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Software to refocus old out of focus photos
Nov 8, 2017 11:26:38 #
I've been frustrated for years trying to bring old photos into correct focus. These photos are historical and of family taken with box cameras or Browies. Also have modern pics where I just messed up the focus. Now using Canon cameras and have few problems and those due to poor eyesight. I have full versions of Photoshop, Elements, several other paint and editing programs but none can refocus shots. My video editing software does a good job or re-focusing video and with several operations a photo can be imported and worked with. Just want something less demanding on eyes. After a hour on PC eyes just quit working.
My first post here, but please know I've been lurking around for a long time. Much good advise and info here..... thanks to all of you.
Kind Regards
My first post here, but please know I've been lurking around for a long time. Much good advise and info here..... thanks to all of you.
Kind Regards
Nov 8, 2017 11:31:50 #
Leitz
Loc: Solms
ancient mountaneer wrote:
I've been frustrated for years trying to bring old... (show quote)
Good luck with that - anything you have to look at is demanding on eyes.
Nov 8, 2017 11:52:07 #
ancient mountaneer wrote:
I've been frustrated for years trying to bring old... (show quote)
Welcome to UHH. I use a camera stand and a micro nikkor lens with two lights at 90 degrees to the old photos and they come out super sharp. In face I see all the defects in the print. So, with that said it is all in your technique in photographing the old prints. If you have a tripod where you can reverse the center post that will work also instead of a camera stand. If you live close by, be glad to loan you the setup.
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Nov 8, 2017 12:01:34 #
"My video editing software does a good job of re-focusing video"
What software is that? And, how does it work?
What software is that? And, how does it work?
Nov 8, 2017 12:04:04 #
bpulv
Loc: Buena Park, CA
As the old saying goes, "You can't get something for nothing." If the quality of sharpness is not in the negative (or print), you cannot recover what you do not have in the first place. Software such as Photoshop can sharpen edges and the like, but if an image does not have a somewhat discernible edge, it cannot recover what is not there in the first place. If there is enough to work with, it will be a challenge to make an edge that does not look artificial.
Nov 8, 2017 12:05:17 #
Curiosity forced a google search and I found a product. It shows a comparison chart with other brands/methods.
http://www.focusmagic.com/
http://www.focusmagic.com/
Nov 8, 2017 12:56:50 #
bpulv
Loc: Buena Park, CA
bsprague wrote:
Curiosity forced a google search and I found a product. It shows a comparison chart with other brands/methods.
http://www.focusmagic.com/
http://www.focusmagic.com/
I looked at their website and it could help. But you should notice that the sharpening was offset by a noticeable increase in art effects. The tradeoff may or may not be acceptable depending on the photo.
Nov 8, 2017 14:46:41 #
bpulv wrote:
I looked at their website and it could help. But you should notice that the sharpening was offset by a noticeable increase in art effects. The tradeoff may or may not be acceptable depending on the photo.
Start reading up on the deconvolutional sharpeners: Smart sharpen and Shake Recovery especially. They can do some amazing re-gathering of scattered points of graphic information data to the original site from which they were originally scattered...based on the Richardson-Lucy ( or is it Lucy-Richardson ??? ) algorithm. And when they work, it is downright amazing! They operate totally differently from the edge sharpeners...of which unsharp mask and derivatives are most commonly used.
Study a bit...amazing what you can find!
Dave
Nov 8, 2017 15:08:43 #
Nov 8, 2017 17:04:18 #
Are you near a city? Do you have a records office, museum etc that you could consult.
There are often displays of 'old photo's'.... Look and see what is deemed 'acceptable' and where possible ask how different from the original their displays are.....you may be over reaching! OR you may learn how they do it.
Perhaps as a trial....try converting an image into a 'Pencil drawing' using software...the effect can rejuvinate interest. See if making a smaller print (Size not resolution) may 'trick the eye' into thinking it is in focus.
In todays world we only see 'sharp' images - In the past sharpness was 'less of an issue'. Prints were small and not 'everyday items' .
Good luck
There are often displays of 'old photo's'.... Look and see what is deemed 'acceptable' and where possible ask how different from the original their displays are.....you may be over reaching! OR you may learn how they do it.
Perhaps as a trial....try converting an image into a 'Pencil drawing' using software...the effect can rejuvinate interest. See if making a smaller print (Size not resolution) may 'trick the eye' into thinking it is in focus.
In todays world we only see 'sharp' images - In the past sharpness was 'less of an issue'. Prints were small and not 'everyday items' .
Good luck
Nov 8, 2017 17:15:59 #
ancient mountaneer wrote:
After a hour on PC eyes just quit working.
My first post here
After a hour on PC eyes just quit working.
My first post here
Ancient, welcome to the Hog! It's about \time you got a paid membership!!
If I gotta pay, you should to!!!
SOOO, if your eyes quit in an hour, why don't you just look for 1/2 an hour??? LoL
SS
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Nov 8, 2017 17:46:14 #
ancient mountaneer wrote:
Software can only go so far and you can not change something that is not there, meaning if there is no focus on a subject, not any software will magically create it for you. PS is about as good as it gets, but you're out of luck. The only way to have properly focused pics, is to have them properly focused in camera while taking them!I've been frustrated for years trying to bring old... (show quote)
Nov 9, 2017 06:57:08 #
Nov 9, 2017 07:00:58 #
bpulv wrote:
I looked at their website and it could help. But you should notice that the sharpening was offset by a noticeable increase in art effects. The tradeoff may or may not be acceptable depending on the photo.
Sorry to be a stickler, but the correct term is artifacts, not “art effects”. Artifacts are imperfections in the image created by over sharpening. Art effects are created in camera or PP to render images to make them look more “cool” like posterizing or watercolours.
Nov 9, 2017 07:03:01 #
1Feathercrest
Loc: NEPA
When you givesomeone something to use, you LEND it! A loan is the object, not the action.
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