Cine Film Digitisation

Cine film degrades in two main ways, and both are irreversible once they start. The first is vinegar syndrome, a chemical breakdown of the acetate film base that produces a distinctive sharp vinegar smell. As the acetate deteriorates, the film shrinks, buckles, and becomes brittle. The inner layers of a tightly wound reel are affected first, where airflow is poorest, and the process accelerates over time. The second is colour dye fading: the cyan and yellow dyes in colour film break down faster than magenta, which is why old footage often has a strong pink or reddish cast. Black and white film is more stable, but still suffers from base shrinkage and emulsion cracking. If you can smell vinegar when you open the film can, the clock is already ticking. Scanning now captures whatever detail remains; waiting another decade may mean there is nothing left to save.