Image improvements continue

 

  • Image improvements continue

    Posted by Huw, 25 Feb 2013 10:01. Filed under Brickset.

    It's been a quiet few days for news, but I've been busy behind the scenes scanning my instruction covers. I've now done all the sets I own that were released prior to 2000 (that came with instructions), which is some 566 new scans. Shortly, I will make the full-sized 150dpi scans available, too.

    That's all well and good but I still need your help! There are loads of sets I don't own and that we don't have an image for, or don't have a decent image.

    To make it easy for you to see which sets in your collection we need scans for, I've created a couple of queries:


     

    So, if you (a) find sets on the lists (b) have a scanner (c) have time, please send me some scans! Ideally they will be

    • Of as-new or lightly creased instruction covers, or polybags
    • Scanned at 150dpi, with descreening enabled (I use screen ruling 175dpi fine print on my Epson), or if they are small, scanned at 240 or 300dpi.
    • Saved as JPGs at a quality of 90% (0.9)

    If you have a few to send you can email them (huw at brickset.com), but if you'd prefer I can share a DropBox folder with you, which makes transferring large files much easier.

    Thanks to everyone who's started to send theirs through: I have a slight backlog but I should get them uploaded soon.

    While you're going though your collection, I'll crack on with 2000 onwards...


    29 comments, latest one posted 3 months ago.
    17340 views


 

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Comments

Posted by Andhe in United Kingdom, 25 Feb 2013 11:19

^Those queries aren't working for me?

Posted by ninjavader999 in United States, 25 Feb 2013 11:28

This is great! Thanks, Huw!

Posted by The Green Brick Giant in United States, 25 Feb 2013 11:35

HAHA

And I just went one by one of all the instructions I had. Some are in bad shape, but still look better than what is already here.

Posted by Sethro3 in United States, 25 Feb 2013 11:43

I own a lot of those same sets before 2000, but I don't have access to a scanner. Hopefully someone will have something. I'll have to go through all of my instructions, but they aren't in that bad of shape for the most part.

Posted by lordskylark in United States, 25 Feb 2013 11:47

Does anyone have a list of the 5 or 6 digit number code on the instruction booklets (not the set number, but like 120312 in that image)? It would be interesting to have a full listing of all of those. Then you would know if there were unreleased sets by a gap in the numbers, because at that time the numbering system made more sense and all the instructions were numbered in sequential order when new sets were released.

This definitely would not be the same with the sets change the numbering system change in mid-2000s. Because now with the 7-digit code they just lumped every single product into the same system, including all the part/color combination codes. So, this would only be able to be seen from the era before they changed the numbering system.

Andy

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 25 Feb 2013 12:05

@andhe, what happens? When I run the first query as you it seems to work ok: http://www.brickset.com/search/advanced/run/?q=572&user=andhe

Posted by tmgm528 in United States, 25 Feb 2013 12:58

Man Huw you have alot of sets from the 90's! d: How'd you manage to get your hands on the kutabya (or whatever they are called) polybags? d:

Posted by spacysmoke in United States, 25 Feb 2013 12:59

Tip for scanners: put a black piece of paper behind sheet you are scanning. This reduces the translucency of the sheet so you won't see the printing on the back of the sheet coming through. This is mostly for instructions that use thinner/white/light-colored paper.

Posted by Modok in United States, 25 Feb 2013 13:00

This is off-topic, but did anyone notice that the thumbnail for the Road Repair Crew on the main page kind of looks like the cover to the Great Gatsby?

Posted by tmgm528 in United States, 25 Feb 2013 13:07

/\ Haha I was actually thinking the same thing.

Posted by joao in Portugal, 25 Feb 2013 13:22

Is there a way to coordinate the submissions? From my query I see I might have 4 sets to submit. How do I know that mine are in better shape than yours? Is the image we're seeing your best version already and the one we need to improve on? Or is it just depth/dpi you're lacking and need?

And is there a way to know if someone else is already working on a new scan of a set so we don't overlap effort?

Posted by LEGOLEGOLEGO!!! in New Zealand, 25 Feb 2013 13:53

How do we scan brick tubs? I don't think the old ones ever came with instructions.
Maybe I could take a photo and put that up instead.

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 25 Feb 2013 14:01

@tmgm528, I bought the Kabaya sets at the time, with the help of someone in Japan, I suspect.

