Lens Distortion: Hi. I took this pic over Christmas, using my Canon 50D and a Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 lens. As you can see, the lighthouse is not straight. I'm using Luminar to work on...

AndyP73 Loc: UK

Hi. I took this pic over Christmas, using my Canon 50D and a Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 lens. As you can see, the lighthouse is not straight. I'm using Luminar to work on my RAW files, but even when I max out the lens correction slider the lighthouse does not move to vertical. The rock in the centre also becomes considerably smaller with full lens correction, which I think detracts from the picture.

Is this something I will just have to live with when using such a wide-angle lens?

Or, is there a way to straighten the lighthouse while leaving the rest of the image unaffected?

Just getting back into photography after a long break...

(Download)

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

Use 'straighten image' rather than lens distortion. its a kind of corrective crop. You either dial in a degree of correction or just tilt the image by draging a corner. (depends on programme)

Your camera may have a menu option to 'show gridlines'. This is only through the view finder or LCD NOT on the final image. Some cameras also have a 'horizon' setting that allows you to keep the 'front to back' spot on as well which will reduce any future lens aberation too.

Have fun

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

What software are you using?

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

One thing to look out for with "straighten image" is that, by "tilting" the whole image to pull the lighthouse more upright, your ocean on the other side will also tilt. In my experience, more folks are bothered by bodies of water that look like they are about to slide off to one side than they are by a distant vertical object that is slightly off-kilter.

AndyP73 Loc: UK

G Brown wrote:

Use 'straighten image' rather than lens distortion. its a kind of corrective crop. You either dial in a degree of correction or just tilt the image by draging a corner. (depends on programme)

Your camera may have a menu option to 'show gridlines'. This is only through the view finder or LCD NOT on the final image. Some cameras also have a 'horizon' setting that allows you to keep the 'front to back' spot on as well which will reduce any future lens aberation too.

Have fun

Thanks. But that results in a sloping horizon. I was looking for a way to keep the horizon level and adjust the angle of the Lighthouse.

AndyP73 Loc: UK

jeep_daddy wrote:

What software are you using?

Luminar 2018

AndyP73 Loc: UK

cameraf4 wrote:

One thing to look out for with "straighten image" is that, by "tilting" the whole image to pull the lighthouse more upright, your ocean on the other side will also tilt. In my experience, more folks are bothered by bodies of water that look like they are about to slide off to one side than they are by a distant vertical object that is slightly off-kilter.

Yes, that is the problem. Agreed - would rather have a slightly leaning lighthouse than a sloping horizon.

repleo Loc: Boston

I think Perspective Warp in PS would work. Just pull the top right corner out (and up or down if its grabbing the horizon line. Recrop. To avoid or minimize the effect when taking make sure the camera is level in the front to back direction. (All of this is 'I think' - but worth a try)

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

AndyP73 wrote:

Hi. I took this pic over Christmas, using my Canon... (show quote)

Are you sure the original was straight?

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

AndyP73 wrote:

Luminar 2018

I've never used this before so I can't offer any suggestions. Good luck.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

AndyP73 wrote:

Hi. I took this pic over Christmas, using my Canon... (show quote)

I don't know the tools in your software package but LR has the Transform feature and DXO Photolab, which is my editor of choice these days, has a parallel feature. I hope you don't mind, but here's my very quick take on your image. Obviously a little cropping was required. I would imagine there may be something similar in Luminar. Since I have some automatic presets applied to every picture the color and possibly some other things may look a bit different than your original, but I was primary demonstrating PhotoLab's ability to straighten verticals.

(Download)

AndyP73 Loc: UK

repleo wrote:

I think Perspective Warp in PS would work. Just pull the top right corner out (and up or down if its grabbing the horizon line. Recrop. To avoid or minimize the effect when taking make sure the camera is level in the front to back direction. (All of this is 'I think' - but worth a try)

Thanks - I'll give that a go.

AndyP73 Loc: UK

rehess wrote:

Are you sure the original was straight?

I'll have to go back and check, but I'm pretty sure it was.

AndyP73 Loc: UK

mwsilvers wrote:

I don't know the tools in your software package bu... (show quote)

Thanks - that looks good. I'll have a root around in Luminar for similar functions.

Largobob

If you really want to exercise your "straightening" technique.....there is this quaint little town in Italy called Pisa. They're got this tower....

<big grin>