Damaged tape overexposed looking for minor improvements

[Sharc]

@SkyBlues: Maybe this is an opportunity? I didn't try, so no recommendation, just an option ....
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/388684-Vegas-Pro-14-available-for-20#post2716693

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks johnmeyer. Vegas pro edit is £199. here in the UK I will look at the free download today. Thank you for the links with my track record I will definately need help!

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks Sharc. I will look at that link. I wasn't able to get Gaussianblur() working so I took Sharc's advice and used Blur() 4 times. I'm not sure what the best values are, changing them didn't seem to alter much. I have read chain negatives values can cause problems so I avoided this, although minus values didn't encroach as badly on the bottom brown bar.
I haven't used a denoiser, I struggled to find a denoiser compatible with the YV16 planer. I was hoping someone may have the MCDegrainSharp() script.

I'm guessing line 16 can be removed it's only for showing the two clips side by side? Thanks.

[Sharc]

The Retinex is for experimenting. You would actually have to evaluate its effect on the entiere clip including varyous scenes with various exposures. Maybe at the end you skip it alltogether and be done with the levels adjustments tweaks (lines 13, 14).

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks Sharc. I will have a look at what you did in post 21# and post after Christmas. Thank you for your help. Wishing you and everyone on videohelp a Great Christmas.

[davexnet]

Here's an alternative version, using a technique spotted in the doom9 forum.

lwlibavvideosource("C:\Users\davex\Downloads\tape 12 overexposed 3.avi")
assumetff()
separatefields().vinverse().weave()
qtgmc(preset="medium")
crop(10,8,-14,-8)
overlay(autolevels(1).invert().hdragc(10,10,max_sat=1.0).invert(), opacity=0.55)
levels(29,1.0,255,0,255) # << works for this clip to increase contrast
convertToyv12()

Regarding the noise in the shadows, it comes from hdragc, you can use the "reducer" operand to lessen it. eg:

hdragc(10,10,max_sat=1.0,reducer=1.0)

(The clip below was with it set to default (0.5) )

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks davexnet. That looks good also. The colors look suprisingly vivid. I could try a denoiser to remove the grain. I will have a look at that after Chritmas and post. Thank you for your help. Have a Great Christmas.

[davexnet]

Thanks davexnet. That looks good also. The colors look suprisingly vivid. I could try a denoiser to remove the grain. I will have a look at that after Chritmas and post. Thank you for your help. Have a Great Christmas.

Appreciate that, you too

[Selur]

overlay(autolevels(1).invert().hdragc(10,10,max_sa t=1.0).invert(), opacity=0.55)
levels(29,1.0,255,0,255) # << works for this clip to increase contrast

Thatwas a really nice idea! (sadly HDRAGC is 32bit and Avisynth only )

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks Selur. I tried what Sharc mentioned in post#21 using smoothlevels which does seem to improve it overall. I know I've got to be realistic and I'm probably not going to get much more improvement than this Thanks Sharc, I should have listened earlier!

[SkyBlues2021]

I'm still learning about Smoothlevels() Is it better if you use this before QTGMC() in the scipt? Thanks.

[Sharc]

Your eyes decide - if you see a difference at all.

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks Sharc. They look the same to me on my monitor. I will take a look on my TV. I thought I read somewhere that you should do any color work before QTGMC() but I'm probably gettting confused with something else. Thanks.

[SkyBlues2021]

I've just watched both on my TV and I couldn't see any difference. I just wasn't sure if there is a preferred order when deinterlacing videos? Thanks.