In the last decade, having a 5 MP camera would help you capture the best possible picture. However, the same image would look inferior in quality, since today, you can get much clearer and more high-definition photos.
GFPGAN is a free-to-use open-source software that can increase the resolution of these images and make them look better, and also fixes some of the damages. Here's how to upscale and restore your photos with GFPGAN.
What Is GFPGAN?
GFPGAN (Generative Facial Prior Generative Adversarial Network) is an open-source app available for free use on GitHub. You can either download the code or use one of the online versions to upscale your image.
The application uses a pre-trained GAN model. A GAN model uses a set of data to identify patterns and fill in the gaps on your image using machine learning algorithms and neural networks.
In other words, the app has an intelligent processing algorithm that seamlessly replaces the damaged or blurred part of your image with similar-looking bits of other photos.
How to Improve Image Resolution With GFPGAN
The steps to upscale and restore your images with the GFPGAN AI are pretty straightforward. All you have to do is upload your image to the website and wait for the program to complete the transformation. Here's how to do it.
- Open the GFPGAN page on GitHub.
- Open one of the available online demos. For instance, Replicate.
- Scroll down and click on the box under the img section to upload your image. Alternatively, you can drag and drop your picture or take one using your webcam.
- Once your image is uploaded, tweak the version and scale settings. The version is set to the latest by default. You can increase the scaling factor for better results.
- Click Submit and wait for the program to generate results. You can see a visible difference in your image depending on the scaling factor and roughness.
- Now, you can share or download your image from the available options.
That's all. You have successfully upscaled and restored your image using the GFPGAN algorithm. You can tweak the versions and scaling factor to avail different results.
The GFPGAN AI Limitations
Although the image restoration tools work like a miracle, there are a few limitations that even AI can't solve.
For instance, the image-upscaling algorithm makes guesses while adding the extra pixels. It is not creating anything, but learning from the pre-trained model and using existing data to make a close guess. Therefore, there is a chance that the person might look entirely different from the original.
However, the algorithm is so seamless that identity loss rarely happens. Still, it is worth mentioning that it is unrealistic to expect the AI to generate an exact image of the person. In best cases, you can expect high accuracy; in some, it can be an entirely different person.
Also, GFPGAN is precisely made for face restoration. Therefore, if you want to regenerate a landscape or an object, you might not find the results impressive. In some cases, an object might look overly edited or smooth. This makes the image look unnatural. It would be best to use photo editing software like Photoshop to tweak the upscaled image to make it look natural manually.
Currently, GFPGAN is yet to reach its maximum potential. Therefore, you will find the upscaled images aren't that sharp. And the photos look overly smooth. You can sharpen the image using Photoshop to achieve better results.
Lastly, the tool has a limited amount of processing power. Therefore, you can find it troublesome to enhance a large file. But an old low-resolution image won't have a large file size.
The Differences in the GFPGAN Versions
The GFPGAN algorithm has various versions you can use. The latest one is naturally better, but it's not always constructive in some use cases. For instance, version 1 is capable of coloring your photo, but developers removed the feature in later updates.
Here are the benefits and limitations of each version for you to make an informed decision to upscale your image. Some versions aren't available online, so you have to download them from the GitHub page and use them on your computer.
Version 1
The first version of GFPGAN is impressive. It generates an output closely similar to the input image. In addition, it has a colorization feature that automatically colors your black-and-white image. However, it can have a hard time regenerating damaged images.
Version 1.2
The second version, or Version 1.2, is an upgraded algorithm. It will make your images very high-definition. The only shortcoming of this version is its best quality. The upscaled image looks overly shiny and unnatural because of the beauty makeup feature.
It appears that the tool is implementing HDR technology for punchier images. However, the feature works best for landscapes and can simultaneously make a facial image look like a painting. So, you can use this version for photos with landscapes. If you want to add the effect to your pictures manually, see our detailed guide on how to make a fake HDR image using Photoshop.
Version 1.3
Version 1.3 is better than the former two versions. It reduces the overly shiny effect from Version 1.2 and makes the images look more natural. However, the photos are still not sharp, and you can lose the person's identity in some cases. Still, it provides the best results compared to previous versions.
Version 1.4
Version 1.4 is slightly updated from Version 1.3 for better results. It can work with very low-quality images providing the best results. In addition, this version can also remove damage from the photo naturally.
Effortlessly Upscale and Restore Your Low-Quality Images
GFPGAN is a free-to-use AI that converts low-quality images to high-resolution. The tool is still in development, so it is possible to see better versions in the future. Although it updates regularly, you can find the older versions on the GitHub website.
Some versions work better for specific tasks, whereas sometimes, all the results look identical. It is best to try all available tweaks like Version and Scaling factor to ensure you get the best results.
