Grayscale,
Colour
> Channels, Channel Mixers & other experiments, but the result is always
totally
> unacceptable when photocopied, usually too dark even when lightened as
much as
> possible.
> On the other hand, some seemingly random colour photos straight copied
come out
> reasonably well.
> Is there a hue or contrast or other factor I might use to trick the
photocopier
>  to produce an acceptable result? I am not expecting magic!
> Thanks
> Mac
>

In article <20040527220402.00323.00000034@mb-m14.aol.com>, tacitr@aol.com
(Tacit) wrote:
 
>
> I've actually achieved very good results from such a photocopier, provided
 the
> images are halftoned

Ah HAH! Halftoned! I should have known you had the solution.

> with a coarse (63-85) line screen. A halftoned image has
> only two tones--black and white--and you can, with some skill, get remarka
bly
> good results from a normal photocopier. Hell, I published small-press
magazines
> that way for *years*! :)

Most appreciated! Thank you.

jjs

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much!

In article <mdxtc.25427$4%3.15432@nwrdny01.gnilink.net>,
palmiter_gene@verizon.net says...
>
Thanks for the wonderful response I have got to my project. I am trying seve
ral
answers & think I am making real progress.
Your time & help is appreciated.
Mac