Like film, printing paper is coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive compounds, which in the past years was processed in the darkroom. Because of its narrower dynamic range, print scanning, theoretically, is relatively undemanding. The density range and image detail of a print rarely exceed the density range an "everyday" scanner can capture. But, this is not true.

When done with wrong equipment or non-professional operator, scanning photographic prints exhibit various problems, such as further color compression, extreme contrasts, scan lines, light banding, out-of-focus capture, smeary details, interpolation issues, noise or moire patterns. Also, more problems arise when the photographs are old, faded, fragile or framed in a way that dismantling will destroy the print of the frame.

Realiscape Typorama uses a specialized workflow and equipment for every situation or demand, that can address any quality standard or technical concern. Especially for old framed material (that can't be detached for security resons) and for large format fragile prototypes, we use planetary cameras (up to A2 size), or large size copystands (up to A3 size) that can capture the image touch-free, without any expose to environmental, handling or take-apart dangers.