Best Canon lens to reduce barrell distortion

photoman500

photoman500

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Hi i have a Canon 60D which i use with a couple of telephoto lens, the EF 100-400 and EFS 18-200

Whilst not a 'pro' i do sometimes take headshots and i also take shots of buildings - interior/exerior shots - for work-related publications. Obviously I normally use the 18-200 for these purposes

however i do find the barrell distortion is a pain

i realise that Photoshop etc can partially reduce it but it's not possible to always eliminate entirely

i also realise composition is important but again one can't always choose the circumstances and with buiildings straight lines are fairly intrinsic...

i also read that shooting at 135mm is a good way to minimise it but for interiors and also exteriors that won't always be possible

so i'd be happy to get a further lens and was investigating one of the 50mm prime lenses as an option.

can people give me recommendations on the best one to get, and/or any further workarounds?

thanks
 
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Correct in software. Easy, and should be completely eliminated if you use software with a custom profile for the lens. Such as Lightroom, or the DPP software that came free with the camera.

No zoom has zero distortion at all focal lengths, and not many primes either. These days lens designers expect distortion and vignetting to be corrected in post processing and often don't try too hard to reduce them optically. And that frees up the design to be better at other things.
 
photoman500 said:
.....Obviously I normally use the 18-200 for these purposes
however i do find the barrell distortion is a pain......

.....so i'd be happy to get a further lens and was investigating one of the 50mm prime lenses as an option.
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Are you sure that you have barrel distortion using the 18-200 at 50mm? That lens has some quite severe barrel distortion <24mm but it's pretty much gone after that....a little pin cushion if anything.

Bob
 
Thanks for all your replies

@Hoppy- ok, i guess i should be pleased as it savges me moneyi guess though i';ve been wanting an excuse to get a prime lens actually adn thought thi mightr be it!

i will try in DPP software - haven't done that yet although i don't find it very user friendly

@Bob - maybe you are right it was shot at 18 - i guess i need to stay above 24 for buildings etc?

@pingu - ok ill check out

@daugirdas: are youtalking about full PS? i have only the Elements version which has a slider but doesn't always elimnate it entirely
 
barrell distortion is normal on a hyper zoom at the wide end, if its serious work then a ultrawide lens would be a good investment
but dxo optics would fix things as well and easily as possible
 
Wide angle and buildings you need a tilt and shift lens, or accept some distortions, even though lens profiles in Lightroom, dxo takes out a lot.

The 18-200 isn't one of canons best and you've identified issues with zooms trying to cover a huge range. For the 60d the 10-22 or sigma version could be worth a look, both are reasonable second hand, but for best results the tilt shift is best.
 
photoman500 said:
thanks again

i don't have dxo but could get - i presume the Standard edition would be ok for my kit?
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Try the free trial of Lightroom, see how you get on - it's the software of choice for most enthusiasts these days. If it can sort out the distortion on your EF-S 18-200, it can do anything.

The only lenses I know that have zero distortion or close to it, are macros and tilt & shift. If you need an excuse to buy something new, let us know what you want and I'm sure the TP collective will come up with our favourite range of tall stories :)
 
photoman500 said:
Thanks Hoppy

How about we start with the best Canon lemns for interiors? any suggestions - i've seen on other forums people recommending 16-35mm or a 17-40mm
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You want lens advice or excuses? TBH I'm not too good at excuses and I just buy stuff when that happy mix of wants and funds coincide :)

As for lenses for interiors, I recently hired a Canon 24mm T&S and if I did more work like that regularly, that would be more of a need than a want, but it's kinda specialist and expensive. I actually get by pretty well with a 17-40L, which is a great buy for full-frame users, though that might get replaced with the new 16-35/4 IS sometime.

But you have a 60D, so FF lenses are not a great idea. Suggest EF-S 10-22, or new 10-18 STM, or Tokina 11-16/2.8 is popular and very sharp though the Tokina 12-28/4 is just as sharp and a lot more versatile. Use software to correct distortion and also to tweak converging verticals.

