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EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing
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A New Technique for the Digitization and Restoration of Deteriorated Photographic Negatives

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing volume 2009, Article number: 217016 (2009) Cite this article

Abstract

This work describes the development and analysis of a new image-based photonegative restoration system. Deteriorated acetate-based safety negatives are complex objects due to the separation and channeling of their multiple layers that has often occurred over 70 years time. Using single-scatter diffuse transmission model, the intrinsic intensity information and shape distortion of film can be modeled. A combination of structured-light and high-dynamic range imaging is used to acquire the data which allows for automatic photometric and geometric correction of the negatives. This is done with a simple-to-deploy and cost-effective camera and LCD system that are already available to most libraries and museums. An initial analysis is provided to show the accuracy of this method and promising results of restoration of actual negatives from a special archive collection are then produced.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY, 40475, USA

    George V. Landon

  2. Fremont Associates, LLC, Camden, SC, 29020-4316, USA

    Duncan Clarke

  3. Center for Visualization and Virtual Environments, Computer Science Department, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506-0495, USA

    Brent W. Seales

Authors
  1. George V. Landon
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  2. Duncan Clarke
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  3. Brent W. Seales
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to George V. Landon.

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Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Landon, G.V., Clarke, D. & Seales, B.W. A New Technique for the Digitization and Restoration of Deteriorated Photographic Negatives. J Image Video Proc 2009, 217016 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1155/2009/217016

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2009/217016

Keywords

  • Multiple Layer
  • Full Article
  • Range Imaging
  • Complex Object
  • Transmission Model