Why Choose Film Rescue For Your Lost and Found Treasure?

• 40 plus years experience developing lost and found film – we know how to handle every brand, type and format in the safest possible manner
• We digitize to the world’s highest possible standard using one of our Phase One Cultural Heritage systems. The same system used in the top museums and archives around the world
• Not an image will be missed. We scan all frames even if there is only a suspicion there may be a picture lost in the density of the emulsion. Only recognizable pictures will be charged for
• Skilled Photoshop editing to all images to pull out every possible detail from our Phase One digitizations
• See a few of our successes with some important historic lost and found film projects here… In The News . We’ve been integral for projects featured in many large publications including The New York Times, Petapixel and the Boston Globe.

Best Possible Processes For All Expired Photographic Film – We Don’t Charge For Photographic Films That Are Blank When You Choose Our “Safest Possible Process“*

Virtually without exception, we can process any and all expired photographic film ever manufactured. We have kept careful records and have a database of over 800 unique film brands and types of film within the brand. This allows us to track how specific films respond using different approaches to developing.

About Our Service And The Question Of Color

Offering old film processing has its challenges. One of the biggest challenges we have is how to offer color processing to our clients.  The possible options and variablility of results from all the different types of color film we receive means there is no easy solution. The importance of color results also varies from person to person.

The Safest Possible Process For Long Expired Film Is Always B&W (negative) – Even For Color Film*

Built into most color films (the exception being Kodachrome type films) are cyan, magenta and green dye couplers stacked in layers making a full color image.  Within those color layers are light sensitive silver halide particles that allow the film to capture the image. Having served their useful purpose, the silver halides are bleached from the film in a normal color process.  We don’t normally do this because the silver halides in the film are far more resistant to the ravages of time than the color dye couplers. By not removing the silver halides we make even very expired films far more viable albeit in B&W.

Because of our decades of record keeping on literally hundreds of different types of film and how they respond in different processes, we have a high enough success rate to be able to guarantee we will salvage something recognizable from your expired film when processed as we recommend – the safest possible process – or you don’t pay.*

If you choose, once the B&W images are scanned and we have a digital security copy, we can do a further chemical process called “film acceleration” that will reveal the color image or what is left of the color image.  We may have success in B&W but have fewer or no images turn out in color after acceleration. Most newer expired color films (5 to 20 years past their expiry date) can yield a color image that may well be more desirable than B&W. In these cases, for those clients that are willing to take some risk, we do offer a direct to color option.  Color films that are older or have been stored poorly (e.g in an attic) will typically yield a clearer B&W image — often far clearer; there may be little or no viable color image left.  This is the risk of going straight to color..  Digital colorization (adding color in Photoshop) can produce more satisfactory results.

After Safest Possible Process And The Security Scan: Next Step…COLOR! (optional)

There are two approaches we can take to produce color images from color film developed into B&W negative. There is a chemical approach called “film acceleration” where we actually chemically redevelop your film into color. This produces variable results: from nearly perfect color to very distressed and skewed color… or nothing at all.  Alternately, there is a digital approach using Photoshop’s A.I. software to colorize images.  Film Rescue goes beyond this by adding a good dose of hands on work to make the images more acceptable. These colorized images are much more akin in their look to hand tinted postcards and photographs than they are to a true color photo but they definitely can have their own special charm and character.  The color of objects won’t necessarily match real world colors… grandpa’s blue car may end up looking green.  Highly distressed B&W images won’t colorize very well.  You may also order digital colorization of images from a film that has been chemically accelerated.  Keep in mind that many clients are happy to simply stick with B&W processing if color isn’t the goal.   Here are some samples. Two Kodak films from the same client both from the early 1990s.

 

 

While both of these pictures are from separate Kodak films from early 1990s shot by the same client, the end results in color were very different.  This shows just how unpredictable color processing of expired color film can be.  This is why we recommend the safest possible process (B&W negative) and scanning of all color film before proceeding to color  (if requested).

