With Pic Scanner or Pic Scanner Gold, the scan resolution can vary depending on how you scan. Here are a few scanning tips to get high-quality scans:
Choose Maximum Resolution
Modern iPhones have 48 megapixel (MP) cameras, older iPhone and most iPad models have 12 MP; and really old devices have 8 or even 5 MP ones. Scan resolution obviously depends on the iPhone/iPad model and camera. Pic Scanner Gold automatically uses the maximum resolution supported by your device – so if you have an iPhone 17 Pro, it’ll scan at 48 MP. Almost all other apps cap resolution at 12 MP.
Choose iPhone Over iPad
If you have an iPhone as well as iPad, scan with iPhone. An iPhone generally has a better camera than a similar-vintage iPad. iPad is bulkier, making it harder to hold steady and avoid camera shake. Some users also find it harder to center an iPad over photos.
Scan 1-2 Photos at a Time
Pic Scanner and Pic Scanner Gold let you scan multiple photos at a time. This speeds up scanning, but you compromise on resolution. Scanning one photo at a time is slower but gives the highest resolution. Scanning two photos together makes it twice as fast but halves the resolution. With four photos, the resolution drops to one-fourth. With a 48 MP camera (after allowing for cropping wastage), you can get 30-40 MP scans when scanning one photo; 12-18 with two; and 5-7 with four.
Even 5-7 MP is great for sharing photos on social media, so for that scan four at a time. But when scanning for archival or family history, scan 1-2 photos at a time.
Good Lighting is a Good Idea
Modern iPhones are very good at compensating for low-light conditions, but those adjustments are made artificially. It’s much better to scan with indirect daylight.
Scans captured in poor light will have more “noise” i.e. they’ll look grainy. Scan near a window to get indirect light and no glare. With electric light it’s harder to avoid glare, reflections and shadows. It also affects colors: Scans will look different depending on whether you have yellow light or fluorescent white light.
Get the Camera Distance Right
This is a really important factor affecting resolution and sharpness of scan. Modern multi-lens iPhones shoot in 48 MP mode when the object being photographed is 20 cm or more away, and switch to 12 MP lens when it’s closer. So with iPhone 14 and later, please ensure that your device is 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) from the photos. Any closer, and you’ll get 12MP scans. Worse, if the camera is switching lenses when you click, the scan will be blurry.
In the example on left, the photo is completely filling up the view-port – so it’s probably too close and using the 12 MP camera. In example 3 (Right), it’s too far – all the white space around the photo will be cropped out and you’ll get a low resolution scan. The example in the middle is the sweet spot – just right.
Placement of photos is also important to maximize photos and minimize background space.
In the above examples, #1 and #3 contain too much white space and will result in lower resolution scans. Examples #2 and #4 minimize white space, and are better.
Of course, the photos also shouldn’t be crowded too close together. Keep 0.5-1.0 cm gap between them.
Tap to Focus The Camera
After positioning the camera over the photos, tap the screen ONCE to focus it. Tap the scanner shutter only after the picture is focused well.
For tips on how to get accurate cropping, click here. More tips on other topics in our 5-Minute Guide. Experiment until it looks good, then scan away!
