sigma 18-35 GH4 distortion problem?

joe swanson said:

newb here, apologies if this has been discussed before, couldn't find any info.. am i doing something wrong? i'm pointing the camera directly at this rectangle image, why does it look so warped? anyone have this problem? (i am using metabones speedbooster canon ef to m43 S version if that makes any difference...)

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Heyseuss Hoolio said:

joe swanson said:

newb here, apologies if this has been discussed before, couldn't find any info.. am i doing something wrong? i'm pointing the camera directly at this rectangle image, why does it look so warped? anyone have this problem? (i am using metabones speedbooster canon ef to m43 S version if that makes any difference...)

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Are you shooting jpeg or RAW? If RAW, when you open them up in your RAW converter are they still warped?

At 18mm it should have some barrel distortion, not pincushion.

If shooting jpeg, it appears the camera is applying a lot of distortion correction, since there is connectivity effecting the corrected focal length EXIF the camera might be apply some unknown amount of distortion.

Maybe see if you can turn the correction off if that is the case. If it isn't, does the Metabones adapter do this with other lenses? What about a standard normal non-focal reduced adapter, is the Sigma distorted as well?

Does it look like that when you're in video mode?

Do you have other photos?

Is this the first time you've used the lens and adapter together or did it just start happening?

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joe swanson said:

Heyseuss Hoolio said:

joe swanson said:

newb here, apologies if this has been discussed before, couldn't find any info.. am i doing something wrong? i'm pointing the camera directly at this rectangle image, why does it look so warped? anyone have this problem? (i am using metabones speedbooster canon ef to m43 S version if that makes any difference...)

Click to expand...

Are you shooting jpeg or RAW? If RAW, when you open them up in your RAW converter are they still warped?

At 18mm it should have some barrel distortion, not pincushion.

If shooting jpeg, it appears the camera is applying a lot of distortion correction, since there is connectivity effecting the corrected focal length EXIF the camera might be apply some unknown amount of distortion.

Maybe see if you can turn the correction off if that is the case. If it isn't, does the Metabones adapter do this with other lenses? What about a standard normal non-focal reduced adapter, is the Sigma distorted as well?

Does it look like that when you're in video mode?

Do you have other photos?

Is this the first time you've used the lens and adapter together or did it just start happening?

Click to expand...

thanks for helping! i'm shooting JPG.

exactly, i understand that 18mm would have a tad bit of distortion, but in this example, the 35mm seems even more warped than the 18.. that's not normal. i attached another pic at 35mm, as you can see, something is clearly off.

how do i turn the correction off? i don't have any other lenses so i wouldn't know. it's the first time i use them. and it looks exactly the same in video mode.

i've watched a lot of videos online of people with the same combo and i never saw this amount of distortion.. the only thing i can think of is maybe because i'm using the S version of the metabones speedboster canon ef to m43? i think people usually buy the non S version.. i don't know if that's what would make the difference?

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Heyseuss Hoolio said:

joe swanson said:

Heyseuss Hoolio said:

joe swanson said:

newb here, apologies if this has been discussed before, couldn't find any info.. am i doing something wrong? i'm pointing the camera directly at this rectangle image, why does it look so warped? anyone have this problem? (i am using metabones speedbooster canon ef to m43 S version if that makes any difference...)

Click to expand...

Are you shooting jpeg or RAW? If RAW, when you open them up in your RAW converter are they still warped?

At 18mm it should have some barrel distortion, not pincushion.

If shooting jpeg, it appears the camera is applying a lot of distortion correction, since there is connectivity effecting the corrected focal length EXIF the camera might be apply some unknown amount of distortion.

Maybe see if you can turn the correction off if that is the case. If it isn't, does the Metabones adapter do this with other lenses? What about a standard normal non-focal reduced adapter, is the Sigma distorted as well?

Does it look like that when you're in video mode?

Do you have other photos?

Is this the first time you've used the lens and adapter together or did it just start happening?

Click to expand...

thanks for helping! i'm shooting JPG.

exactly, i understand that 18mm would have a tad bit of distortion, but in this example, the 35mm seems even more warped than the 18.. that's not normal. i attached another pic at 35mm, as you can see, something is clearly off.

how do i turn the correction off? i don't have any other lenses so i wouldn't know. it's the first time i use them. and it looks exactly the same in video mode.

i've watched a lot of videos online of people with the same combo and i never saw this amount of distortion.. the only thing i can think of is maybe because i'm using the S version of the metabones speedboster canon ef to m43? i think people usually buy the non S version.. i don't know if that's what would make the difference?

