elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Does anyone here use this software for making corrections, as needed with a super wide angle lens? I'd like to 'pick your brain'. lol

Bill

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I use it regularly and find it very effective. It's useful for images from any lens with converging verticals, volume deformation and other perspective issues. I primarily used the version that is embedded in DXO PhotoLab 4. The embedded version in PhotoLab has the same functionality as the standalone version but uses Photolab's interface. The standalone version of ViewPoint 3 is also included in DXO's Nik Collection 3 and Nik Collection 4. The functionality is identical to ViewPoint 3, the module in the Nik Collection is called Perspective Efex. Do you have any more specific questions?

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

So do I understand that if I have an image with serious bending with an 8mm lens, that I can expect to "unbend" them DxOViewPoint3? I'll attempt to include a sample of the kind of image I'd like to 'straighten out'.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I've never attempted to fix a perspective issue or lens distortion issue for a lens that wide. What software are you using? Many of the better post-processing packages also provide lens distortion profiles that should correct some of that.

While correcting a raw file might be a better choice I can work with a JPEG. If you post an image I will see how well I can correct it and post my corrected version for you.

Please make sure you post a high-resolution version and select "store original"before attaching it. If you can, also please make sure the EXIF metadata is included just in case I need it to apply a DXO lens profile to correct the distortion of that ultra wide lens.

Regardless of whether I'm successful or not I will post an image with the best results I can achieve and a detailed explanation of how I achieved them.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Most likely what you are seeing is barrel distortion and, if so, much of it can be repaired in tools other than ViewPoint. As an example, in DXO PhotoLab their lens profile corrections can be automatically applied to you image or adjustments can be applied manually by eye. Manual adjustments can be specifically made to reduce barrel, pincushion and fisheye distortions. Those corrections have nothing to do with Viewpoint 3 which is intended for fixing perspective issues. You should also be able to resolve that type of distortion with other software such as the warping tool in Photoshop, but, in my opinion, the warping tool edits often look artificial to my eye.

As I said, send me an image and I'll try it out a couple of things and hopefully will be able to give you some advice on how to resolve your wide angle lens issues.

twosummers Loc: Melbourne Australia or Lincolnshire England

DXO Photolab and I assume Viewpoint (embedded in my version of Photolab) does lens corrections based on special modules that they have developed for a multitude of camera and lens combinations. They are very specific to brand and model. I use Photolab as a go-to first for all of my real estate work. It's a very powerful piece of software and terrific for correcting lens and perspective issues.

CO

I have both DxO PhotoLab 3 and ViewPoint 3. They're both excellent. If you purchase both, the functions in ViewPoint become embedded in PhotoLab.

I took this photo in Richmond, VA. I used a 16-85mm lens set at 16mm. The original has both converging verticals and volume deformation. The smaller wings of the building are stretched horizontally from volume deformation. I used DxO ViewPoint 3. It corrected the converging verticals and volume deformation.

(Download)

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

The viewpoint 3 does seem to do a good job correcting 'lean' from vertical. But the lines must be straight lines, do you agree?

I was hoping to find their software help me correct curved lines, like being between two tall buildings.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

I greatly appreciate your offer. I will attach a .jpg of a downtown shot I took between two tall buildings. There is extreme bending. But even as I do that, I'd like to ask you for information about EXIF metadata. I've never heard of that before. When I attempt to use their "Distortion" tool, it quickly tells me that my image has no EXIF data. What am I missing? I always shoot RAW with my Canon 5DII. Then open it in Affinity Photo, where the file is 'developed', hence making it possible for me to save it as a .jpg to the desk top. And that is the file I open in Viewpoint3. What did I do wrong to have lost the EXIF data?

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

reposted below.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Sorry I forgot to Store Original. I'll try it again.

To answer your most recent question, yes, I'm using an 8mm fisheye lens Sigma EX DG, circular lens. Does that mean that no software can 'straighten the curved lines?

(Download)

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

It is supposed to look that way with a fisheye. You would need to edit it in a full featured pixel editor like PhotoShop. I've attached a video that might help you understand how it is done in PhotoShop. You might also be able to do this in Affinity photo but I'm not very proficient using Affinity and my brief search did not turn up any videos. Perhaps others can help. However it will take a lot of work for each image you want to straighten out. Perhaps a fisheye lens was not the best choice for you .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dca0AA-Cq6s

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

I actually am willing to invest a good deal of work on single images. Just yesterday, I went to my physics lecture/lab. I used the 8mm lens, then cropped a 16x9 rectangle from the center. For the first time ever, I've been able to photograph the entire class, wall-to-wall. I always photograph each semester's class, so that I can learn their names more quickly. My 17mm Canon lens would not accomplish this. Now, do I always want to crop the 'center' of each image in order to get a pleasant looking image? No, not really. That's why I've been trying to learn DxO Viewpoint3. I've sent a sample image to DxO, asking for guidance. It's weekend, so I would expect a response until Monday or Tuesday.

Relative to Photoshop, I'm totally finished with Photoshop. Spent more than $1,000 since early 2000's, buying the original, and upgrading constantly until PSCS5. Then when I installed PSCS5 into my "new" iMac computer, I found I could use the photoshop as I have, and I've learned a great deal about Photoshop. I've even be asked by a colleague at the university to help teach it. But with PSCS5 in High Sierra, the software would instantly shut down when I'd attempt to print anything. Hmmmm, a causality of a newer OS? Probably so. I understand why Adobe must now rent out their software. Over the years, I was pissed to hear of so many who stoled a copy for their computers. So I understand Adobe's posture. Should they and Apple NOT work together, so as to not prevent me from every printing a Photoshop image? Hell yes, in my humble opinion. So that is why I'm totally in Affinity Photo. I'll leave it up to you, to decide if/when you decide to switch to Affinity Photo. I'll give you a hint: In Digital Camera magazine (out of London), there is always an article or two about Affinity Photo. The writer also writes articles about PS. Even in the most recent issue, talking about high pass filter, he says it is better in AS than in PS. I'll bet you didn't know that Adobe closed us out.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Wonderful fisheye 🌀🌀🌀

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

It's too bad Joe that the fisheye isn't what I was wanting.