Canon CanoScan 8400F - better software for B&W scanning?

I need to scan clear, clean music manuscripts that were written with a
#2 pencil onto white manuscript paper. This task should not be that
difficult.

My system is WinXP. My scanner, a Canon CanoScan 8400F, won't scan in
B&W very well, producing images that are too light, with many breaks
in the too-light image. The problem is probably not the scanner
itself, but more likely the scanning software (CanoScan Toolbox 4.9)
that came with the scanner, because the software allows almost no
control over the B&W process - no controls over contrast, light/dark,
etc.

The Grayscale option produces better results than B&W, although
neither is very good.

Can this scanner be used with other software? If so, what would be
good software that would allow more control over the B&W scanning
process?

Thanks.

"ScannerFan" wrote in message
...
I need to scan clear, clean music manuscripts that were written with a
#2 pencil onto white manuscript paper. This task should not be that
difficult.

My system is WinXP. My scanner, a Canon CanoScan 8400F, won't scan in
B&W very well, producing images that are too light, with many breaks
in the too-light image. The problem is probably not the scanner
itself, but more likely the scanning software (CanoScan Toolbox 4.9)
that came with the scanner, because the software allows almost no
control over the B&W process - no controls over contrast, light/dark,
etc.

The Grayscale option produces better results than B&W, although
neither is very good.

Can this scanner be used with other software? If so, what would be
good software that would allow more control over the B&W scanning
process?

Thanks.

It is not the scanners fault, it is your technique.

The Canon 8400F has very
good software. And it is a darn good scanner.

A little tutorial. Read for several pages.
http://www.scantips.com/basics04.html

Music sheets are Line Art, Grayscale works best.

You will have experiment some to get the best results.

Use the TWAIN interface in a Photo editor or viewer.
Photoshop or the free Irfanview.
Get plug-ins.
http://www.irfanview.net/

Use Advanced Mode.
Do Preview first. Must do preview to have all of the controls working.

Try Grayscale at 600 DPI for the music sheets and adjust the black point to
where the first data shows in the histogram the middle arrow is the middle
gray, move to right for darker,
if that does not get the fine lines, go to 1200 DPI.


What's a Histogram?
http://www.scantips.com/simple1b.html


Histogram (Black and White points) is the third button from the left. At the
bottom of window, just
above the Reset button.

After scanning, if you want to reduce the file size, you can edit it down in
a photo editor (PhotoShop is best). Irfanview can also.

--
CSM1
http://www.carlmcmillan.com
--

On Sun, 14 Oct 2007 07:57:44 -0500, "CSM1"
wrote:

"ScannerFan" wrote in message
.. .
I need to scan clear, clean music manuscripts that were written with a
#2 pencil onto white manuscript paper. This task should not be that
difficult.

My system is WinXP. My scanner, a Canon CanoScan 8400F, won't scan in
B&W very well, producing images that are too light, with many breaks
in the too-light image. The problem is probably not the scanner
itself, but more likely the scanning software (CanoScan Toolbox 4.9)
that came with the scanner, because the software allows almost no
control over the B&W process - no controls over contrast, light/dark,
etc.

The Grayscale option produces better results than B&W, although
neither is very good.

Can this scanner be used with other software? If so, what would be
good software that would allow more control over the B&W scanning
process?

Thanks.

It is not the scanners fault, it is your technique.

The Canon 8400F has very
good software. And it is a darn good scanner.

A little tutorial. Read for several pages.
http://www.scantips.com/basics04.html

Music sheets are Line Art, Grayscale works best.

You will have experiment some to get the best results.

Use the TWAIN interface in a Photo editor or viewer.
Photoshop or the free Irfanview.
Get plug-ins.
http://www.irfanview.net/

Use Advanced Mode.
Do Preview first. Must do preview to have all of the controls working.

Try Grayscale at 600 DPI for the music sheets and adjust the black point to
where the first data shows in the histogram the middle arrow is the middle
gray, move to right for darker,
if that does not get the fine lines, go to 1200 DPI.


What's a Histogram?
http://www.scantips.com/simple1b.html


Histogram (Black and White points) is the third button from the left. At the
bottom of window, just
above the Reset button.

After scanning, if you want to reduce the file size, you can edit it down in
a photo editor (PhotoShop is best). Irfanview can also.

--
CSM1
http://www.carlmcmillan.com
You're quite right! Thanks very much for your helpful reply. Using
TWAIN and grayscale is the key.