Making Good Scans: A long winded tutorial with pictures that probably explain it all.

Quick Answers:

• I use an Epson Perfection V600. This is a great scanner that isn't wildly expensive. See that link for more info on the difference between it and the thinner scanners on the market. Like: bright colors get bleached out with a lot of scanners. The dpi capabilities are also sometimes somewhat faked on lower end scanners.
• Here's an incredibly in-depth scanning guide written by Gaming Alexandria. But if you want some quick basics, I have you covered below.
• I cut most of my binding because the pages tend to be so fragile and the glue so brittle but here's the heat technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st7cBP43oTc

tl;dr:

1. Don't turn image compression on when you're making scans if possible.
2. Don't do color corrections with the scanner unless you know what you are doing. Archivists prefer raw scans so they can adjust the colors as needed (and usually with photoshop.)
3. Use a black sheet of paper behind any non-card-stock paper so that there is not image bleed-through from the other side. If you de-bind the publication put black paper on the scanner lid or weighted object. If you don't de-bind, slide a black sheet of paper behind the page you are scanning.
4. If you de-bind: Use a board or book with some weight to it to flatten any pages that aren't already insanely flat. Also make sure it is black-backed to prevent image bleed-through.
5. Flatbed scanners cut off 2ish mm from the edges. Plan accordingly.

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Shablausis asked:
Can you share some tips of how to get such nice quality?

History of Hyrule: (the 3 most important tips are in emphasized text)

Update:  Since I wrote this, I now use a Epson Perfection V600, see the difference here
Absolutely! I like my Canon Lide 300 more than my Epson V19 but both are fine. (I think the Canon has slightly better color and my v19 actually came with a slightly crooked scanning bar so I have to manually straighten each image.) 

Here's some pictures of my scanner to help illustrate what I'll explain, and it's probably a better tl;dr version too: https://twitter.com/HistoryofHyrule/status/1429266523542097926 1st, don't compress the files, 2nd, don't image correct with the scanner, 3rd: add a black backing for double sided images on thinner paper types.

I make sure no form of file format compression is turned on. I don't scan them as pdf's (though I'm sure that format can be fine but you have to know how to work with all its options) tiff, bmp, and png are all good formats. 

Sometimes, if you're in a pinch for space, jpg is okay too -but only if you know how to make sure it's storing as much as possible instead of compressing. jpg by nature is a compression format and pdf's are basically jpgs with code, so I'm not the biggest fan of either for the raws. I will make a final version with individual files as high quality jpgs though so people can have good images without using up all of their storage space, and then a pdf version of those because people have become accustomed to that format for ease of reading.

I don't do any color correction with the default scanner options, unless you know really advanced techniques, I save that kind of editing work for photoshop. (And I certainly never use any filters like blur or sharpen. In fact, if you're ever getting scans to an archivist or image editor don't do any correction. Always just give them the really raw images) 

You can get really decent scans by leaving things in the binding but I use to do that and hated the shading that you get from the curve with the binding. All my new scans are completely removed from the binding so they lay flat. How I remove them depends on their condition and what is binding them together but, because what I work with is mostly hard glue, it mostly involves shaving the glue off carefully with an exacto knife. (For magazines with soft glue heat can be better than cutting. And then some just have staples and that's always the easiest.) I've cut apart a collection that's probably worth a few thousand dollars now so no one else will have to do it to get archival quality scans. It also, lol, means I'm rescanning thousands of pages I've already scanned- because originally I wanted to keep the books together. Honestly a lot of the glue is failing now anyway so it stopped feeling like such a travesty. Some Zelda books I'm scanning are 35 years old and the pages just fall out at this point.

If the pages are in good shape put a heavy, but not too heavy, book on top of the scanner to help press the pages flat. I like it to cover most of the lid so the pressure is even. It works better than using your hands to put pressure on it because sometimes you'll move and twist a page slightly during scanning. 

If the pages are in anything but perfect condition may just want to use a book or board directly on the pages because some are light foam and will not press the pages flat. Again, use a solid, dark color, book or board.

Here's the biggest trick to nice scans:

For anything that is double sided (and not extra thick paper) add a black backing to the scanner. Most scanners have a white reflective foam piece that presses the paper down. Cover that with black paper or you'll get image bleed-through from the other side. This is also another benefit to taking the pages put of the binding: if you don't you have to put a black sheet of paper between the pages before you scan them or you'll see the image on the other side.

Which also means: if you don't de-bind a book then just slide a black sheet of paper behind the page so the images on the other side don't bleed through

The other thing I do (and this only matters if the image goes up to the edge) is add a small, thin, post-it note paper border to my scanner bed. Basically I sliced 3mm of the completely sticky part off and stuck it to the glass so I would have a hard, non-movable, edge to press the paper against. I did this because scanners cut off a millimeter or two from the edges. (Each scanner may cut off a different amount but it seems most of them do this.) So doing this means I can press the paper up against something rigid without losing any of the image and so I don't have to manually straighten every image in photoshop. I used post-its so it doesn't leave a nasty residue on my glass if I ever need to replace the added borders.

I never scan lower than 600dpi anymore, and often go up to 2400dpi, but sometimes it's pointless to go higher than 600-1200 if the printing quality isn't great because all it means is you see the printing dots better. No crime in that but the scans take nearly twice as long each time you double the size: often for no benefit. If the printing quality is nice then go ahead and scan at a higher resolution though!

I also use gloves and wipe with a shammy between almost every scan. I have a lot of pets and fingerprints add up really quickly on the glass when you're flipping and removing each page. Even with blue gloves you'll eventually leave some marks or dust.

If you have any more questions, or I didn't explain something well, ask away! melorasworld@gmail.com