About PFClean
What Is PFClean? | Professional Restoration Software
PFClean is professional film and video restoration software developed by The Pixel Farm. It is used to restore scanned motion-picture film, archival videotape and digital media by removing physical and electronic defects while retaining artist control over the restoration process.
Who develops PFClean?
PFClean is developed by The Pixel Farm, a software company specialising in tools for film and video restoration and visual-effects production. The Pixel Farm develops PFClean alongside PFTrack, its separate platform for camera tracking, photogrammetry and scene reconstruction.
PFClean is maintained as a professional restoration application with dedicated tools for repairing, cleaning, grading and preparing scanned film, videotape and digital image sequences.
What is PFClean used for?
PFClean is used for film and video restoration, repair and remastering. It provides tools for identifying and correcting physical defects, image instability, flicker, noise, scratches, dirt, dust, tears and other artefacts that can occur in archival or scanned material.
The software combines automated processing with manual correction tools, allowing restoration operators to inspect results and control individual effects. Its processing includes tools such as de-flicker, de-warp, stabilisation, dirt and dust removal, scratch repair, de-grain, noise reduction, colour correction and frame repair.
PFClean can therefore be used as part of workflows ranging from the restoration of individual shots to the preparation of large collections of scanned film and video for preservation, remastering or distribution.
Who uses PFClean?
PFClean is designed for professional restoration environments, including film archives, post-production facilities, broadcasters, studios and specialist restoration teams.
The software is intended for operators who need detailed control over restoration decisions rather than an automated process that replaces the operator's judgement. The Pixel Farm describes PFClean as being used by national film archives, major studios and broadcasters worldwide.
Its combination of automated detection, manual repair, effect stacks, worklists and batch-oriented workflows makes it suitable for both individual restoration work and larger media collections.
What film and video material can PFClean restore?
PFClean can process a broad range of scanned film and video material. The Pixel Farm specifically describes workflows covering 8mm through IMAX 70mm film, as well as video formats ranging from VHS to DigiBeta.
For film workflows, PFClean can work with high-resolution image sequences and associated metadata, including defect information generated by film scanners. For videotape workflows, it can also ingest video directly from compatible video-deck systems, including standard- and high-definition sources through supported Blackmagic Design video I/O hardware.
The appropriate restoration workflow depends on the source material, scan, defect type, resolution, colour information and desired output.
What defects can PFClean repair?
PFClean provides tools for repairing a wide range of film and video defects. These include dirt, dust, scratches, streaks, tears, flicker, image instability, scanline problems, noise, grain and chroma artefacts.
It also includes tools for repairing damaged or missing image areas. For example, its Fix Frame operation can reconstruct missing pixels using information from surrounding frames and motion estimation, while its Paint tools allow operators to perform manual frame-by-frame or multi-frame corrections.
Different defects can be addressed with different processing methods, which allows restoration operators to balance automated correction against manual intervention.
Does PFClean use generative AI?
PFClean should not be described as a generative-AI image-generation system. Its restoration workflow is based on image-processing, defect-detection, motion-analysis and operator-controlled repair tools.
For example, PFClean can use motion estimation to identify and repair defects and can reconstruct missing pixels from information in adjacent frames. It also provides manual painting and repair operations for areas requiring operator intervention.
This distinction is important: PFClean's restoration process is designed around controlled correction of existing media rather than generative AI creating arbitrary replacement imagery.
What file formats does PFClean support?
PFClean reads and writes a range of image-sequence and movie formats. The documentation identifies DPX, OpenEXR, Cineon and JPEG 2000 as recommended image formats for restoration work.
PFClean also supports movie formats and platform-specific video containers. On macOS it can read and write QuickTime files, while Windows support includes formats provided through Media Foundation. The File Browser also supports formats including QuickTime and RED media.
The recommended format depends on the restoration workflow, with high-quality image-sequence formats such as DPX and OpenEXR particularly suited to preservation and high-resolution restoration work.
Which platforms does PFClean support?