Edit: just thinking about that now, be sure to take a close look at that new Canon 10-18 before deciding. Respected review here :) http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-S-10-18mm-f-4.5-5.6-IS-STM-Lens.aspx
 
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photoman500 said:
Thanks Hoppy

How about we start with the best Canon lemns for interiors? any suggestions - i've seen on other forums people recommending 16-35mm or a 17-40mm
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I think that a wide Tilt-Shift lens has got to be considered "the best". One can avoid distortion, avoid reflections and shift and stitch if and when the need arises. However, it will only be "the best" if the user has the time, ability and patience to use it to its full potential.

Bob
 
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Canon Bob said:
I think that a wide Tilt-Shift lens has got to be considered "the best". One can avoid distortion, avoid reflections and shift and stitch if and when the need arises. However, it will only be "the best" if the user has the time, ability and patience to use it to its full potential.

Bob
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I used to work for an estate agent and part of the job was doing Exterior/Interior shots of properties , at that time I used a 40D with a sigma 10-20mm and sorted out the distortions in PS because the boss would not buy a TS-E
When I retired and could then afford it I eventually bought a 24mm TS-E Mk2 , very expensive £1100+ used and probably more than that now.
Like Canon Bob says such a lens requires patience and time and a good tripod and head but if you are serious then they are the best.
Hire one and see how you get on.
The 24mm Mk1 can be bought at a reasonable price and unless you need to tilt and shift in the same plane is not bad, not as good as the Mk2 but probably a third of the price.
 
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odd jim said:
That's for perspective correction, nothing to do with barrel distortion!
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The point is, T&S lenses generally don't have any distortion to correct.
 
interseting discussion but it do think = corecction KNOW that as i rarely need to take such shots even for work taht teh T&S is too cotly a solution both in finacial terms and havin gteh time to get to know it

i have to say like Hobby i think the 10-18 looks an intersting one - am very tempted

btw on sigma lenses i've always seen them as a cheap n cheerful alternative for the budget conscious rather than something anyone who could afford Canon would buy - is that right or am i being too harsh?
 
photoman500 said:
interseting discussion but it do think = corecction KNOW that as i rarely need to take such shots even for work taht teh T&S is too cotly a solution both in finacial terms and havin gteh time to get to know it

i have to say like Hobby i think the 10-18 looks an intersting one - am very tempted

btw on sigma lenses i've always seen them as a cheap n cheerful alternative for the budget conscious rather than something anyone who could afford Canon would buy - is that right or am i being too harsh?
Click to expand...

Some Sigma lenses are more expensive and more highly rated than the direct Canon equivalent, 50mm f/1.4 being one example... FWIW, I have a few Sigma EX lenses and IMHO they're well built and provide very good image quality.
 
photoman500 said:
interseting discussion but it do think = corecction KNOW that as i rarely need to take such shots even for work taht teh T&S is too cotly a solution both in finacial terms and havin gteh time to get to know it

i have to say like Hobby i think the 10-18 looks an intersting one - am very tempted

btw on sigma lenses i've always seen them as a cheap n cheerful alternative for the budget conscious rather than something anyone who could afford Canon would buy - is that right or am i being too harsh?
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Sigma 10-20/4-5.6 is a decent lens and rightly popular as an alternative to the more expensive Canon. However, I suspect that will now lose out to the new Canon 10-18.

As said, some Sigma lenses are very good indeed and their Contemporary range (Art, Sports etc) is class leading.
 
Probably the nicest piece of software for these and just about every other lens is PTLens.
It corrects barrel and pincushion distortions automatically.
It will also correct for perspective distortion and chromatic aberration.
It will also correct for fisheye distortion.

Software and demo here http://www.epaperpress.com/ptlens/

You get a standalone Gui and also a plug in for Photoshop
And is also an External editor for Lightroom/Aperture/iPhoto/Capture One (JPEG, 8 or 16-bit TIFF)

At only $25 it is something all photographers should own.
I have had it since it came out, and they keep up to date with lens profiles.

PTLens also has corrections for TS-e lenses
Canon TS-E 17mm f/4 (no correction needed)
Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II (no correction needed)
Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L
Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L (1.0:11x11:62x94)
Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8
Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 (1.0:11x11:62x93)
Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8
Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 (1.0:11x11:62x93)
 
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Terrywoodenpic said:
Probably the nicest piece of software for these and just about every other lens is PTLens.
It corrects barrel and pincushion distortions automatically.
It will also correct for perspective distortion and chromatic aberration.
It will also correct for fisheye distortion.

