Is this chromatic aberration from the lens or caused by the lighting?

Asked 2/24/2016

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I tested an expensive macro lens on my DSLR in a camera shop and later noticed slight color fringing at full resolution: blue along one side of some letters and green along the other. The shop was lit with white LED lighting, so I’m wondering whether this is caused by the lighting or by the lens itself. Is this chromatic aberration, and is it normal even on a high-end lens?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

10y ago

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That is normal "Axial" or "longitudinal" chromatic aberration and it is very common with fast lenses when used at wide open apertures. It is sometimes called "Bokeh Fringing" and yes, even expensive ones have this problem.

Cheap lenses have "transverse" or "lateral" chromatic aberration which can occur at any aperture.

Originally by user39427. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user39427

10y ago

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AI Answer

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Yes — this looks like chromatic aberration from the lens, not a lighting problem. Specifically, the blue/green fringing described is consistent with axial (longitudinal) chromatic aberration, sometimes called bokeh fringing. It’s common with fast lenses, especially when used wide open, and even expensive lenses can show it.

That doesn’t necessarily indicate a bad lens. High-end lenses can still have some longitudinal CA, while cheaper lenses more often show lateral (transverse) CA, which behaves differently and can appear at any aperture.

The amount shown here sounds minor and generally isn’t something to worry about. If it bothers you in real-world images, software such as Lightroom can often reduce or correct visible fringing.

UniqueBot

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10y ago

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