What is the best way to photo pages of a book? What would be the best resolution for a good-quality photo, but one that doesn't create a large file? Any other advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Nancy B.
Depending on what you're trying to accomplish with the copies of the book, a scanner may be a faster tool. Otherwise your lighting will be more important than anything else to get good, clean images of the pages.
Don't violate copyright laws... Check for that and, if OK, use a flatbed scanner to copy the image. Most 3-in-one printers (i.e. Canon MX922) will do that for you.
nancyab wrote:
What is the best way to photo pages of a book? What would be the best resolution for a good-quality photo, but one that doesn't create a large file? Any other advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Nancy B.
If photocopies are acceptable, there are some places that have copiers on which the book does not sit flat but opens to no more than 90 degrees. It is then placed on the end of the copier plate, ensuring a "flat" copy.
Placing the book on a (about) 45 degree angle, and have your camera on a tripod and pointing down 45 degrees, should also work well, if you can deal with keeping the pages flat.
Buying another copy of the same book will give you all the pages at once, and is likely less expensive than photocopying. If the book you want to copy is still under copyright, you wouldn't have to ask for permission from the copyright holder to copy the whole book or even a part of it.
That is a breach of copyright laws unless used for education or illustration as part of another work.
Back in the day, I had a copy stand which was a movable articulated camera mount and two side mounted lights. The problem with books is page curvature because of the bindings.
I had a piece of "non reflective glass" that you could gently clamp down the book to minimize the curvature. Worked great until I clamped it down just one too many times and the glass broke.
The FineScanner app on my iPhone does a good job. It is the only program I know that will "unbend any curved lines as if you pressed the book against the glass of a conventional scanner."
I have used it a number of times with good results.
Hunter et al. say how and why to set up your lights for that.
Wallbanger wrote:
Depending on what you're trying to accomplish with the copies of the book, a scanner may be a faster tool. Otherwise your lighting will be more important than anything else to get good, clean images of the pages.
An overhead scanner is easier to use for books than a flatbed and many of them include software to flatten to pages and reach into the crook.
depends on the purpose, the required resolution, and if you're willing to destroy the book.
I'm not making copies for myself. I was asked to do it by someone else. I don't know the particulars about how this specific book is affected by any copyrite laws. They are sending it to me via postal service. To me, also, it makes more sense to use a scanner, but they insist that photos be taken. Thanks for all your comments. I'll know more once I receive the book and begin the task.
Rongnongno wrote:
That is a breach of copyright laws unless used for education or illustration as part of another work.
Or for personal use.
There is no reason to assume the OP is running an illegal book printing and distribution operation.
Copy services can do this for you, or let you make copies on their equipment. Why isn't the book owner doing his own scanning?
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