• B&W and Kodachrome type films (e.g. process K11, K12, K14) can only be digitally colorized…acceleration is impossible.
• Color films less than 10 years beyond their process-before date have a very good chance of accelerating well into color but it’s usually okay to go straight to color if the film hasn’t been kept in high temperatures.  As explained above, there’s no guarantee direct to color processing will be successful… and there won’t be a B&W security scan as a backup.
• Color films 10 to 20 years beyond their process-before date aren’t too likely to have good quality color but the effect can be interesting and perhaps “artistic”.
• It is rare to have a film more than 30 years old render decent color by accelerating or processing direct to color.  Expect highly distressed color images (or nothing).
• The cooler your film was kept over time, the more likely you are to get good color.
• Roll formats on a spool (e.g. 127, 120, 620) typically turn out better than cartridge formats (e.g. 110, 126, disc, 135).
• A lot of clients underestimate the age of their film as newer than it actually is.

Every Image is Worked in Photoshop – Essential

After scanning each picture on your film, whether B&W versions or color, all are brought into Photoshop for hands-on correction by one of our technicians. This is a very important step which greatly improves the picture quality well beyond what would be possible with conventional photo finishing. This is included in the base price of your film processing. Doing high quality digital captures and Photoshopping those files means we’re often pulling recognizable images from film that appears blank upon casual visual inspection, making very poor quality negatives acceptable or improving poor quality images to higher quality images. The following samples are from small format 126 film that are in the first case, very poor quality and in the second, extremely poor quality negative. These are not representative of our average results at FRI but only to demonstrate how Photoshop will improve distressed images. Had these negatives been developed in the original process designed for the film, they would both likely have been totally blank.

Price Policy and Currency

Prices and billing are in US dollars. When applicable, GST and/or PST  will be added on Canadian orders.

Price: 29.00 USD Per Film + 2.25 USD Per Image – Includes Phase One Cultural Heritage Digitization & Photoshop Edit of each picture

• Four megapixel images can be directly downloaded from the gallery we’ll be creating for you – fine for most practical purposes
• Enourmous 30 megapixel high bit depth Tiff and low compression Jpeg files can be ordered from your gallery at no additional charge, which will be delivered via an online link within 5 to 10 business days 
• When scanning your film, if there is even the faintest suspicion there may be an image lost in the age fogged emulsion, we will digitize and photoshop these frames and present them to you in your gallery even if they are blank. You will only be charged for recognizable images and you will have the confidence that nothing has been missed

 

1. Safest Possible Process – No Image No Charge*

Please scroll up to see a complete explanation of this. To summarize, the safest possible process renders a B&W negative. You can choose later to have images brought into color after you see how they have turned out in B&W. At that point, we will want an email conversation with you to discuss options and give your opinion of the viability of accelerating your film into color given the B&W results.

2. Direct To Color – No Guarantee

This choice should be reserved for newer expired color film (nothing pre-2000) that hasn’t been stored in hot or suspect conditions.   This is not an ordinary color processing service. First, we’re using a special high contrast aerial film color developer.  Second,  our service differs from a conventional film processing service in that all images are brought into Photoshop to be improved after scanning. With color compromised film, this makes a world of difference more often than not. We charge for direct to color processing regardless of results.

3. Accelerate To Color After Safest Possible Process – No Guarantee

If you have requested the safest possible process on your order form, you’ll be able to see how the images have turned out in B&W in the online image gallery, after the scanning and Photoshop work is complete and you’ve paid the base processing fee of 29.00 USD and the per image charge of 2.25 USD each.  At this point you can contact us by email to discuss how worthwhile accelerating any of the rolls to color may be and we can make a decision together as to what to do. Full price is charged again. NOTE: The film acceleration step won’t be done on the same processing cycle as the initial safest possible process. We charge for film acceleration regardless of results.

Optional: Once You Have Your Gallery…

These are your order options in the gallery, per image, on a pick and choose basis:

