Convert film negatives to positive photos, free
Photographed or scanned your negatives? Foto Fixer turns them into positive images and removes the orange film base automatically, for color and black and white film.
How to convert a film negative
- Photograph or scan your negative, filling the frame with the film.
- Click Convert a negative and choose the photo or scan.
- On the Crop tab, under Film negative, choose Color negative or Black and white negative.
- Fine-tune with Temperature, Tint, Exposure and the tone curve, then save.
How the conversion works
Foto Fixer works in density, the way a darkroom print does. It treats the brightest part of the scan as the film base, the orange mask on color film, then measures each color channel's density above it, stretches it between the thinnest and densest parts of the frame, and turns it into a positive with a film-like print curve. Because it measures the whole photo, cropping afterward doesn't change the color.
Tips for better scans
- Use an even light source behind the film, like a light pad or a bright screen showing white.
- Block light around the film. Bright light leaking past the edges can be mistaken for the film base.
- Keep a thin strip of the film's border in the frame if you can: it shows the true base color.
- Shoot with your camera's or phone's exposure and focus locked, and keep the film flat.
- If you shot RAW, open the RAW file directly for the most tonal range.
After converting
The positive is a normal photo, so every tool works on it: film looks, curves, color grading, Remove for dust spots and more. Open several scans at once to convert a whole roll, and copy your settings from one frame to the rest.
Questions
Does it work with black and white negatives?
Yes. Choose Black and white negative, which inverts the tones without color correction.
Does it work with slide film?
Slides are already positive, so you don't need to convert them. Just open the scan and edit it.
Do I need a film scanner?
No. A phone or camera photo of the negative on a light source works well. A dedicated scanner or macro lens gives more detail.
Can I convert a whole roll at once?
Yes. Open all the scans, set up one frame, then use Apply these edits to all photos from the ⋯ menu. See the batch editor.