Software and demo here http://www.epaperpress.com/ptlens/

You get a standalone Gui and also a plug in for Photoshop
And is also an External editor for Lightroom/Aperture/iPhoto/Capture One (JPEG, 8 or 16-bit TIFF)

At only $25 it is something all photographers should own.
I have had it since it came out, and they keep up to date with lens profiles.

PTLens also has corrections for TS-e lenses
Canon TS-E 17mm f/4 (no correction needed)
Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II (no correction needed)
Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L
Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L (1.0:11x11:62x94)
Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8
Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 (1.0:11x11:62x93)
Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8
Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 (1.0:11x11:62x93)
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Interesting post Terry :) I've not really looked at PT Lens since the early days when it was free and, I think, most of the lens profiles were provided by users. Do you know if that is still the case? How good/accurate are they? Do they take format into account automatically? Distortion also varies with focusing distance as well as focal length. And I see that T&S lens corrections are not one-click and need further tweaking according to the amount of shift applied (useful though).

TBH I don't know how sophisticated the corrections are with Adobe either, in Lightroom and Photoshop. I just use them and they seem to work very well, though I've not looked that closely or thoroughly to see if focusing distance is also factored in. I think they're drawn up in consultation with the lens manufacturers so that should at least provide good data.

Be interested to hear any extra comments based on your use :) Have you tried DxO and their volume anamorphics?

PS Lightroom also straightens out fisheyes, and you get something like a 12mm ultra-wide on full-frame.
 
HoppyUK said:
Interesting post Terry :) I've not really looked at PT Lens since the early days when it was free and, I think, most of the lens profiles were provided by users. Do you know if that is still the case? How good/accurate are they? Do they take format into account automatically? Distortion also varies with focusing distance as well as focal length. And I see that T&S lens corrections are not one-click and need further tweaking according to the amount of shift applied (useful though).

TBH I don't know how sophisticated the corrections are with Adobe either, in Lightroom and Photoshop. I just use them and they seem to work very well, though I've not looked that closely or thoroughly to see if focusing distance is also factored in. I think they're drawn up in consultation with the lens manufacturers so that should at least provide good data.

Be interested to hear any extra comments based on your use :) Have you tried DxO and their volume anamorphics?

PS Lightroom also straightens out fisheyes, and you get something like a 12mm ultra-wide on full-frame.
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In tests I have seen PTLens does a rather more accurate job than either photoshop's own filter or DXO, when correcting for barrel and pincushion.

it also makes a better fist of moustache distortion in modern zooms.
the distortion is only corrected at middle to long distance. Close up distortions rarely involve verticles and horizontal lines, so the differences that might exist are very rarely visible.
The sets of photographs used to calculate the corrections are provided by users
.they are given instructions on how to do this to meet the necessary standards.
If they come up to that standard they are used by PTLens to create the necessary data.
I did this for hIm for the Konika Minolta G600. but I have not done one since.

PTLens uses the same maths as are used by PTGui, PTAssembler and other panoramic software that are based on Helmut Dursch's "panorama Tools" This produces projections of astonishing accuracy.
DXO and Photoshop do not have access to these formulae as the are protected by common licence,
PTLens and others only provide the front end GUI and their own data sets.

However both DXO and Photoshop provide more sophisticated tools for correcting fringing and CA.
their major problem is that they cover so few lenses and cameras compared to PTLens.
 
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Thanks Terry. I knew you'd have something interesting to say. Might have to take a closer look at PTLens :)

Lightroom covers a lot of lenses, certainly everything mainstream and plenty more besides, current list here http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/lens-profile-support-lightroom-4.html There are a few more not detected automatically through lack of Exif info, eg Samyangs. There's a separate database for those that has to be uploaded.
 
I have Adobe cc.... but They cover hardly any fixed lens cameras and only 3 fuji lenses, If you are a canon or Nikon DSLR user and to some extent Sony user you are well enough served. But they take ages to add new ones to the list.

HoppyUK said:
Thanks Terry. I knew you'd have something interesting to say. Might have to take a closer look at PTLens :)

Lightroom covers a lot of lenses, certainly everything mainstream and plenty more besides, current list here http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/lens-profile-support-lightroom-4.html There are a few more not detected automatically through lack of Exif info, eg Samyangs. There's a separate database for those that has to be uploaded .
Click to expand...
 
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