I am familiar with how resolution/DPI works in most programs, but I can't figure out one aspect of downsampling in X5. Do you know how it works?
The problem:
We often use a scanned document as a thumbnail on our layouts - the end result is something like this:
Because we have imported a letter size image (scanned at 300 dpi) and made it small, the resolution jumps to something crazy high:
These are black and white (monochrome) images, so file size isn't the problem.
The problem is that when we try to print a file w/ such a high dpi image on it, our plotter doesn't like it.
So, we need to downsample the image.
What I have tried:
I would think I could just go to the resample command, choose 300 dpi, and have a nice crisp 300dpi version of my little thumbnail, but that isn't how it works. Instead I get more like an icon on your desktop -- super low resolution where all the detail is obliterated.
Here's an example of the file before and after resampling – note how it looks like a very low res computer icon and not a 300 dpi object:
Any clue what I'm doing wrong here? Or does Corel just not work the way I expect?
If you want to use the exact file I'm working with to try this yourself, click here:
The PDF contains a bit image, so it is not ideal for reducing. I think if you had the actual text rather than a scan, it would give a better result.
But I managed to get this, which probably is as good as you can expect from the image.
What I did was to import the PDF into CorelDraw and then scale the image down to the size it is above. Select the image and do bitmap > convert to bitmap, with settings of RGB 600 dpi antialiased. So, the result is a 600dpi image at its final size of about an inch high. Then I added the rectangle to stop it blending unnoticed into the page.
At 600dpi it should print on most printers -- but the above is a 96dpi representation of it for the forum, and even that doesn't look too bad.
Drag and dropped into PhotoPaint, resampled, sharpened to finnish. Used X6.
Harry, thank you for giving it a try and for your explanation.
I did have better luck with "bitmap > convert to bitmap" than I did with the "bitmap > resample" command, so that is a great help!
All said and done, I think you may have hit it in the head -- the fact that I'm dealing with 1-bit images may be the biggest problem here (since a 1-bit b&w bitmap should be sent at actual size 1,200 dpi for best printing results).
The combination of choosing 1,200 dpi and using the "convert to bitmap" command gives at least a usable (and printable) result. Yay!
Thanks for giving it a try! I was hoping to avoid PhotoPaint, but you did get a good looking result. I'll keep PhotoPaint in mind if I run into a tough one.
I really appreciate your time.