Develop + Fix is announcing the latest update to their standalone digitization software for film negatives, FilmLab 3. Today, the company based in Kennebunk, Maine, USA is hosting a live online event (1 pm EST or 6 PM UK) to share the news of the launch.
FilmLab 3 promises new software updates for faster processing but also upgraded color science to make your film scans look like they were digitized with a professional scanner. New features have been added such as a scanning flare correction tool, improved noise reduction, sharpening, and a highlight recovery tool.
“For the last two years, our team has been developing the new FilmLab Color Negative Process. Working with Thomas Madden, former Senior Principal Scientist at Eastman Kodak, we researched the way modern digital camera sensors respond when used to scan film. We wanted to know if it would be theoretically possible to achieve good color accuracy without using a sensor specifically developed for film scanning. The initial results were promising, so we spent the next 9 months developing a prototype that could take the raw values captured by camera sensors and convert them to accurate measurements of film dye density. We used the results to generate digital images and compared them to actual prints made from the same negatives using the chemical RA4 process. The results were extremely similar, and it was thrilling to see that our process was able to accurately reproduce the behavior of analog materials! Finally, we implemented the algorithms in shader code so they could run on GPUs. For a small company like ours this was a big investment in R&D. We’re glad it paid off!” – Abe Fettig, founder of Develop + Fix
Below are examples of what a difference the new tools can make in film scan files:
The results of an improved noise reduction tool can be seen in the below images:
FilmLab 3 for iOS is planned to be available in beta for early September, and the Android counterpart will arrive later in the autumn. The Develop + Fix team aims to release the final version of FilmLab 3 for all platforms before the end of the year.
At the moment, the beta version of the Desktop App can be downloaded for Windows and macOS. All FilmLab apps are standalone and do not need any other software to function. There are monthly (7.99 USD) and yearly (59.99 USD) subscription options but there is also a lifetime option (199.99 USD). A trial option is available for those who would like to test out the software before purchasing.
To find more information about Develop + Fix and download the beta version of the Desktop App, head over to their website here.
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Erik Brammer on NEWS: Develop + Fix Announce Next-Gen FilmLab 3 Desktop and Mobile App for Digitizing Film Negatives
Comment posted: 20/09/2024
I have pretty much given up on Filmlab, I am afraid. But I would much rather learn that we will see a public release of v3 at some point.