Panorama of New York in 1905: Spectacularly enhanced and colorized using the latest A.I. technology!

For that purpose we used a very old film fragment from 1905 that shows a panorama of New York city, filmed from the Times building. As can be seen, the original footage is of poor quality. The film is wobbly, unsharp, not very clear and has an extreme amount of image noise.

We went through the four steps that we normally use to enhance B&W film footage. This process is described in detail in the welcome video on my channel. However, as the fourth step we used the new A.I. enhancer and here is the result. The resolution of the footage was 480p, so we upscaled it to HD level of 1080p.

This footage was still not motion-stable enough, probably due to the stabilizer not being able to properly recognize objects in the footage, due to the image noise. So we stabilized it for a second time. This time with more success.

Finally, we wondered what would happen if the film would be processed for a second time by the new enhancer. This time the resolution was kept at 1080p. To our amazement the result was even better! The reason most likely is that the A.I. was able to better recognize all the objects in the video because of the preceeding enhancement steps.

There was one more final step to do, namely to speed-correct the film and to use frame-interpolation to do so and thus make the motion even more smooth.

At the end of the film the original version and the final enhanced version are shown side by side. We think that the results are spectacular and a stimulation to use this method often again in the near future.
Let us know what you think in the comments and don't forget to subscribe to my channel! Thanks for watching.

Music: David Celeste & Trevor Kowalski

Time line
01:00 Hotel Hotel Spalding at 127 W. 43rd St. 2 years later, in 1906,
01:05 It changed to Hotel Woodstock, now Woodstock house is a nursing home near Time Square
01:20 View from Times Building
01:47 Bryant Park and New York Public Library Main Branch was under construction.
02:54 Church of St. Mary the Virgin in the heart of Times Square at 133-145 West 46th Street.
02:57 This church is still there, now historical landmark
03:48 Hippodrome Theater, double the size of the Metropolitan Opera, demolished in the 1930s
03:53 Algonquin Hotel. opened in 1902, still in operation

[Rick]

*Don't forget to subscribe to my channel* ! There are 270+ restored & colorized historic videos on my channel!

[WDSY]

You know, just like stepping into a Jules Verne time machine. Imagine floating above New York 110+ years in the past and watching someone's laundry floating in the breeze on a rooftop. Or any of 1000 other details of a time we can no longer experience except through the lens of a camera.

[sheilabryans]

This is one of the best channels on YouTube. Just stunning work. Thank you so very much.

[mexton]

Beautiful way to time travel.This work has to bring you much joy because it’s a wonder to watch.Magnificent!

[SkilsawDoctor]

This was absolutely amazing! Having built high-rises in Manhattan for over 31 years, I really enjoyed this. Thanks for this amazing footage and lifelong memories!

[SunShine-dkrk]

Your passion and effort has brought life to old film, it makes great breathtaking viewing and very addictive to watch. If a picture speaks a thousand words then sympathetically restored, speed corrected, stabilised and coloured film tells volumes, appreciate you showing before and after and explaining as it's very interesting, sending best wishes to yourself, family, friends, fellow followers and a big thanks for these fine uploads.

[charlescrawford]

Rick, this presentation is superb. You should for forward some of your work to the New York Historical Society or the Skyscraper Museum.

[dojocho]

you people that do this should be honored from all humanity. The more of this I see...as a old man....the more I know that they lie about the today isnt the beautiful world we were told we were going to

[visulino]

Thank you. It looks like a cold January or February Bryant Park and the Library whose construction started in 1897. Then 42nd St towards Fifth Avenue (not visible). Those buildings are gone, now there are office highrises. Then 43st St and Sixth Ave.. Then the Hippodrome theater which was gone in 1939, but its fire escape looks similar to those of some Broadway theaters. The water tanks are still the same as today's. Then blocks of buildings are gone. Then Seventh Avenue and Times Square.

[tomb]

Very nicely done and I like the split screen comparison you did of the before and after film.

[Korocoran]

Absolutely fantastic. What a great application of AI !

[genestatler]

Rick, the technological magic you have created with this old film is simply

[TricksterDa]

Rick, there is a picture book in print over here in the States called, LOST NEW YORK. It contains photographs of famous and not so famous buildings, parks and public spaces that were of some importance but have long since been demolished, each loss being an example of the loss of the character and history of New York City, i.e. The Pennsylvania Railroad Terminal or the Singer office building. Your series of remastered films going back across much of the 20th century performs much of the same service as the book, but the big difference, the most wonderful difference is, your pictures move. They are alive and in color. The technology you have employed give them the immediacy of yesterday, but a 'yesterday that is mere hours old, even though the truth is the time span is much greater. I can see how much New York has changed and at the same time how little, because the ambitions, the commercial drive, the need to build up, to build more, to build greater, is as much on display in 1905 as it is today. I see why New York was such a marvel to people coming out of the 19th century into the 20th. I can see first hand how New York came to be the "New York" of so many dreams throughout the rest of the century. There was no place like it anywhere. I love watching your films. you bring history alive in the most interesting way.

[ronkemperful]

Excellent use of technology. Yesterday I struggled to watch an old 1930 public domain Hollywood movie for it was fuzzy both in sound and video from over duplication. How wonderful this technology would be for forgotten classics. Thanks.

[GPW]

Remarkable job, just beautiful! I especially enjoyed the side-by-side comparison.

[robertabrams]

Wow, the difference is like night and day! Isn’t technology wonderful? Great video 👍🏼👏🏼

[Sox]

Astonishing as always, amazing as always!! 🔝🙌

[robinsydney]

You keep perfecting the time machine more and more, to our delight! Thanks!

[GhastlyCretin]

Amazing stuff. What I wouldn't give to be able to go back and wander those streets for a few hours.

[billshea]

WOW! I'm at Bryant park and inside the New York Pubic Library right now at is second @ holy cow!