Bending Horizons
 

Is this normal for EX! cmos censors. Shot was a time lapse with lens wide open. Had a number of shots with the same problem. Only happened in the wide open position. No problems when lens was zoomed in

Not CMOS, it's the lens and the size of the sensor. It's pretty normal display of barrel distortion at full wide for a lens in that cost range.

This could be annoying. Since the barrel-shaped distorsion disappears when zooming in a little, it is best to avoid the most wide position when it could be a problem (horizon, buildings etc.)

I use Final Cut Pro, and there is a fisheye filter, with which one can get the horizon straight again. Since it makes the outer parts of the picture unuseable, I think you have better correcting future shots with zooming in a little, rather than correcting in post.

Enabling the markers will help to find the zoom position when barrel distortion is no problem.

Nothing to do with the size of the sensor Jason - and all to do with the design of the lens. A trade has been made between distortion (that you're seeing) and sharpness, chromatic aberration and weight, number of elements and cost. You're getting the least distortion while still getting the image sharp at the price you've paid.

The effect will not be aperture dependent and all straight lines that don't cross through the center of the frame will be so affected. In other words if your horizon was dead center you won't see the barrel distortion (though it'll still be there of course).

But I do agree with you that barrel distortion can and does look very amateur, so I'd beware of adding any zoom-through wide-angle converter as this will just make matters worse.

tom.

I'm sorry, that's not barrel distortion. The earth is flat, and it sinks a little where the water pours over the side. Best to not get too close.

If this is normal barrel distortion, why does it seem worse on the left? All barrel distortion I've seen effects left and right sides of the frame.

The distortion seems worse on the left because the camera is slightly tilted to the left instead of being absolutely level.

It's easy to test your lens for barrel distortion. Simply set the camera up perpendicular to the front of a TV, using max wide-angle. Prepare to be upset.

And Tom Roper celebrates his 1000th post by being helpful.

Maybe there's something wrong with me, but I don't find barrel distortion upsetting. I would even venture to guess that the vast majority of the audience doesn't even notice it, until you point it out to them.

Nothing out of the ordinanry for a lens of this price. Just zoom in a tad.

Coming from 'still' photography, even many high-end wide-angle lenses, especially zooms at their widest, have a little distortion. Tilt-shift lenses can counter this effect, which is why they are used in real estate photography where straight lines are critical. As noted the effect diminishes as you zoom in. Personally I don't mind some barrel distortion. In the case you showed it would not even be noticeable unless someone knew the horizon was supposed to be completely level.

Being serious for a moment, I don't find the picture at all objectionable in spite of the lens flaw, because if you centered the horizon in the frame, the poor composition is what would scream amateur to me.

In other words, speaking for myself I would overlook the bending horizon and instead recognize the composition of the picture that is meant to emphasize the "heavens" or whatever message you wanted that clip to convey.

A horizon in the middle of the frame is always wrong, and boring...(to me). My $0.02

I agree entirely with Tom (above). Watch a lot of film and you'll see many people tend to aim, not frame. How many stills have you seen with the person's head mid-frame, cut off at the knees and a ton of 'sky' above? I don't criticise or they may start on my cooking skills...

Post #50 in this thread shows my set-up pictures.
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/canon-xl-...hipping-4.html

tom.