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I'm not sure how to turn ON or OFF any correction on the GH4 camera. I have the Nikon F-mount version Sigma and Metabones, but use an Olympus. I haven't tried to shoot straight lines like that or look for any distortion. Though that appears noticeable on yours so I'm assuming I would've noticed something like that with my photos.

I'm not saying it's NOT possible that the lens does in fact experience distortion like that, since the focal reducer takes from a wider portion of the image circle closer to the edges then an APS-C sensored camera which the lens was designed for.

How did you initially notice it? Can you easily see it through normal shooting conditions? Is the lens sharp still and optically good besides the noticed distortion?

All the reviews for the lens indicate barrel distortion at the wide end and pincushion at the long end though the examples don't show it that extreme.

I don't have my camera with me right now to verify or access to my photos to see if I have any comparative squared off photos to check for distortion. Maybe you could skim through these that I've posted on my flickr and see if they appear more "normal" compared to random shots you've taken on yours. Sigma 18-35 w/Metabones

From the Metabones website, the difference between the S version and the non-S is that the S version uses the camera power to control the aperture whereas the non-S version requires an external power source. Optically they should be the same.

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joe swanson said:

i initially noticed it just playing around with the camera (bought it a few days ago). i've always been obsessed with straight lines (been taking pictures for a few years, love wide angles) so it was obvious for me that something wasn't right. even with a little bit of distortion, the image is not suppose to warp like that.. it almost looks like an inverted fish eye.. yuck!

i took a look at your pics and yea everything seems fine, no curved lines... i'm really starting to think there's something wrong with the adapter. i haven't found one single review of a GH4 paired with the S version.. that makes me wonder.

and here's the catch, i have about 5 days left until i can return the adapter from where i bought it for a full refund.. i need to act fast! should i return it and try to find the non S version and see what happens? (and the other catch is that there's no camera store that carries these in my city so i can't try them out at an actual camera store) :S

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joe swanson said:

by the way, perfect example: go to 9:50 in this video.. same lens, same camera.. and look at the edges of the picture frames, no distortion at all..

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joe swanson said:

and here's the catch, i have about 5 days left until i can return the adapter from where i bought it for a full refund.. i need to act fast!

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• RAW images are as distorted as JPEGs, in which case it's clearly an optical issue with the adapter, and you should return it (or contact Metabones)
• RAW images show distortion like this , in which case the camera applies unnecessary lens corrections (probably thinking it's got a different lens attached), if that's the case, you should contact Metabones, as it's probably an issue with the adapter to camera communication (or there's something you need to do make it recognize the lens properly, I have no idea)

Astrotripper said:

joe swanson said:

and here's the catch, i have about 5 days left until i can return the adapter from where i bought it for a full refund.. i need to act fast!

Click to expand...

So, have you tried shooting a RAW and checking if it's actual optical distortion? Open it in software that does not automatically apply lens corrections, like RawTherapee.

That should answer all your questions, as there are two options:

• RAW images are as distorted as JPEGs, in which case it's clearly an optical issue with the adapter, and you should return it (or contact Metabones)
• RAW images show distortion like this , in which case the camera applies unnecessary lens corrections (probably thinking it's got a different lens attached), if that's the case, you should contact Metabones, as it's probably an issue with the adapter to camera communication (or there's something you need to do make it recognize the lens properly, I have no idea)

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joe swanson said:

Astrotripper said:

joe swanson said:

and here's the catch, i have about 5 days left until i can return the adapter from where i bought it for a full refund.. i need to act fast!

Click to expand...

So, have you tried shooting a RAW and checking if it's actual optical distortion? Open it in software that does not automatically apply lens corrections, like RawTherapee.

