AI Brings 1949 Kampar Back to Life: Man Restores Old Negatives, Searches for Original Owners
A man recently shared his incredible journey of buying old film negatives and using artificial intelligence (AI) to restore them into stunning colour photographs, revealing glimpses of Kampar, Perak, in 1949.
Breathing New Life into History with AI
James Moh Heng Hai took to Facebook to showcase the AI-enhanced images, highlighting key details in the pictures, including a road sign that confirmed the location as Kampar. The negatives came in an old envelope dated “1949” and inscribed with the name Heng Fang Si.
Determined to return these memories to their rightful owners, James reached out to the public:
“I am looking for the family so that I could send it (the photos) back to them for keeps. If you know anyone or friends in the pictures, kindly PM me,” he wrote.
Netizens Praise Effort, Ask About AI Tools
James’ post quickly gained traction, receiving over 900 reactions. Many users praised his dedication in preserving history and expressed curiosity about the AI tools he used. Some even asked how they could use the same method to colourise their own old photos.
In the comments, James revealed one of the AI platforms he used—palette.fm, a popular tool for restoring and adding colour to vintage black-and-white images.
Do you recognise anyone from the pictures? Could they be your family or friends? If so, reach out to James and help reunite these pieces of history with their rightful owners!
Source: Facebook
