Scanning 8mm/Super8 Home Videos

[deleted user]

Just a quick one to tell you that there is a process now available which can reverse to an extent the red fade (which is actually the cyan layer in the stock fading) which is only too common on the early colour stocks, it's offered by a lab in Italy and well documented on the 8mm forum. Although it would probably never restore the colours well enough to be a reference it would make them enjoyable to project again

I've heard of that. I wonder if that process makes a potential scan better or worse.

[zoidberg]

I think that scanning at a sufficient bit-depth will recover whatever colour is left in the print, although again without a reference you are basically guessing at the final look. In the photochemical restoration years they would create a new negative by adjusting the RGB/CMY exposures to achieve the correct density, similar principle.

I guess that using this process to restore colour would mean that a scan wouldn't have to be 'stretched' so far to get the colour back, it seems to work better with certain stocks and not as well/at all with others

[deleted user]

Oh yeah I'm sure that's true, but it would be interesting to know how exactly it works. Thought being, there is a process called "push processing" in film development for example where you can develop something longer to get a stronger image (when you underexposed for example), but as a result you get heavier grain and less resolution. I wonder if this has a similar effect, which would mean that you actually end up with more detail when scanning the faded print.

Either way, I bet in 10 years time we will have AI that can auto-correct red fade perfectly, heh.

[zoidberg]

I wouldn't have thought it would introduce extra detail beyond what was originally there, but I've not seen the results in person so I couldn't say. Generally faded prints are softer, I think it's to do with all 3 layers being needed to make sharp edges plus the loss of contrast.

Either way, I bet in 10 years time we will have AI that can auto-correct red fade perfectly, heh.

Considering Hollywood still has no way of getting theatrical colours from an IP scan (which by it's very nature contains the correct timing) I'm sceptical

[deleted user]

I wouldn't have thought it would introduce extra detail beyond what was originally there, but I've not seen the results in person so I couldn't say. Generally faded prints are softer, I think it's to do with all 3 layers being needed to make sharp edges plus the loss of contrast.

Either way, I bet in 10 years time we will have AI that can auto-correct red fade perfectly, heh.

Considering Hollywood still has no way of getting theatrical colours from an IP scan (which by it's very nature contains the correct timing) I'm sceptical

Question is, is Hollywood even trying? I think we can sometimes get caught up in our own universe here and start thinking that this is what everyone wants but every now and then I talk to normal people who couldn't care less. They will even say things like "grain is a defect and is ugly and annoying", which is baffling to me and most of us probably but hey.

[zoidberg]

You're right to say most people outside of fanres/OT/blu ray forum don't worry about stuff like this although things like Orange/Teal do have slightly wider awareness.

The truth is that they moved from a film-based system to a video-based system with all that entails, although the early DI stuff did at least have a real crack at emulating the look of projected film (but I think DIs took ages then and cost way more). A lot of what has come since is probably directors wanting new 'looks' that couldn't be achieved before, using digital to push boundaries, 'fixing it in post' mentality etc. Which is fine so long as when the time comes to restore/archive older catalogue titles you can do so.

[deleted user]

Zombie (Dawn of the dead) part 1 and 2 relatively cheap buy-now:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/184497696145?ul_noapp=true
https://www.ebay.de/itm/184497709655?ul_noapp=true

This is on AGFA according to the seller, so no fading.

[alleycat]

Zombie (Dawn of the dead) part 1 and 2 relatively cheap buy-now:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/184497696145?ul_noapp=true
https://www.ebay.de/itm/184497709655?ul_noapp=true

This is on AGFA according to the seller, so no fading.

My worry about this is the chances of finding part 3 on it's own at a later date. Saw someone selling this recently on a facebook group, it was complete but they wanted $500!

[deleted user]

Zombie (Dawn of the dead) part 1 and 2 relatively cheap buy-now:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/184497696145?ul_noapp=true
https://www.ebay.de/itm/184497709655?ul_noapp=true

This is on AGFA according to the seller, so no fading.

My worry about this is the chances of finding part 3 on it's own at a later date. Saw someone selling this recently on a facebook group, it was complete but they wanted $500!

Hard to say, but it's a good price judging by the usual rates.

[deleted user]

Another Zombie auction: https://www.ebay.de/itm/274588861274

No info about colors