Convert black and white photos to colour

Naynay
Apprentice

I’ve take some photos in black and white buy accident but would really like them in colour. Is there any way to get it back to colour?  Don’t have access to a Mac or pc. Only iPad? 

12 REPLIES 12

Anonymous
Not applicable

Did you shoot in JPEG or RAW?

rs-eos
Elite

I you captured the images in RAW, you'd have the original color images without an effects applied.  If you captured only in JPEG though, you're out-of-luck.  The only thing you could do is attempt to hand-color the photos in post-processing which would probably not be worth the effort, unless of course these were once-in-a-lifetime images.

For the latter, you can explore different techniques in Adobe Photoshop.  There's a version of that app for iPads (though it may require newer iPad models).

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Ricky

Camera: EOS 5D IV, EF 50mm f/1.2L, EF 135mm f/2L
Lighting: Profoto Lights & Modifiers

Pretty sure it was in raw

Anonymous
Not applicable

If in RAW, you should be able to use Canon's free DDP (Digital Photo Professional) software or most photo editing programs to edit the files to regain the color. If you shot in JEPG, there isn't any way to regain the color.

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

" If you captured only in JPEG though, you're out-of-luck. "

 

Anyone can add color to any photo with Photoshop 2022 or newer. It has a Colorize filter.

EB
EOS 1D, EOS 1D MK IIn, EOS 1D MK III, EOS 1Ds MK III, EOS 1D MK IV and EOS 1DX and many lenses.

Yes, that is what I additionally mentioned in my reply.  It's not clear if the OP can run photoshop on their iPad though.  Also, colorization would only be an approximation of the original photo anyhow as converting to black & white is a lossy process.  Thus, one is definitely out-of-luck if they would be attempting to get the original color image from a black & white JPEG.

--
Ricky

Camera: EOS 5D IV, EF 50mm f/1.2L, EF 135mm f/2L
Lighting: Profoto Lights & Modifiers

Tried that but my ipad doesn’t correspond with the software it can run on. 

DPP is not available to run on an iPad.  The OP doesn't have access to a Mac or PC.

--
Ricky

Camera: EOS 5D IV, EF 50mm f/1.2L, EF 135mm f/2L
Lighting: Profoto Lights & Modifiers

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

Actually the new Colorize filter is, or at least can be, quite accurate. It automatically assign colors to the image using AI (newer tech). You can adjust the color balance after enabling the filter by moving the sliders using the Neural Filters.  Adjust the sliders to the desired color balance. If you know positively for certain a color you can drop a pin on the desired area and assign that color.

There are tons of videos explaining how to do this. Now whether the OP has PS 2022 or newer I have no idea but anyone can make any B&W image, form a 1860's film camera to a modern digital file, it is possible and it can be quite accurate.

EB
EOS 1D, EOS 1D MK IIn, EOS 1D MK III, EOS 1Ds MK III, EOS 1D MK IV and EOS 1DX and many lenses.
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