![camera lens distortion grid card camera lens distortion grid card](https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/ContentImages/Journals/OPEGAR/51/2/027002/FigureImages/OE_51_2_027002_f001.png)
The roof top of Caesar’s Palace in Vegas…ĭistortion can be fun! The previous image of Caesar’s Palace would have been quite boring with a straight roof. The further the lines are away from the center of the image, the more noticeable the distortion will be. It can actually be great for portraits because it can make people look thinner than they are! You will most likely notice pincushion distortion in images with straight lines. 200mm) of a zoom lens such as a 70-200mm lens. Usually pincushion distortion happens at the telephoto end (ie.
![camera lens distortion grid card camera lens distortion grid card](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/fit/t/1600/480/1*e6Xr5edpiwpl3OKxZZwPzA.png)
Pincushion distortion is where straight lines bend or “pinch” inward from the center of the image. And how small the rest of his body looks compared to his head. Notice how odd his head looks at 24mm vs. Here’s a portrait comparison using my 24-70mm lens shot at different focal lengths, standing about the same distance from my son. This is why it’s not usually a good idea to shoot portraits with a wide-angle lens! The best focal length for portraits is 50mm and above when trying to avoid distortion. Whatever body part is closest to the camera, it will look abnormally large! Heads, eyes, noses or limbs will look pronounced and awkward. It’s always your call as the artist on what you want to fix/change!īarrel distortion will also occur if you are standing too close to your subject with a wide angle lens or a zoom lens at the wide end (ie. I actually liked the original distorted version of this photo better because after I made corrections it cropped his feet out, which bothered me more than the curved lines. Notice the curved gates, wall, and the temple in the background that seems to be leaning backwards slightly. You will notice the pillars are straightened in the second image. The second image is after the distortion was corrected in Lightroom. If you look closely at the pillars in the first one, they are slanted. Here’s an architectural image I took in Barcelona last summer. You will most often notice distortion in architectural images where the lines of the buildings bow outward, away from the center of the image. In portraits, it can make subjects look pudgy or large-headed in comparison to the rest of their body. Interested in seeing a lens comparison? Read here! Wide-angle prime lenses such as a 20mm lens or zoom lenses like my Nikon 24-70mm shot at its wide end typically produce images with barrel distortion because they have a wide field of view. The two most common types of lens distortion are barrel distortion and pincushion distortion.īarrel distortion is where straight lines bend outward from the center of the image. In a nutshell, it’s when a lens produces curved lines where straight lines should be. Thank you for supporting Click it Up a Notch.
CAMERA LENS DISTORTION GRID CARD HOW TO
Today I’ll explain what distortion is, why it’s good or bad, and how to correct it in post processing if needed. It can make or break our images as artists, depending on the look and feel we are trying to achieve. Side note a 35mm is going to be your best lens to have to be able to fit more in the frame without lens distortion. Different lenses cause this distortion to try to be able to fit more in the frame. Lens distortion is an important factor to be aware of in the photography world. The good news is it’s usually fixable in post processing and can even be desirable! And no matter how expensive your lens, all have some distortion. Ever wondered why your subjects look disproportioned in certain images compared to real life? Or why buildings look like they are tipping? Chances are it’s due to lens distortion.