From 6K Scan to 4K Restoration: Rebuilding Classic Films Digitally

From 6K Scan to 4K Restoration: Rebuilding Classic Films Digitally

Scanning a film negative at high resolution is the beginning of restoration, not restoration itself. BFI’s account of the Peeping Tom project describes an original Eastmancolor negative scanned at 6K and prepared for a 4K restoration workflow.

High-resolution scans reveal scratches, dust, instability and color damage with precision, but not every visible trace should automatically be removed.

Successful restoration does not try to make a classic film look newly shot; it aims to recover an experience as close as possible to the original work.

Source note: BFI — technical account of the Peeping Tom restoration.