I'm confused about how much optical resolution I need for a scanner to create texture maps in Maya as well as scan images into Photoshop, Premiere, and After Effects. Someone told me that 300 dpi is sufficient, but another said that I shouldn't settle for less than 800 dpi. How much dpi do I really need?
well, its like this . The Space shuttle can take a LOT more force than it ever will experiance in lift off.
they wouldn;t build it to tale JSUT ENOUGH . cosue you neevr get 100 %.
So get a scanenr that deos like 1200 DPI. .never scan that big.
then scan at like 300 dpi. then , of course break it down to 72 dpi in somthing like photoshop . but keep the file big in pixel size.
.............
Large resolutions are for printing. If you're going to print a picture from a photograph, you scan it in as 150,300,600 or 1200 or higher or the print will look like crap...... The actual resolution of a monitor and television is only 72 dpi.. you'll have to use your judgement and trial and error.. if you have a character with a logo on his tee shirt and he's in front of the camera, 72 dpi for the logo will probably due... If you have a ground plane that stretches into infinity, you probably want to go a little higher (not 1200 dpi though!!).. it depends on how much of your texture you're going to use.. Are you going to tile it? Dont make them larger than 256x256 either unless necessary. Every single texture you use is hogging memory in maya or most other off the shelf apps. Be careful... If you put a 1200 dpi 640x480 texture on a tree thats way,,way,,way in the background,,and you have fifty trees; well, you get the point.. Managing textures and being tricky with the use is an art in itself. Why even use geometry on a tree that far back. Throw a texture of a tree on a plane..you know what i mean.. The smallest dpi and actual dimension of the texture (try not to go higher than 256x256 unless you have to) 72 dpi... Buy the cheap scanner around 100.00 us dollars and start scanning. Be careful with scanning print from magazines, if you do, use the descreening filter in photoshop to remove all the halftone dots.. I used to go out with a digital camera and shoot everything for textures (ie. pictures of the parking lot for planet textures, real tree bark, etc.. plus its a great assignment to put your self on.. to explore the detail) Anyway, check around on hotline and on aliaswavefront site for free textures too..
Good luck and good texturing..
The long winded squaggles signing off...whew!
1200 or higher or the print will look like crap......
What are you prininting? A building . Seriosuly , go ahead and scan it at 1200 but if you give a 1200 DPI picture to a printer he'll laugh at you.
I usally scan at 600 if I need somthing poster size , then , I take it DOWN to 300 for the final that will go to the guys unless I am making it half size rather than to scale then i will bump up my DPI. but 1200, no one will print that , they will trash it down themselves .
plus , unless its a high rez slide , or somthing that was photographed with medium size film , you're going to get WAY to much grain in your scan at 1200.
Or , worse yet, if it was scanned off a magazine , or a print , you'll get major dot formation at that high rez.
.............