30 Megapixel High Bit Depth Tiff and Low compression Jpeg files	No Additional Fee
Additional Photoshopping (size info) When you order the full resolution file, the image is again opened in Photoshop and we give the image additional attention. The amount of the improvement varies depending on the image. Images that require local adjustments such edge fogging (edges of the picture is darker than the middle) which is very common in expired film, can be improved a lot.  These corrections are more time consuming than a general correction that affects the entire image. With this option A.I. grain reduction and facial enhancement is also applied. This too sometimes make big improvements in the image and other times only a minor improvement.  Contact us at info@filmrescue.com and we can have a look at your images and advise before you make a decision. Full resolution TIFF and JPEG files as seen in preview are also provided.	3.25  USD
Colorize B&W Image(size info) We first open the full size image and do the same additional Photoshopping that we would if you only ordered the “Full Resolution Digital File” described above.  Then we use Photoshop’s A.I. colorization software, followed by our human touch to significantly improve the A.I. interpretation of the image. The look of these is more akin to a hand tinted B&W photo than to a picture actually shot on color film. Digitall colorization is not the same as chemical film acceleration.	9.75 USD
4×4 to 4×7 traditional style print (large border on glossy paper) **	0.55 USD
5×5 to 5×8.5 traditional style print (large border on glossy paper)**	0.80 USD
** at this time prints aren’t available for clients outside of USA and Canada

 

 

* Oddball Price Exceptions

These are rare formats that we need to process by inspection with infrared goggles in trays, by hand, which is labor intensive. In the case of unprocessed flood or other liquid damaged film, these need to be individually stand developed which is also labor intensive.

1. Any film on spools greater than 70mm in width (e.g. 122, 124, 130 format film) or shrunken film:  These must be tray processed which is time consuming. The 29.00 processing fee is charged even if the film is blank.
2. Sheet film, glass or acetate:  6.00 per sheet with image; 3.00 per sheet with no image. Minimum Charge: 30.00
3. Flood damaged film, film having been submerged in liquid, water or undetermined substances.  Stand developed (not agitated) into B&W negative at low temperature:  60.00 regardless of the results or number of exposures; scanning and Photoshop edit included. Optional acceleration into color or digital colorization may be ordered from your image gallery afterwards.
4. At our discretion, obviously highly distressed or environmentally damaged film such as film that has been in or near a fire / melted / sooty,  film stored in extremely dirty or damp environment /moldy / foul odor,  film spool or cartridge is extremely corroded and requires special handling:  60.00 regardless of the results or number of exposures; scanning and Photoshop edit included. Optional acceleration into color or digital colorization may be ordered from your image gallery afterwards.

 

Return Shipping and Handling

We fully understand the importance of a film original as an archival record but, most likely, decades expired films being developed now wouldn’t qualify. Our primary concern in developing these films is to salvage an image and we don’t in anyway guarantee image permanence with our processes. In fact, we know some processes will fade quickly; this is why we must be sure to digitize these soon after development. Also, many of the negatives we’re producing are either very dense, very low contrast or both. We’re skilled at capturing everything possible from these types of films;  they will not be rescanned easily or duplicated in any way.  Other than for sentimental reasons, having your negatives returned is unnecessary.

Within USA and Canada	20.00 ***
All others	Contact Us

***Shipping charges may be higher for exceptionally heavy, large, or fragile orders.

If You’d Like To Send Us Your Film Please Fill Out And Submit The Order Form Here… Order form

 

Process only? See Here

 

Payment, Delivery & Gallery

Payment is made online through an encrypted secure payment portal provided by Stripe or Paypal.  We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and Paypal. Sorry, absolutely no checks or money orders. If you have requested our Safest Possible Process, there is no charge if your film turns out blank.  On completion of the work, if we we’ve had success, you’ll be billed the processing and per image fee. Upon payment you’ll get immediate access to your gallery and you can download your images from there. If you have requested either “Direct to Color” or “Accelerate to Color after safest possible process” you’ll be billed the processing fee before we begin work.  These are not guaranteed services and we won’t be left in the position of trying to collect payment from clients for film that turns out blank.  Once work is complete, if we’ve had success, you’ll be billed the per image fee; upon payment you’ll get immediate access to your gallery and you can download your images from there. What is the Gallery? The gallery is where you can view your images either in “thumbnail view” or larger  in the “order view”. In “thumbnail view” you can directly download individual images, add to favorites for ease of ordering or share images to social media. In “order view” you will see the bigger and you’ll have the option to place an order for prints, additional Photoshopping with a large download, as well as colorization on a pick and choose basis. Galleries remain active for one year. Your digital files are stored indefinitely on LTO tape drives unless they’re specifically requested to be removed. Images can be downloaded directly from the gallery one picture at a time. Should you have a larger order, we’re happy to deliver them to you via Dropbox upon request.   S&H charge will be added to print orders (available only in USA and Canada).

