Chromatic aberration (CA) is a common optical issue that occurs when a lens fails to focus all wavelengths of light to the same point. With the bigger sensors and smaller pixels, this is more obvious today than it was years ago when the film was used and the resolution was lower. It is typically categorized into two types:
-
Lateral (Transverse) Chromatic Aberration
This occurs when different wavelengths of light are focused at different positions across the image plane, often visible as color fringing along the edges of high-contrast areas. Capture One is equipped to automatically detect and correct lateral chromatic aberration during image processing. -
Longitudinal (Axial) Chromatic Aberration
This type arises when different wavelengths are focused at different distances along the optical axis, resulting in colored blurring in front of or behind the focus plane. It is commonly perceived as a purple haze or fringing, especially in high-contrast transitions. This effect is most noticeable in lenses that are optimized for green sharpness but produce softer red and blue focus, leading to a color mix that creates the purple hue.
Note: Capture One cannot correct longitudinal chromatic aberration, as it is a more complex optical behavior that varies with aperture, focal distance, and lens construction.
Check the sample of heavy aberration below.
The Lens Correction tool can be used to compensate for this limitation caused by the lens. You can find the dedicated "Analyze" function in the three-dot menu. That analyses the image to find the optimal CA correction. Capture One’s chromatic aberration analysis function can be used to remove troublesome fringing from multiple images but not just single photos. This option will override chromatic aberration correction from a lens profile and, as each individual image itself is analyzed, often results in the improved correction.
- Go to the Lens tool tab and select the Lens Correction tool.
- Select multiple images from the browser.
- Press the Analyze (…) button to start the correction process.
<< Chromatic aberration and purple fringing | Removing purple fringing >>