Image engraving is a system, not one magic setting
Good photo engraving depends on the interaction between the laser, material, focus, Speed/Power, Line Interval and the way LightBurn converts image tones into laser output. Changing only the dither mode rarely fixes a fundamentally wrong energy or resolution setup.
1. Understand the material response
Different materials produce tone in different ways. Wood darkens, anodized coatings may be removed, painted surfaces expose a lower layer, and some materials offer very little useful grayscale range. Use representative scrap whenever possible.
2. Establish Speed and Power first
Before fine-tuning image processing, find a Speed/Power region that gives you useful light-to-dark contrast without destroying detail. A Material Test is a good way to explore this systematically.
3. Find a realistic Line Interval
Line Interval controls the spacing between scan lines. Too much overlap wastes time and can muddy the image; too little leaves gaps. Use the Interval Test or a controlled gradient test instead of assuming that the highest DPI number is automatically best.
