In article <[log in to unmask]>, Amoaart
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>We are converting our slide collection of images from the permanent
>collection to jpg file format. Does anyone have ideas concerning the
>various resolutions that we should be utilizing in various applications
>(i.e. 400 dpi for the d-base and screen viewing, etc.) Our registrar has
>created a rather nice data base and user interface in Lotus Approach.
>
A lot more questions need to be asked before it would be possible to
give a clear answer to this question. Are these images going to be used
for screen viewing only, or do you want to be able to produce printed
copies? What sizes of input and output images will you need? How
important is colour fidelity and resolution of detail? Will you make
digital copies available for reproduction or publication? How will the
digital images be stored and distributed?

The general answer, if you can afford it, is to make master images of a
high enough quality to meet the most demanding needs you can predict,
and then generate derived images of lower quality as working copies for
economy of storage and speed of display. Are you looking at Kodak's
Photo-CD format as an alternative to .jpeg? This automatically gives you
several resolutions.

Two publications which give useful guidance are:

Introduction to imaging: issues in constructing an image database /
Howard Besser, Jennifer Trant. - Santa Monica, CA. : Getty Art History
Information Program, 1995. - 48p. - ISBN 0-89236-361-4.

The digitization of primary textual sources / Peter Robinson. - Oxford :
Office for Humanities Communication, 1993. - 104p. - ISBN 1-897791-05-4.


I was interested to know that you have a Lotus Approach database for
this, as I have volunteered to help our local historical society
catalogue their records and photographs, and they have Approach
available on their PC. Would your registrar be willing to let us have a
copy of your data structure and application? Has anyone else used
Approach for cataloguing this sort of material?

Leonard Will

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