What is banding?

I've experienced it when scanning printed documents. The scan is a 2nd generation reproduction, so there are bands crossing the file. Is that what you mean?

Hey I went through and compiled some links for ya. There is different kinds of banding. Normally it is attributed to posterization however it can also happen depending on the way the sensor in your camera works. For instance the D200 had problems with banding, and the 5d had problems with electronic interference causing banding.

http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bin/nikon...p?p_faqid=13872
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=posterization

The simplest explanation of banding is the presense of vertical or horizontal lines (bands) in the undersexposed or fringes of overexposed portions of your images. If it is in straight lines this is usually banding from the image sensor.

Banding due to posterization leaves you with thick lined noisey looking gradients instead of smooth ones. Any questions.

Banding can also happen if the printer heads are not aligned correctly or are dirty.

This happens to me. I think I get WHAT is happening (from the description of the second link) BUT what do I do to prevent it????

Thanks!

are you sure you aren't talking about noise?

Don't underexpose.

[sarcasm]now THOSE, my friends, are the words of a TRUE professional who simply wants to help and make life better for everyone.[/sarcasm]

I'm new to this forum and I'm replying months after the fact, but we have a lot of experience dealing with banding issues. Typically its either a clogged nozzle (in an inkjet printhead) which might be solved by a power cleaning. Banding is also more likely to happen when you set up your inkjet printer to print bi-directionally (it puts down ink as it travels both ways across the paper) instead of uni-directionally.

That's my experience anyway - and we have multiple large format inkjet printers going day and night at our office.

I know its late but I hope it helps