Hello everyone,
This is my first post and hoping for some help. I have read and watched many tutorials and studied since buying my laser engraver but still having a problem with image quality.
First of all this what I am using:
Lenovo desktop PC running Windows 10
Ortur Laser Master 2 S2 with 1.6W laser running the latest firmware and the latest version of Lightburn. Using GRBL
I am using the same material for testing images which is 3mm bass wood.
I have run a line interval test to determine the best line interval for my laser.
Also, created and ran a power to speed test to check shading to try an figure the best speed to power ration when engraving. Secondly, I check to make sure my G code setting for power matches my settings for lightburn.
My problem is, that no matter what I test the image is either too dark, too light, and the clarity of the image is just not great. I am using some photographs of family and some I have tried have just been downloaded from the web.
A few questions I have are this.
When I import an image into lightburn if the image is big and I shrink the size down will that make a different in image quality?
Do the images I am trying to engrave need to be a raster image?
Or could it be my laser is on the lower watt end and just not able to get more detailed images?
Thanks for everyones time. I can post some images later if that would help.
Photos are very difficult to get good results with. Here is a 2 part video that should help.
In answer to your specific questions, 1) Shrinking an image can affect quality, but I don’t think that’s your issue. 2) Any photo that you bring into Lightburn is a raster image unless you perform an image trace and turn it into a vector, which comes with its own set of challenges. 3) Your laser is definately on the low end of power, but people have done some amazing engravings with low power lasers, it just requires slower speeds.
Prepping your photo is important. Sharpen and lighten being most critical. Remember that your engrave is only have 2 colors to work with so contrast between them is what you want to concentrate on.
Then you need to choose your image mode for the effect you want.
Low power lasers should give you better results than higher power.
Funny this came up while I was making my second attempt at photo engraving.
Here is a video that probably helped me the most.
