pwcc (part two)

[calvindog]

Are we actually still debating whether PWCC doctors its scans? Unless you're a consignor of PWCC or named Brent does anyone else honestly think they don't?

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by calvindog

Are we actually still debating whether PWCC doctors its scans? Unless you're a consignor of PWCC or named Brent does anyone else honestly think they don't?

Again, there is a difference (at least to me) in doctoring scans to make a card more aesthetically pleasing (adding color) versus doctoring scans to hide flaws within the card. Yes, both are wrong, but I think the latter of the two is way more deceptive. Until now, I’ve only seen where he added color to make his scans appear more brighter. This shows he doctors scans to hide flaws within the card.

[autograf]

Agree completely on removing a print dot. Contrast/Hue/etc is one thing and might be explained away in a few circumstances. If the above is true, very indicting...........

[glchen]

Again, I'm a known consignor to PWCC, so it is what it is. However, in the above scan, could it possibly be due to the dust removal option in the scanner? I've seen examples where the dot was removed from the half letter grades in PSA flips in scans. (e.g., "7.5" would appear as "7 5").

[the-illini]

Originally Posted by glchen

Again, I'm a known consignor to PWCC, so it is what it is. However, in the above scan, could it possibly be due to the dust removal option in the scanner? I've seen examples where the dot was removed from the half letter grades in PSA flips in scans. (e.g., "7.5" would appear as "7 5").

If I am the seller of the card and I saw that a setting I had turned on removed a significant flaw like the one above, I scan the card again, until it shows up properly.

[cyseymour]

As members of this board, we have two options. We can absolve auction houses of all responsibility for their scans by saying that any disappeared blemish is a result of the dust removal option, and passing off any changes in the hue/contrast, etc. as simply an attempt by the auction house to make the scan appear more realistic.

Or, we can demand accountability and ensure that the settings aren't changed, dust removal options aren't being used, and that we are receiving true scans from modern scanners which, these days, possess the ability to give an accurate scan at their default settings.

The choice is yours, folks.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by cyseymour

As members of this board, we have two options. We can absolve auction houses of all responsibility for their scans by saying that any disappeared blemish is a result of the dust removal option, and passing off any changes in the hue/contrast, etc. as simply an attempt by the auction house to make the scan appear more realistic.

Or, we can demand accountability and ensure that the settings aren't changed, dust removal options aren't being used, and that we are receiving true scans from modern scanners which, these days, possess the ability to give an accurate scan at their default settings.

The choice is yours, folks.

Let me get this straight - are you saying that we should all agree that no one is allowed go change scanner settings? Please clarify, because I am not sure what your position is.

[thecatspajamas]

Originally Posted by cyseymour

Or, we can demand accountability and ensure that the settings aren't changed, dust removal options aren't being used, and that we are receiving true scans from modern scanners which, these days, possess the ability to give an accurate scan at their default settings.

How about just shortening your statement to: "we can demand accountability and ensure that...we are receiving...an accurate scan."

Insisting that a seller use a "modern scanner" and "default settings" does not ensure an accurate scan. Hold the seller accountable for the accuracy of the image posted, not the means they employed to produce it.

[glchen]

Originally Posted by the-illini

If I am the seller of the card and I saw that a setting I had turned on removed a significant flaw like the one above, I scan the card again, until it shows up properly.

Well, I don't know if that's entirely fair. PWCC has thousands of cards that they scan. I remember (and now it seems so long ago) when people used to say that PWCC was one of the better auction houses in the business because they always provided large scans of both of front and back of cards. When they sell complete sets or near sets, they provide scans of an extraordinary number of cards, I would say more than any other auction house in the business including those who issue auction catalogs. You can't expect them to view every single auction closely to see the scan matches perfectly. What they do is they scan the items for the consignors, and then they allow the consignors to preview the items before they go live on ebay. If the consignors find any issues, then they report it to PWCC where they can make the necessary corrections. True story, this was one of my past consignments to PWCC: Link When I saw the scan, I told Brent from PWCC that I thought the scan looked bad, and much worse compared to the Legendary auction scan where I bought the item from: Link. I told him the Legendary scan was much closer to what the actual item looked like. However, Brent basically told me that scan was the best they could do for a large item like that. I mean if there were any items to be touched up or photoshopped, you would have thought that he would have at least done something there, but he didn't do anything to make it appear better. Again, I'm not saying that PWCC is completely innocent as I don't know everything that goes on at PWCC. However, I don't know if I see a smoking gun yet.

[markf31]

Originally Posted by glchen

Well, I don't know if that's entirely fair. PWCC has thousands of cards that they scan.

I'm personally tired of hearing this statement made, that because an Ebay consignment seller sells/posts and has to scan soooo many items that they can't realistically QA/QC each and every scan. That is the biggest bunch of BS. If they can't complete what should be one of the basic tasks of their business then they need to rethink and re-evaluate how they operate their business. Of course, they won't be pressured to change until something begins to effect their bottom line.

I do have a new suggestion though that I believe could greatly improve the relationship between the scans posted and the actual condition of the cards themselves in regards to scanner settings. If every scan would simply include a "proof color strip" that shows the basic RGB colors (red, green, blue, white and black) on a strip of paper next to the card itself on the scanner bed. A quick glance at the proof strip would allow the viewer to quickly determine if the scanner settings have been modified, if black or any other colors look washed out on the proof strip, the viewer knows the scan is washed out or some other settings have been modified to try to improve the scans appearance.

Now granted this does not eliminate flat deception from Photoshop editing, but I think it would go a long way in improving most scans where scanner settings are involved.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by glchen

However, in the above scan, could it possibly be due to the dust removal option in the scanner? I've seen examples where the dot was removed from the half letter grades in PSA flips in scans. (e.g., "7.5" would appear as "7 5").

I've seen exactly what you're talking about in reference to the PSA flips, but I don't think that is the case here. If he had the dust filter turned on, why would it only remove that big red print dot and not other things - e.g. any of the punctuation (dots or commas) at the bottom of the card that is even smaller and even more resembling of dust?

[Peter_Spaeth]

How do you remove the dot and get the same purple background as the rest of the card?

[npa589]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

How do you remove the dot and get the same purple background as the rest of the card?

Theoretically speaking, if one were so inclined, and it was intentional rather than "unintentional" due to some obscure scanner setting, then one could open it in paint as a very large scan, select the color immediately around it with any "paint drop" tool from MSPaint, or nearly any image editor, and then use a small paintbrush tool to paint over the red dot.