How to restore old photos? Discover different ways and pricing

Each old photo carries a fascinating story or moving memory behind it. It would be a great pity if these valuable moments are lost due to fading or yellowing of the photos.

With the advancement of technology, the restoration of old photos has become increasingly powerful. To restore an old photo, the first step is to digitise it. The process is roughly as follows:

1. Scan the old photo into a suitable digital format using a scanner
2. Save the digital image to a computer or smartphone
3. Use application software or technology to restore the photo, including colour restoration, fine-tuning, and repair of damage.

There are many photo repair apps on the market, each with their own unique features and interesting additional editing functions and effects, some even offer intelligent quick repair technology. However, even with the use of these apps, repairing a large number of old photos often requires the tedious process of repairing each photo one by one, which can be extremely time-consuming.

Furthermore, the automatic intelligent repair function of editing apps itself may not completely restore the original tone of the photo, or may even cause the photo to become distorted due to excessive editing, requiring human visual judgment to make additional adjustments to brightness and colour.

As for online photo repair services, they usually charge based on the number of photos and the degree of repair needed, and the costs involved may be higher than using photo repair apps on your own. However, these services are performed by professionals with specialised photo repair skills, resulting in photos that are closer to their natural state and achieve the best repair results.

Currently, most free versions of photo repair apps provide basic editing functions, but advanced functions require additional purchases of paid versions. Here are five photo repair apps that are more familiar to people:

There are countless online photo restoration service providers on the market, who charge different fees based on the level of restoration and complexity. The minimum cost for restoring a single photo is a few hundred Hong Kong dollars, and if complex restoration techniques are required or if the photo is severely damaged, the cost can go up to several thousand Hong Kong dollars. Most photo restoration apps charge a subscription fee, ranging from tens to hundreds of Hong Kong dollars per month.

Since old photos involve personal privacy, when looking for an old photo restoration service provider, it is important to choose a reputable business to avoid inappropriate handling of your photos. 

In addition, customers should also refer to the service provider's customer reviews and the quality of their restoration work to ensure that the business can provide the restoration services you need. When placing an order, it is also important to carefully read the service terms, such as whether digitalisation services for old photos are included or whether modifications can be made after delivery of the final product.

Capture.HK's photo digitisation service not only efficiently digitises each photo for you, but also performs a certain degree of restoration on the photos, including removing yellowing, restoring colour, and reducing glare. This recreates every precious moment (you can refer to the before and after restoration comparison chart below), allowing you to share precious photos with friends and family that more accurately reflect their original appearance. Future generations can also see what things looked like in the past, ensuring that these photos are passed down through the generations.

In fact, most photo restoration apps and services require customers to submit digital-format photos, and do not accept physical photos. Customers must digitise the photos themselves before they can be further restored. However, Capture.HK's one-stop service solves all these problems, from digitising old photos, optimising them, to uploading them to Google Photos. We even offer album digitisation, using non-contact digitisation processes and unique digital patent technology to ensure that photos are not taken out of your album or damaged by contact.

Converting old photos to digital format can help protect precious memories from being lost or damaged, and also prevent the risk of deterioration and damage to old media over time. As the saying goes, prevention is the most effective measure. Digitising old photos is the first step in preventing the loss of memories. Take action now and digitise your old media with Capture.HK!

Sources from:

• Wikipedia - Home video system
• Wikipedia -Videotape player
• The era of videotape has come to an end, and the last production line in the world has closed.
• Goodbye VHS! The world's last manufacturer of cassette recorders: production to cease at the end of the month.
• National Academy for Educational Research in Taiwan
• [Nostalgic memories] Japan's last VHS recorder manufacturer to cease production, "rewind" becomes a thing of the past.
• Capture videotape digitisation.