@joao, not currently, and I agree that is a potential problem. I guess I am not anticipating 'hundreds' of people all submitting at once. If I keep on top of submissions that will minimise the problem. And yes to your question. MOst the flagged images are too small.

^ Not too fussed aboout brick tubs, they are pretty boring aren't they. But, yes, obviously they'll need to be photographed, preferably in good light and square-on and at a high resolution if you're using a camera phone.

Posted by Andhe in United Kingdom, 25 Feb 2013 15:41

@Huw, seems to be working now. Before it seemed to imply it was a bad query.

Edit:also realised that it's sets I own, as in me, hence why the second one came back null.

Posted by LEGOMANWA in United States, 25 Feb 2013 16:14

I wish we can find a way to help. We have a lot of the old sets in our inventory but they are all in sealed boxes. I will look into providing UPC/EAN and dimension info for the database instead
Jason (Chowren Toys)

Posted by rocao in United States, 25 Feb 2013 16:21

It looks like I have 174 sets that need better photos. I'll see what I can do.

Posted by yamaki in Germany, 25 Feb 2013 16:48

sorry for being off topic, but I never knew about set 1772! Amazing little piece. Must have been US and/or airline exclusive. // on-topic: I highly welcome everyones work to put these on, and everyones skills to have kept these mint over the decades. Mine are all wrinkled up...

Posted by Zrath in United States, 25 Feb 2013 17:16

I ran the query and wow! That's just about every Classic Space set I own!
I'll see if I can coax the ol' scanner to life...

Posted by Branko in Australia, 25 Feb 2013 18:19

Hmm, I'm with Zrath. Perhaps we should organise ourselves a bit to prevent double work.

@Huw: I have been talking with some members of the MUGS (Melbourne LUG) about higher quality instruction scans. Do you know if there is any project underway to achieve that? I have a fair few instructions from 'the olden days' and I would be willing to scan if I know they will end up in the proper place.

Posted by jonbuddy in United States, 25 Feb 2013 18:30

http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=1637-1 is the only set I own that doesn't have an image. I would love to send in a pic, however, there is no instruction booklet, only the bucket itself. I can't do your professional-looking camera setup :-), but I can get a decent picture of it with a white background. Would that be okay? (same goes for http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=2381-1)

Also, got 3 other sets that could use better pictures. I'll do my best.

Posted by ra226 in United States, 26 Feb 2013 13:06

I'm with Zrath and Branko--I'm showing about 40 results, about half of which are classic space. I'd be happy to start scanning what I have but agree, it'd be nice to not duplicate others' work. Is is possible to craft a query of things I have that Zrath and Branko don't have? (I believe users' collections are public, yes?)

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 26 Feb 2013 14:02

^ Actually, no you can't do that currently. It would be handy, I agree.

Personally, rather selfishly, I'd be happy to I receive multiple scans of the same set, then I can pick the best. But, to save your time, maybe the only co-ordination needed is to agree when to do them amongst yourselves, and let me process one batch before the other starts.

I've added around 100 user-submitted scans today and I thank everyone who's taken the time to scan and send them. I've had to reject a few, in the interests if maintaining quality, purely because they've been just a bit too creased or worn.

@jonbuddy, please give it a go!

Posted by chrismajor2124 in United States, 26 Feb 2013 22:13

Thanks for doing this Huw. The replaced pics so far are looking awesome!

Posted by klarky in Hungary, 27 Feb 2013 04:01

I have some back of box. If you want I 'll try to scan those pictures and I'll send you.

Do you collect it?

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 27 Feb 2013 05:49

^ Not yet, but I hope to start soon, once I've sorted out all the 'front of box/instructions' images

Posted by lloki1 in United States, 27 Feb 2013 08:12

I have some classic space sets with instructions, but the instructions are in my attic.=[
Next time im up there i will pull them out.

Posted by Thomson & Thompson in Canada, 01 Mar 2013 22:54

I have a box (set 1944) and a container (set 2087) that need images. I will do the same thing as jonbuddy.

Posted by legotech in United States, 09 Mar 2013 16:08

I tried scanning instructions on my HP photosmart all in one and it looked like junk...where do I find the descreening? Or how else to do i get good scans?

Would high DPI photos be ok?

Posted by whl8 in United States, 15 Mar 2013 19:09

I think a lot of the images they are trying to improve are fine the way they are. If I had to make a suggestion I would say they should have images of early Lego sets.

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