Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Scans look faded and blurry - now what?

I've been updating my printer/scanner software whenever it comes up in Software update. I notice dthat the scans that I've made in the past few months look blurry, and now that I have some color scans (i.e. bank statement with colot not just B/W) they also look faded.


Is there some way to recallibrate?


I use the Print/Fax >Scanner panel to do the scans.


It's a Canon Pixma 870.


Thanks for any advice.

MBP 13 2.53gHZ/4mb RAM, PB G4 12, 1gHZ/768 mb RAM, OS X.3.9, Mac OS X (10.6.7), Touch 2 gen, Shuffle 1 gen, Nano 2 gen, PM7300/200 416 mb RAM OS

Posted on Jan 29, 2013 7:18 PM

Reply
10 replies

Apr 6, 2014 10:34 AM in response to Marlinespike

I have the same problem and have narrowed it down to either the Apple Image capture software or some Apple Epson device updates. When I scan on an older Mac using Epson software color scans from my Epson 610 scanner (2400 dpi max) are nice and crisp and in focus. When I scan the same exact image on this set up using Image Capture the 4 CMKY colors are offset from each other by a little bit (ie. out of focus). My particular problem is a have a nice new Macbook Pro retina display running Mavericks and the Epson scanner software will not run under Mavericks because Epson in their infinite wizdom has decided not to support older scanners with their current software. Therefore I have no good scanner software that works on Mavericks at the moment. If Apple does not fix this issue I will have to search for a new scanner software that works with my older scanner. The scanner works just fine and delivers excellent results. It's the software that is the problem. I should not have to buy a new scanner or new scanner software because Apple and Epson decide not to support the older devices. In my view somebody at Apple needs to fix this. If they are really a design and graphics focused company this should be fixed promptly! Do you hear us Apple?

Feb 5, 2013 6:39 PM in response to PAHU

Thanks, PAHU,


I tried upping the resolution and it didn't improve things. 😟


Sheet feed or flat bed is equally bad. So is color, B/W, or Text settings.


What is black on the page looks gray on the scan. What is maroon looks pink. Everything looks slightly out of focus - it's fuzzy instead of sharp.


I'm sort of lost. I don't use this printer/scanner very often but i don't recall it scanning so poorly before. 😟

Feb 5, 2013 8:39 PM in response to PAHU

Thanks, PAHU! That was a good idea.


The copy looks better than the scan. The text is sharp. The color almost matches.


I've run software update and it shows the software is up to date. It says the last Canon software updated was version 2.11. It also shows the original software as version 2.5.


Hmmm... maybe over the weekend I should try to boot into a clone and see if it does a better scan job.

Apr 6, 2014 4:35 PM in response to Eric Root

If it is Epson that provides the printer software updates via apple software update then they would be the responsible party. I assumed, perhaps incorrectly that updates via apple software update came from Apple. In any case if Epson were to support their "Epson scan" software for older scanners under newer operating systems I would simply use their software. Unfortunately the Epson scan software stopped working a few Mac OS ago. I did in fact send Epson support a query about this as well. Maybe they will respond with something positive but I doubt it

Apr 6, 2014 5:53 PM in response to Marlinespike

I have the same problem. Looking for replacement software I tried a trial version of VueScan which seems like a good product. It does not have the same blurry image problem however it only recognizes my scanner at 600 dpi which is the "optical resolution" of the CCD chip. The original Epson Scan software that used to work a few Apple OS ago also recognizes the Epson "Micro step motor" which yields 600 x 2400 DPI. I'm guessing with that paid software I would have to interpolate the scans in Photoshop to increase resolution beyond 600 DPI which may not be as good as the hardware resolution achieved via the 600 dpi ccd + the micro stepping motor = 600 x 2400 res. I wish Epson would just keep their software running on current Apple computers so we could continue to use the older scanners. I hate buying new equipment or software when the old is working just fine.

Apr 7, 2014 9:09 AM in response to stewend

According to the Epson rep I spoke to today the problem does not have a fix from Epson other than purchasing another software such as VueScan or asking Apple to fix the Image capture program to correctly work with my older Perfection 610 scanner. They no longer support the Epson scan software on Mavericks (which does work correctly on older macs) and do not have a fix for the Image Capture blurry scans. I also found out by contacting VueScan that their program only supports the optical resolution of the scanner. In my case the Perfection 610 has optical resolution of 600 dpi however it uses a micro step motor technology that increases the resolution in the direction of the scan head to 2400. So you end up with a 600 x 2400 dpi scan via the slow moving scan head. Vue Scan does not support the Micro Step technology so you end up with a 600 x 600 dpi scan. It seems I cannot win with this legacy scanner. I have no fix other than paying for new scan software that reduces my effective resolution on my device which I would have to try to make up for by interpolating the scan in photoshop. This is a sad situation. I have noticed that Apple Image capture works correctly with other scanners we have in my office. Given this fact it may be ages if ever that Apple makes changes to support my device. 😟

Scans look faded and blurry - now what?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.