Old cabinet card: restore the portrait, keep its character

Cabinet cards, studio portraits mounted on thick card, often with the photographer's name printed below, were common in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The tool restores contrast, doubles the resolution and rebuilds the faces; you then choose to keep the period tones or add colour.

The Minibon team · Updated on 27 October 2026 · Translation to review

free preview, HD from €1.99

Scanning a cabinet card well

• Flat on the scanner, no pressure

  The card is stiff and sometimes bowed: lay it on the glass without pressing. If it will not sit flat, photograph it straight on in daylight, without flash.

• The whole card, then the picture

  Scan the full card with its border and studio name, handy for placing the photo in time, then crop to the portrait for restoration.

• The back as well

  The back often carries the studio's name and address, or a family note. Keep an image of it alongside the front.

How it works

1. 1. Digitise Scan the whole card at 300 or 600 dpi depending on its size, then keep a version cropped to the portrait.
2. 2. Upload "Keep B&W" is selected to respect the period tones. Pick "Auto colour" or "Colourise" to see the portrait in colour.
3. 3. Compare Check faces and clothing with the before/after slider. Switching your choice afterwards is free.
4. 4. Frame it A 20×25 cm matte fine art print (€19.90) or a black, white or wood frame with a white mount, in the "Sepia" look if you like.

What the tool does well, and what it misses

• Good: posed portraits Studio faces, front-on and well lit, are generally detected and rebuilt.
• Good: a faded print Contrast returns on brightness only, then grain is cleaned during enlargement.
• Worth knowing: the card's decoration Gilt edges, the studio name and small lettering can be smoothed: keep your original scan.
• Not yet: worn corners and stains Dog-eared corners, damp marks or foxing on the paper are not filled in.