Ian CheesemanI wanted to surprise my grandfather with something truly special for his 85th birthday, and then it hit me—the perfect gift was right there in an old, crinkled album. His favorite childhood photo, faded and torn from decades of love, deserved a second life.
Of course, I wasn’t going to hand over such a treasure to just anyone. I searched high and low in Toronto for the absolute best photo restoration experts who could bring this piece of history back to life.
When I finally gifted him the restored photo, his face lit up, and he whispered, “It’s like yesterday.” Moments like that? Priceless.
For anyone looking to preserve their memories, here are Toronto’s top photo restoration services worth every penny!
How much do photo restoration services cost in Toronto?
Photo restoration services in Toronto typically cost between $50 to $80 per image, depending on the damage and complexity.
For old photos, some studios might charge hourly, with rates around $100 to $140/hour.
Basic fixes like color correction or removing small scratches are on the lower end, while extensive repairs involving missing pieces or heavy damage are pricier.
How We Chose the Best Photo Restoration Services in Toronto
1. Retouch
Owned and run solo by Glenn Honiball for over 30 years, Retouch is not your typical big-company operation.
Glenn’s passion for retouching runs deep, influenced by a family with a rich creative streak. And when you work with him, you know exactly who’s handling your project—no outsourcing, no frills, just his expertise.
One of the coolest things here is his ridiculous level of skill and experience. He’s mastered pre-press, color correction, and all the nitty-gritty technical details that make a restored photo look flawless.
Plus, he uses tools like Alias Eclipse and Barco Creator—software that shows he’s serious about quality.
And let’s not forget: he’s retouched thousands of images for big names like Absolut Vodka, BMW, and American Express.
As for the pricing, let’s just say he’s not the cheapest option in town.
High-quality digitally restored photos more than half a century old
“If you’re looking for someone who is talented and straight to the point when it comes to photo fixing, Glenn is your guy! I found him through a Google search, and his no nonsense approach on his website is what caught my attention. I had the pleasure of meeting him in person, and he answered all of my questions (regarding having some old ripped photos restored digitally to go to print) and the final product blew me away. I got high quality digitally restored versions of photos that are more than half a century old, and the turnaround time was so quick. I am very grateful for Glenn’s attention to detail and skillset. I will definitely be a repeat customer, and if you aren’t one yet, you will be too. Thank you Glenn, you really made these photos the highlight for my loved ones.”
Lia M, Google Review
I couldn’t be happier or more impressed
“I couldn’t be happier or more impressed with the photo restoration or customer service I received. Glenn is a delight and puts detail and care into restoring photos. I will definitely use him again as I continue to restore family photos and look forward to Glenn bringing the vividness of their captured lives back in his restorations.”
Nadia Pennyfeather, Google Review
2. SimFoto
With over 20 years of experience under its belt, SimFoto seems to have mastered the art of digital photo restoration.
Tears, cracks, sun and water stains, mold—you name it, they can fix it. They even offer services like black and white to color transformations.
That’s probably why they’ve worked with major companies like Sun Life and ReMax, which speaks to the trust and quality they bring to the table.
Beyond restoration, they also provide high-end retouching for photographers and bulk editing for photo labs.
Getting started is super easy: just scan your photo, upload it for a quote, and wait for the magic to happen.
However, waiting might be the keyword here. We heard about their longer turnaround times, so if you’re in a rush, this might not be your best bet.
Fantastic job restoring my heavily damaged family photo
“Simon did a fantastic job restoring my heavily damaged family photo. The job was completed quickly and for a solid price! Extremely grateful I didn’t have to lose my priceless family photo! 10/10 highly recommend!”
tristan ford, Google Review
I now have the perfect photo to remember my grandparents by
“I’m so happy I come across SimFoto, when my mom found the only picture she had of me with my grandparents it was faded and cracked. Simón was so helpful and I now have the perfect photo to remember my grandparents by. I was really impressed with the service and the price. Thank you again!!!”
Nicola Turner, Google Review
3. Pixel Ink Retouching
Pixel Ink Retouching was launched in 2012 by Mark after nearly three decades in the prepress and production field.
From his cozy home studio, Mark handles everything from color correction and resolution enhancement to black-and-white colorization and background replacement.
He also offers Idealliance-certified color proofing. Meaning, the final product will have spot-on color accuracy that professionals and everyday customers alike can appreciate.
When the restoration is done, he prints the photos on professional Epson photo paper, packages them beautifully, and either ships them back or arranges for pickup. It’s a one-on-one experience that feels super personal.
One thing to note, though: since it’s a solo setup, bulk orders might not be his thing. Do get in touch with him and check his bandwidth before ordering online.
Wonderful job restoring photos that are very dear to my heart
“Mark did a wonderful job restoring a couple old photographs that are very dear to my heart, in a timely and professional manner. He brought back to life some wonderful, treasured memories! Michael McIntosh, Author.”
Michael McIntosh, Google Review
Fast response and excellent service
“Fast response and excellent service. I had an old photo that needed to be restored and mark had it perfectly and quickly done. Highly recommend!”
A V, Google Review
4. Riveros Art
Riveros Art has been a go-to photo services option since 2008. Along with high-quality printing and framing, they also offer top-notch photo restoration services.
They’re all about preserving your original copy and handling it minimally to avoid any further damage. Their digitization process also makes sure your original stays safe while they work on creating a beautifully restored version.
Whether your photo has folds, scratches, or faded colors, they have the skills and tools to bring it back to life.
Plus, they’re upfront about costs, which we appreciate. Once they assess the level of work needed, they’ll provide a firm quote, so there are no surprises.
Note that some (not all) do feel like their services can be a tad pricey.
EXCELLENT quality and customer service
“EXCELLENT quality and customer service. I’ve been coming back for a few years because they will take care of any framing requests without a problem – highly recommend!”
Karen Bhangoo, Google Review
Restoration work, enlarging, and framing were beautifully done
“My experience with Roberto was a very satisfying one. I had brought an old small photo of my parents on their wedding day in 1941. His restoration work, enlarging, and framing were beautifully done. And the cost was very reasonable.”
Jeffrey Coolwater, Google Review
5. Downtown Camera
Downtown Camera has been serving Toronto photographers for over 40 years. This independent store isn’t just about selling gear—they also offer custom digital services, including photo restoration, retouching, and color matching.
It doesn’t matter if your photo is scratched, faded, or damaged—they’ve got options to bring it back to life.
Their pricing is pretty straightforward as well: basic restoration starts at $10. But, for more intense work like fixing water damage, restoring facial details, or even large collages, prices go up to $100.
With an in-house photo finishing lab, they’re happy to help with additional projects like creating slideshows, posters, or even adding text to your images.
One thing to keep in mind, though, is that we heard about some rude clerks. This could certainly make your visit less pleasant if you catch someone on an off day.
Super fast shipping and responsive customer service
“Super fast shipping and responsive customer service. Had an issue with a small mixup in the order, but Downtown Camera went out of their way to make it right. Will happily order from them again.”
Sean, Google Review
A photographer and videographer’s paradise
“A photographer and videographer’s paradise this place. From old film rolls to classic cameras, Downtown Camera has it all. They also develop films at affordable prices. Highly recommended!!”
Smit Ashish Shah, Google Review
