Ptlens vs dxo viewpoint software#

Photoshop does a really nice job of correcting the image. Image Correctionīelow are the original and corrected shots. I’m presenting data from one lens here, but I did another for completeness. Then I loaded the correction profiles for the Canon 5D Mk II and 24-105 and did an auto distortion correction, saving that as a TIFF.įinally, I compared the corrected and uncorrected versions in Imatest. So I took the RAW file to Photoshop, turned off every single sharpening and modifying tool and converted it to TIFF. We usually run Imatest only on RAW files, but that would make it impossible to correct the image. I mention this only as a preemptive strike because I’m 100% certain some Fanboy is going to be saying, “Roger said the Canon 24-105 has the worst barrel distortion of any lens.” It doesn’t, not by a long shot, but it has plenty for this test. I chose it simply because we already had Imatest set up at 24mm and because I feel our Imatest setup is a bit less accurate wider than 16mm. It has a large amount of barrel distortion at 24mm (over 4%). I used the Canon 24-105 f/4 IS for this test.

That has me a bit behind on my real job, so please excuse that this isn’t an exhaustive test of 30 different lenses. I hate when that happens, especially when I’ve already spent two days playing with the Canon 24-70 f/4 IS and taking it apart. I had to go do some testing and gather some actual facts. I won’t waste my time with you anymore.”īeing that I was out there using my real name and all, the comment left me no choice. Now, if I were hanging out on a forum under my anonymous handle of LensGuruGod1 I could have used proper Internet etiquette and replied, “If you weren’t an awful photographer you’d already know that. Yesterday, unfortunately, someone asked me to tell him exactly how much resolution you actually lose?ĭon’t you just hate it when someone interrupts your Rant of Absolute Knowledge by asking for facts? What a buzz kill. There is no way you can shift that many pixels around and not decrease resolution. But every tool, whether in-camera or in your post-processing program, that modifies an image is a trade off of sorts. But when combined, they become false.ĭistortion correction is a wonderful tool. Unfortunately, way too often, the complete statement goes like this: “I got it because it has such high resolution. Yes, it has a lot of distortion, but that’s easy to correct in post.” That’s two totally true statements. At some focal lengths, you might get mustache distortion which may or may not be handled by PT or CS5 but something more specialized like DxO will handle it in most cases.I hear this about 20 times a day and it’s true: “Yes, it has a lot of distortion, but that’s easy to correct in post.” It’s a totally true statement. PT lens is a good inexpensive add on program, however, PSCS5 now has it built into the raw processor.

It will be more pronounced with shorter focal length lenses and may all but disappear the longer you go. In fact, most lenses have some, even fixed focal length lenses. On the other hand, your 24-70 is going to have barrel distortion-it is there in this photo although minor compared to the perspective distortion. I do this sort of thing quite regularly and still can make huge prints without any apparent loss of resolution-you just need to play with it to find the optimal procedure. The best results are achieved by moving the bottom and top of the image equally(bottom in, top out), thus reducing the vertical distortion (crunching) of the object and minimizing the actually resampling magnitude at either end of the image.

Ptlens vs dxo viewpoint software#

The nice thing is that a camera with the MP of the 5dII can, in many situations, allow for the software correction of perspective distortion without the 'apparent' loss of resolution that will be noticeable with smaller MP cameras. A 600mm lens pointed and including a skyscraper will exhibit much less perspective distortion, possibly none, because of the great distance it would be from the subject to include it all. The closer one is to the building, the more it will show. What has been noted here is in fact perspective distortion which any lens will exhibit when point off level at something like a building.