Need help sharpening photo so I can read License Number: My car was hit and run last evening and I was able to get this blurry crop of the big truck backing out of the area fast. I...

norvik1943 Loc: Jenks, OK and Domazan, France

My car was hit and run last evening and I was able to get this blurry crop of the big truck backing out of the area fast. I think the plate is DG-973-EE. It is a French plate just in case it appears odd to someone.

The small blue stripe on left has an F for France. Blue stripe on the right is the "state" or department as called here. Sure wish I could read that too but my Photosuite 13 doesn't have the capability like the processing software I see them using on NCIS and the police programs.

The original is a very dark shot taken from about 50 feet away. Two small white spots, and rectangular bar appear in original so I cropped it up to what you see.

thanx in advance. I think they hit the neighbors car as well. Police will appreciate evidence.

LIcense Plate Number needed.

Location of truck when other photo taken with flash, this one no flash.

georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

I think those cop shows just take a focused picture, blur it, and then show you the reverse. There is no way I know of to put detail in a blur or heavily pixelated images the way they do. You can sharpen what you have but it will just be sharply unreadable. However, I would hope someone else can prove me wrong. Here are three different attempts, each time putting it through a different sharpening tool, using Topaz Adjust and Photoshop. Maybe it will help, I don't know the French plate system.

norvik1943 wrote:

My car was hit and run last evening and I was able... (show quote)

License Plate 1

License Plate 2

License Plate 3

RichardE Loc: California

I think I read somewhere that the new PS CC can do some re-focusing or un-blurring of a photo. Can someone confirm?

cj7ole Loc: Highland MI

Maybe if you give the photo to the police as-is they can do something with it. As to the cop shows cleaning up street cam images from hundreds of feet away, well, lets say I am also interested in how they break someone's password after two tries.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Here was an attempt by me, not sure if it will help. Perhaps if you select the download tab and reposted the photo it might help someone do a better job. 8-)

norvik1943 Loc: Jenks, OK and Domazan, France

georgevedwards wrote:

I think those cop shows just take a focused picture, blur it, and then show you the reverse. There is no way I know of to put detail in a blur or heavily pixelated images the way they do. You can sharpen what you have but it will just be sharply unreadable. However, I would hope someone else can prove me wrong.

I must agree. I just love it on NCIS when they capture the license plate image via satellite (async orbit too) on some car speeding across the desert and the computer whiz sharpens it enough that you can see the screw heads holding it. Bull Hockey, but sure looks good on TV.

I do hope someone can sharpen it a bit. Cops need more than a guess to find the van I imagine.

norvik1943 Loc: Jenks, OK and Domazan, France

Bmac wrote:

Here was an attempt by me, not sure if it will help. Perhaps if you select the download tab and reposted the photo it might help someone do a better job. 8-)

Thanx for the effort. Oops, I forgot again about storing the original where you can get higher resolution image. Here it comes again. The original is 1.3MB. Don't know if my host's router will let me upload that much.

Update after upload. Great it did upload. Perhaps someone will have better chance with the original photo.

LIcense Plate Number needed.

Original. 1.9MB

Doyle Thomas Loc: Vancouver Washington ~ USA

license plate image via satellite

what they have been doing since the 1960's to sharpen satellite images is called "loop resampling". The data is repeatedly overlaid on itself. because the noise is random it tends to cancel itself while the non-random data builds. Multiple images are required such as from video.

Since the 1990's satellites have used liquid filled lenses where by the gaps between elements are filled with a refracting liquid effectively creating an additional element rather than having a gap filled with a gas. While the technology has yet to make its way to Photography it is being used in Lithography to make microchips. Depth of field is sacrificed in favor of sharpness.

norvik1943 Loc: Jenks, OK and Domazan, France

Doyle Thomas wrote:

license plate image via satellite br br what the... (show quote)

Darn, I wish NSA would give me a copy of this shot. I'm sure they took one too. Thanx for the info, space technology has always fascinated me. I'm sure the liquid used is exotic to prevent it from freezing in space.

norvik1943 Loc: Jenks, OK and Domazan, France

cj7ole wrote:

Maybe if you give the photo to the police as-is they can do something with it. As to the cop shows cleaning up street cam images from hundreds of feet away, well, lets say I am also interested in how they break someone's password after two tries.

Yea, I've wondered just how good the password crackers are. Especially when most security systems shut down password access after 3 fails or so. Total BS in the movies sometimes, but it sure makes Shiva look good.

norvik1943 Loc: Jenks, OK and Domazan, France

georgevedwards wrote:

I think those cop shows just take a focused picture, blur it, and then show you the reverse. There is no way I know of to put detail in a blur or heavily pixelated images the way they do. You can sharpen what you have but it will just be sharply unreadable. However, I would hope someone else can prove me wrong. Here are three different attempts, each time putting it through a different sharpening tool, using Topaz Adjust and Photoshop. Maybe it will help, I don't know the French plate system.

I can almost read the plate. I had the last letter as an E, but could be a Z now.

Doyle Thomas Loc: Vancouver Washington ~ USA

I just had a thought, because the dimensions of the plate are know it may be possible the measure the distance between the headlights to determine the make/model of the truck

Doyle Thomas Loc: Vancouver Washington ~ USA

"I'm sure the liquid used is exotic to prevent it from freezing in space"

your interested in space technology here is another (unrelated) tidbit

one of the few remaining uses for whale oil is in space as a lubricant because it retains its viscosity at very low temps

hlmichel Loc: New Hope, Minnesota

norvik1943 wrote:

My car was hit and run last evening and I was able... (show quote)

I think you may be right about the number. Could be 975, 913 or 915 as well.

Macromad Loc: New Zealand

hope this is good enough if I had the original might do better. The second one I increased resolution to 1200 for better enlarging.