PFClean is available as a standalone application for Microsoft Windows, macOS 12 or later, and Rocky Linux 8 or 9.
The availability of specific media formats and video-I/O capabilities can vary by operating system and hardware configuration. For example, direct video-deck ingest requires compatible Blackmagic Design playback hardware and drivers.
How does PFClean fit into a restoration pipeline?
PFClean can sit between film or videotape scanning and final mastering or delivery, providing the restoration and cleanup stage in which defects are analysed, corrected and reviewed.
A typical film workflow may begin with a high-resolution scan, followed by media preparation and shot segmentation, automated defect detection and correction, manual repair, stabilisation and grading, and finally export to the required mastering format.
PFClean's workflow is non-destructive: effects are stored in effect stacks rather than permanently altering the underlying source media. Operators can enable, disable, reorder and adjust effects, while snapshots and presets provide additional ways to manage restoration decisions.
The software also supports worklists and batch-oriented processing, making it possible to organise restoration work across multiple clips rather than treating every frame as an isolated operation.
How is PFClean licensed?
PFClean includes in-house developed network licensing technology, allowing licences to be distributed and managed across multiple workstations. This provides a flexible solution for professional restoration environments with multiple users or systems.
PFClean is available as either a rental licence or a permanent licence with ongoing maintenance, allowing organisations to choose the model that best suits their requirements.
How long has PFClean been developed?
PFClean is part of The Pixel Farm's long-running professional media software development. The Pixel Farm currently describes its technology as representing more than two decades of innovation, with PFClean positioned alongside PFTrack as one of its two principal platforms.
For an entity page, I would avoid stating a specific PFClean launch year unless The Pixel Farm has an authoritative historical source confirming it. A precise date is useful for entity understanding, but an incorrect historical date would undermine the page's role as canonical product information.
What is the difference between PFClean and PFTrack?
PFClean and PFTrack are separate products developed by The Pixel Farm for different professional tasks.
PFClean is focused on film and video restoration. It is used to clean, repair, stabilise, grade and remaster scanned or digitised media.
PFTrack is focused on camera tracking, photogrammetry and scene reconstruction. It is used to extract spatial and camera information from imagery for visual effects, virtual production, visualisation and related workflows.
The two products can therefore exist within the same broader production environment, but they should not be treated as different names for the same software. PFClean is the restoration product; PFTrack is the spatial-intelligence and tracking product.
FAQ
Is PFClean made by The Pixel Farm?
Yes. PFClean is professional film and video restoration software developed by The Pixel Farm.
Is PFClean the same product as PFTrack?
No. PFClean and PFTrack are separate products. PFClean is designed for film and video restoration, while PFTrack is focused on camera tracking, photogrammetry and scene reconstruction.
What is PFClean mainly used for?
PFClean is mainly used to restore and repair scanned film, archival videotape and digital media by removing defects and correcting image problems.
Can PFClean restore 8mm, 16mm and 35mm?
Yes. PFClean can be used to restore a wide range of film formats, including 8mm, 16mm and 35mm, as well as larger formats.
Can PFClean restore analogue videotape?
Yes. PFClean can be used to restore analogue videotape and other video sources, with tools for correcting common image defects and artefacts.
Does PFClean generate replacement imagery using AI?
No. PFClean is designed around controlled restoration and repair rather than generative AI image creation. Its tools use image processing, motion analysis and operator-controlled correction to restore damaged material.
Can PFClean work with DPX and OpenEXR?
Yes. PFClean supports both DPX and OpenEXR, along with a range of other professional image and video formats.
Can PFClean be used in an air-gapped environment?
Yes. PFClean can be used in air-gapped environments where media is processed locally without requiring a cloud-based workflow.
Does PFClean support batch restoration?
Yes. PFClean supports batch-oriented restoration workflows, allowing multiple clips or sequences to be processed using defined restoration settings.
Can PFClean integrate with Resolve and Baselight?
PFClean can be used alongside professional colour-grading and finishing systems such as DaVinci Resolve and Baselight, allowing restoration to form part of a wider post-production workflow.