How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

User avatar
Rudi
gamma jay
Posts: 25455
Joined: 17 Mar 2010, 17:33
Location: Cape Town

How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by Rudi »

How Can Studios Release High-Definition Versions of Decades Old Movies and TV Shows?
An interesting read...
35mm film, the kind of film used for most old movies, can easily be considered around 20 megapixels or greater in resolution. The lesser used but absolutely enormous 65-70mm film has, as you’d guess, roughly double the potential resolution of 35mm film and could be converted into a 30-40 megapixel image. Coincidentally Ben-Hur, the movie you referenced, was shot on 65mm film.

Given that high quality 35mm film shot with quality gear can yield 20 megapixels or more of resolution when scanned with high-end equipment it becomes readily apparent how it’s very easy for movie studios to go back and, assuming they’ve preserved their original negatives properly, completely remaster a film to look absolutely amazing compared to what they released on VHS in the 1980s and DVD in the 1990s.
Regards,
Rudi

If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.

User avatar
Claude
cheese lizard
Posts: 6241
Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 00:14
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by Claude »

Alas, the only old movies I have are 5mm ones (silent at that). I recently digitised some of them and the result was surprisingly good.
Cheers, Claude.

User avatar
BobH
UraniumLounger
Posts: 9215
Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 01:27
Location: Deep in the Heart of Texas

Re: How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by BobH »

Howdy (Texan for g'day), Claude!

Care to share how you went about digitizing your old films? I have a lot of 8mm footage taken by FIL and others that I would like to digitize but only if the set up costs are not prohibitive.

:cheers: :chocciebar: :thankyou:
Bob's yer Uncle
(1/2)(1+√5)
Intel Core i5, 3570K, 3.40 GHz, 16 GB RAM, ECS Z77 H2-A3 Mobo, Windows 10 >HPE 64-bit, MS Office 2016

GeoffW
PlatinumLounger
Posts: 4023
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 07:23

Re: How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by GeoffW »

I'm not sure about the resolution of 70mm film being double that of 35mm. Wouldn't it be four times? Double the width and double the height?

User avatar
BobH
UraniumLounger
Posts: 9215
Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 01:27
Location: Deep in the Heart of Texas

Re: How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by BobH »

GeoffW wrote:I'm not sure about the resolution of 70mm film being double that of 35mm. Wouldn't it be four times? Double the width and double the height?
I'm not certain about resolution either, Geoff; but I think you are wrong about the height being doubled.

I did a bit of searching and learned that the aspect ratio (width to height) of 70mm wide ToddAO cinematic film is 2.20:1. The actual width of a frame being 65mm, the frame height would be about 29.44mm. (I'm lousy at metrics and math(s); so please feel free to correct me.)

Similarly I found that a frame of cinematic film 35mm wide has an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. This would make the height of the frame about 18.91mm (again be forewarned of my deficiencies in maths and metrics).

As to resolution, 70mm/35mm is 2 times the width and 29.44/18.91 is about 1.55 times the height. What does that mean for the increase in resolution? I don't have a clue. If I remember the rudiments of optics that I learned, resolution is a function of reducing the "circles of confusion" in an image which has a great deal to do with the lens aperture. Assuming the aperture to be the same in the comparison, the net improvement in resolution would be something less than twice.

Again, I'm no physicist nor a photographer - nor much of anything else these days - but I would very much enjoy seeing the results from others more capable and knowledgeable than I who might attack the problem.
Bob's yer Uncle
(1/2)(1+√5)
Intel Core i5, 3570K, 3.40 GHz, 16 GB RAM, ECS Z77 H2-A3 Mobo, Windows 10 >HPE 64-bit, MS Office 2016

User avatar
stuck
Panoramic Lounger
Posts: 8127
Joined: 25 Jan 2010, 09:09
Location: retirement

Re: How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by stuck »

BobH wrote:Care to share how you went about digitizing your old films?
Scanning cine film requires specialist kit = prohibitive set up costs if you only have a few reels to do. Search for something like cine to dvd transfer and see what services turn up in your area. There won't be many as it's a bit of a niche market.

Ken

User avatar
BobH
UraniumLounger
Posts: 9215
Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 01:27
Location: Deep in the Heart of Texas

Re: How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by BobH »

Thanks, Ken.
Bob's yer Uncle
(1/2)(1+√5)
Intel Core i5, 3570K, 3.40 GHz, 16 GB RAM, ECS Z77 H2-A3 Mobo, Windows 10 >HPE 64-bit, MS Office 2016

User avatar
Claude
cheese lizard
Posts: 6241
Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 00:14
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by Claude »

BobH wrote:Howdy (Texan for g'day), Claude!

Care to share how you went about digitizing your old films? I have a lot of 8mm footage taken by FIL and others that I would like to digitize but only if the set up costs are not prohibitive.

:cheers: :chocciebar: :thankyou:
Sorry, I forgot to answer you Bob. Here in Australia, it's quite a simple process: Take your film reel to a shop that does conversions and the next day, pick up your film and DVD, and, sadly, pay a lot of money for the service. :sad:
Cheers, Claude.

User avatar
BobH
UraniumLounger
Posts: 9215
Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 01:27
Location: Deep in the Heart of Texas

Re: How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by BobH »

Thanks, Claude!

Guess I was hoping for a less expensive, DIY solution.
Bob's yer Uncle
(1/2)(1+√5)
Intel Core i5, 3570K, 3.40 GHz, 16 GB RAM, ECS Z77 H2-A3 Mobo, Windows 10 >HPE 64-bit, MS Office 2016

User avatar
stuck
Panoramic Lounger
Posts: 8127
Joined: 25 Jan 2010, 09:09
Location: retirement

Re: How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by stuck »

BobH wrote:Guess I was hoping for a less expensive, DIY solution.
So not one of these then...
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/kenro ... nced-24457

Ken

User avatar
BobH
UraniumLounger
Posts: 9215
Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 01:27
Location: Deep in the Heart of Texas

Re: How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by BobH »

Interesting! Thank you, Ken!

How much of that £1730 is VAT? An investment might lead to a cottage industry. Hmmmm. :scratch:
Bob's yer Uncle
(1/2)(1+√5)
Intel Core i5, 3570K, 3.40 GHz, 16 GB RAM, ECS Z77 H2-A3 Mobo, Windows 10 >HPE 64-bit, MS Office 2016

User avatar
stuck
Panoramic Lounger
Posts: 8127
Joined: 25 Jan 2010, 09:09
Location: retirement

Re: How Can Old Movies be Converted to HD...

Post by stuck »

UK VAT rate is 20%

Ken