Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen
That's how 4k or Ultra HD versions of very old films are made, except its the actual studios that scan the original 35mm film as it have such a high resolution when scanned correctly.
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Film stock used in the 1970s does not often exceed the equivalent of 2K digital resolution, i.e. you can scan it at 4K but there is no additional picture information there over and above what you get from a 2K scan. You could perform digital upscaling of course but that immediately detracts from the authenticity of what audiences in 1977 actually saw.
Photographic film contains photosensitive chemicals layered as fine grains on a celluloid plastic base. The fineness of the grain determines the detail in the finished image, however a finer grain requires a longer exposure. That’s fine for static scenes but not great for an action movie. The chemistry of cinema film continued to improve (and some directors still use it for certain projects) and today you can get faster, fine-grain film than was available to George Lucas in the mid 1970s.