Turn Around Time

Film is processed in regular cycles.  Unlike a conventional processing lab that may do one or two large volume processes in-house,  we have 12 small-volume processes.  We need to process in batches, mixing fresh chemistry and preparing for each process before moving to the next. Only after all the processing is complete does the negative scanning begin. Once that step is complete, the film acceleration is done as applicable. Once the accelerated films are scanned, the digital enhancement work is done and the image galleries created.  Finally, approximately 8-9 weeks after the cycle cutoff date, the galleries are ready to upload. If you place an order after previewing your images, it may take 2-4 weeks to complete. Work for the next cycle must be received by:

April 28, 2025.   

 Rush processing is available upon request. Please don’t wait until near the beginning of a cycle to send your film.  This slows down our administrative stage at the start of each cycle, delaying work for everyone.

About Our Guarantee

When we are deciding whether to scan or not scan a client’s film, we are doing this upon visual inspection of the processed negative. Often times it is difficult to tell what the end quality will be without scanning and enhancing the negative. We therefore will continue with scanning and enhancing any film that we see anything on, whether that be a person, animal, scenery or other object. We do not want to be put into the position of trying to make a subjective determination of what may or may not be important to a person. What is one person’s “trash” is another’s treasure. Really terrible quality films will still be charged for;  however, entire blank films will not be charged if you’ve requested the safest possible process i.e. you won’t have to pay for absolutely nothing if your film is unexposed, improperly exposed or completely age fogged and nothing can be salvaged.

About Our Digitization

When we digitize your film, we are using a high bit depth DSLR for B&W images because we’re often dealing with film that is too dense to scan with a conventional scanner. A quality DSLR is a fine tool for capturing B&W film images, however, it isn’t for capturing color images so for our color images we’re using a Fuji SP3000 lab scanner and for medium and large format we’re using a Creo iQsmart 3. If you order high resolution versions of your pictures from your gallery we will supply you files that are from 2400 to 3600 pixels on the short dimension of the frame. Plenty of resolution for all practical purposes.

About Our Prints

Our prints emulate the look of the past with wide borders and glossy paper. The short dimension of the frame will be 4, 5 or 8 inches depending on what size you order. Keep in mind, with vintage film there are many different aspect ratios. Some print onto square paper, some are modest rectangles and some are wide rectangles.

About Process Only

We don’t offer a “process only” service.  Too often in the past, we had “process only” films returned to us that a client was unable to scan due to the condition of the film.  We, however, were able to get images from the exact same negatives. We now scan all film and provide an online image gallery.  You aren’t obligated to download the images from your gallery or order anything from the gallery. All we deal with is expired film and we have the experience, the equipment and the techniques to salvage image from extremely poor quality negatives:

• With some negatives that have edge fogging, the effect is greatly reduced by doing yellow light scans which required optical grade yellow filtration within the scanner.
• Some negatives after processing are as dense as welding glass and conventional scanners can not see through them.
• Some negatives have such an extremely faint image on them they aren’t discernible with the preview scan on a conventional scanner, making them very difficult to locate your marquee correctly during preview. Auto frame selection will not work on these negatives. Do not assume if you don’t see images upon a quick inspection, there is nothing there.
• Some films such as GAF cassettes and Triple Print blue label films are processed into an unstable reflective negative that begins fading after processing. Not only do they need to be scanned right away, they are scanned wet because the contrast on the film is much higher when wet and they can not be scanned on a normal scanner because light will not pass through them.

Example of an image that was over looked by the client after he closely inspected his negative. If your negative is in very poor condition after processing, we are very good at salvaging something from them. This customer did not want our on-line previews and simply asked that we copy all of the pictures to CD. Upon receiving his order back and not having access immediately to a computer to view his CD, he inspected the negatives and couldn’t find any images. Not understanding why he was being charged for blank film when Film Rescue doesn’t charge for blank film he called with his concern. We opened our archive folder of his images and while the quality was quite poor we had in fact managed to salvage 13 fully recognizable very old pictures from a roll of film the customer could only see with close inspection, as being entirely blank. Many thanks to Mr. Berg of Seattle Washington for letting us use this picture and tell his story.