Best software for restoring old B/W antique photos from 1920s
I'm scanning, archiving and re-printing several old scrapbooks for my parents.
Most pictures are b/w and were taken in the 1920s and 1930s.
I need some help finding the BEST "automatic" photo restoration software - as I have 100's of photos to scan, restore and re-print. For a few, I've been manually adjusting levels, contrast, despeckle, etc. But it takes forever and I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm just now learning about curves.
The Extensis Intellihance Quick Enhance feature works PERFECTLY on about 25% of the photos. The rest, it makes worse.
I have the following tools:
-BOOK
Photoshop Restoration and Retouching - ISBN 0-7357-1350-2
-SCANNER
HP office Jet 7100 all in one scanner/printer
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF06b/18972-238444-236260-12019-236260-91462-91473-91474.html
Scan resolution, hardware
Up to 1200 x 4800 DPI
Bit depth
Up to 48-bit
-SOFTWARE
Adobe Photoshop CS, Fireworks 2004 MX, Paint Shop Pro 7.0
-Extensis Intellihance Pro 4.0
http://www.extensis.com/intellihancepro/index.html?ref=hp
MIGHT PURCHASE SOFTWARE
-I am about ready to purchase ImageDoctor - $99
http://www.alienskin.com/idoc/idoc_main.html
-I am about ready to purchase FocusMagic - $45
http://www.eyecandy.com/partner/fm_main.html
-I'm thinking about purchasing ASF SHO - but their plug ins are a bit pricey.
http://argon.asf.com/asf/product.asp?pid=1000&tc=9999&catalog%5Fname=ASF&category%5Fname=Software+Plugins&product%5Fid=SHO
For my current scrapbook - I've already scanned in all the photos at 300 DPI. I find 1200 DPI crashes my PC - which is a Pentium 4 with 2.66 mhtz and 992 Ram.
But I'm wondering if I need better scanning software. I'm using HP's software that came with the hp office jet 7110. Can you recommend better?
I'm giving 500 points for this complex question.
Most pictures are b/w and were taken in the 1920s and 1930s.
I need some help finding the BEST "automatic" photo restoration software - as I have 100's of photos to scan, restore and re-print. For a few, I've been manually adjusting levels, contrast, despeckle, etc. But it takes forever and I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm just now learning about curves.
The Extensis Intellihance Quick Enhance feature works PERFECTLY on about 25% of the photos. The rest, it makes worse.
I have the following tools:
-BOOK
Photoshop Restoration and Retouching - ISBN 0-7357-1350-2
-SCANNER
HP office Jet 7100 all in one scanner/printer
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF06b/18972-238444-236260-12019-236260-91462-91473-91474.html
Scan resolution, hardware
Up to 1200 x 4800 DPI
Bit depth
Up to 48-bit
-SOFTWARE
Adobe Photoshop CS, Fireworks 2004 MX, Paint Shop Pro 7.0
-Extensis Intellihance Pro 4.0
http://www.extensis.com/intellihancepro/index.html?ref=hp
MIGHT PURCHASE SOFTWARE
-I am about ready to purchase ImageDoctor - $99
http://www.alienskin.com/idoc/idoc_main.html
-I am about ready to purchase FocusMagic - $45
http://www.eyecandy.com/partner/fm_main.html
-I'm thinking about purchasing ASF SHO - but their plug ins are a bit pricey.
http://argon.asf.com/asf/product.asp?pid=1000&tc=9999&catalog%5Fname=ASF&category%5Fname=Software+Plugins&product%5Fid=SHO
For my current scrapbook - I've already scanned in all the photos at 300 DPI. I find 1200 DPI crashes my PC - which is a Pentium 4 with 2.66 mhtz and 992 Ram.
But I'm wondering if I need better scanning software. I'm using HP's software that came with the hp office jet 7110. Can you recommend better?
I'm giving 500 points for this complex question.
weed
NOTHING is going to be perfect %100 of the time. Photo restoration takes time, patience, and skill. At best you could write a Photoshop action but that's not going to help you with the most important things like Levels, Curves, etc that you have to actually SEE in order to properly fix. For fixing tears, wrinkles etc there's only one way to fix it and that's manually.
Weed is giving you the straight up answer. Phoroshop should handle this for you, but if your looking for a program with a garenteed fix all, thou is out of luck... -> Hopefully after the first 50 or so you will start to develope a technice that will enable you to quickly analize a photo and make a list in your mind as to what procesess you will need to use to restore it. This should speed up the process.
ASKER
yeah - I understand - I'm getting there.
I'm seeing how each picture has it problems.
My worst trouble is images with stark white with no detail - surrounded by darking images. See picture at:
See this image . . .
http://www.lougheed.net/Lougheed/Cook-Lougheed/page2-copy-3-not-satisfied.jpg
Any idea how to soften the white? Especially in the little girls dress.
Also is there a good trick for scanning old newspaper articles? I've been told to scan them in at 76 DPI. This works great on the text, but not the pictures.
Finally, can you recommend a good flexible multi-featured scan software program? I'm limited by the software shipped by HP.
I'm seeing how each picture has it problems.
My worst trouble is images with stark white with no detail - surrounded by darking images. See picture at:
See this image . . .
http://www.lougheed.net/Lougheed/Cook-Lougheed/page2-copy-3-not-satisfied.jpg
Any idea how to soften the white? Especially in the little girls dress.
Also is there a good trick for scanning old newspaper articles? I've been told to scan them in at 76 DPI. This works great on the text, but not the pictures.
Finally, can you recommend a good flexible multi-featured scan software program? I'm limited by the software shipped by HP.
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SOLUTION
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I would actually suggest NOT using Actions. Why? Because each photo is different and the same amount of the same filter will not be appropriate for all photos. Youll end up with what you had before. Just making it worse. If you're going to spend the time to really restore these photos correctly, ACTUALLY spend the time to do them correctly.
ASKER
Hi all.
Thank you so much for your thorough answers. I have a tendency to keep trying (trial and error) to make software do things - that I'm not sure it can do. In other words, I waste a lot of time.
Now that I know manual is the way to go . . . I'll focus and move on.
You did give me some good tips like "light blue and unsharp".
I don't think there is any filter I haven't tried. I think that is my problem . . . I make too many changes and I forget which versions are optimal. I do try to use adjustment layers - but I get lost sometimes.
At this point, I think when I can find the time -- I should sit down and study up on a deeper level. My background is in marketing, and I'm always finding I need to learn more about graphic arts, photography, etc.
Hope I divided up the points fairly.
Thanks again. April
P.S. If you know of any good books on "restoring antique photos", I'm thinking about buying another one. Maybe "Heirloom Photo Restoration for Dummies" <- just kidding. :)
Thank you so much for your thorough answers. I have a tendency to keep trying (trial and error) to make software do things - that I'm not sure it can do. In other words, I waste a lot of time.
Now that I know manual is the way to go . . . I'll focus and move on.
You did give me some good tips like "light blue and unsharp".
I don't think there is any filter I haven't tried. I think that is my problem . . . I make too many changes and I forget which versions are optimal. I do try to use adjustment layers - but I get lost sometimes.
At this point, I think when I can find the time -- I should sit down and study up on a deeper level. My background is in marketing, and I'm always finding I need to learn more about graphic arts, photography, etc.
Hope I divided up the points fairly.
Thanks again. April
P.S. If you know of any good books on "restoring antique photos", I'm thinking about buying another one. Maybe "Heirloom Photo Restoration for Dummies" <- just kidding. :)