That should answer all your questions, as there are two options:

• RAW images are as distorted as JPEGs, in which case it's clearly an optical issue with the adapter, and you should return it (or contact Metabones)
• RAW images show distortion like this , in which case the camera applies unnecessary lens corrections (probably thinking it's got a different lens attached), if that's the case, you should contact Metabones, as it's probably an issue with the adapter to camera communication (or there's something you need to do make it recognize the lens properly, I have no idea)

Click to expand...

ok this weird. i shot a few pictures RAW and opened them up in RawTherapee and there is NO distortion?! but why does it look distorted in the camera, whether it's JPG or even video?

i emailed metabones and got a quick 'leave me alone' answer in broken english.. at first the guy said that that amount of distortion was perfectly normal.. then i told him come on, this is not normal. then he replied saying it might be something with 'infinity adjustment' and that i should unscrew a piece of it and start playing around with it (which i don't feel comfortable doing).. and why do i get the feeling he has no idea what he's talking about? what does infinity adjustment have to do with distortion?

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joe swanson said:

Astrotripper said:

joe swanson said:

and here's the catch, i have about 5 days left until i can return the adapter from where i bought it for a full refund.. i need to act fast!

Click to expand...

So, have you tried shooting a RAW and checking if it's actual optical distortion? Open it in software that does not automatically apply lens corrections, like RawTherapee.

That should answer all your questions, as there are two options:

• RAW images are as distorted as JPEGs, in which case it's clearly an optical issue with the adapter, and you should return it (or contact Metabones)
• RAW images show distortion like this , in which case the camera applies unnecessary lens corrections (probably thinking it's got a different lens attached), if that's the case, you should contact Metabones, as it's probably an issue with the adapter to camera communication (or there's something you need to do make it recognize the lens properly, I have no idea)

Click to expand...

ok this weird. i shot a few pictures RAW and opened them up in RawTherapee and there is NO distortion?! but why does it look distorted in the camera, whether it's JPG or even video?

i emailed metabones and got a quick 'leave me alone' answer in broken english.. at first the guy said that that amount of distortion was perfectly normal.. then i told him come on, this is not normal. then he replied saying it might be something with 'infinity adjustment' and that i should unscrew a piece of it and start playing around with it (which i don't feel comfortable doing).. and why do i get the feeling he has no idea what he's talking about? what does infinity adjustment have to do with distortion?

1st pic is RAW opened in RawTherapee.. 2nd pic is opened in preview window

Click to expand...

Heyseuss Hoolio said:

joe swanson said:

Astrotripper said:

joe swanson said:

and here's the catch, i have about 5 days left until i can return the adapter from where i bought it for a full refund.. i need to act fast!

Click to expand...

So, have you tried shooting a RAW and checking if it's actual optical distortion? Open it in software that does not automatically apply lens corrections, like RawTherapee.

That should answer all your questions, as there are two options:

• RAW images are as distorted as JPEGs, in which case it's clearly an optical issue with the adapter, and you should return it (or contact Metabones)
• RAW images show distortion like this , in which case the camera applies unnecessary lens corrections (probably thinking it's got a different lens attached), if that's the case, you should contact Metabones, as it's probably an issue with the adapter to camera communication (or there's something you need to do make it recognize the lens properly, I have no idea)

Click to expand...

ok this weird. i shot a few pictures RAW and opened them up in RawTherapee and there is NO distortion?! but why does it look distorted in the camera, whether it's JPG or even video?

i emailed metabones and got a quick 'leave me alone' answer in broken english.. at first the guy said that that amount of distortion was perfectly normal.. then i told him come on, this is not normal. then he replied saying it might be something with 'infinity adjustment' and that i should unscrew a piece of it and start playing around with it (which i don't feel comfortable doing).. and why do i get the feeling he has no idea what he's talking about? what does infinity adjustment have to do with distortion?

1st pic is RAW opened in RawTherapee.. 2nd pic is opened in preview window

Click to expand...

After researching a bit about the Metabones EF active smart adapters, seems the chip/electronics inside the adapter are telling the camera to automatically apply distortion correction to the lens, which cannot be turned off in the camera apparently.

The distortion correction it's telling the body is incorrect. The non-S version should work without distortion, from the Metabone website, NOT SUPPORTED "Lens correction such as peripheral shading, CA and distortion."

So yes, return it for the non-S version and see if that works.

Also, there's this from there website about registering non-Canon branded lenses. Here. Basically it mentions the adapter may not have the lens information pre-loaded into the software for the adapter.

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Hithertoo said:

Until metabones releases a fix you may just have to use a RAW editor that doesn't apply correction out of the camera such as DXO Optics or etc... It's a pain but this might be the only way to salvage files.

I don't think you can turn off the in camera distortion correction.

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joe swanson said:

oh my god guys. can you believe this? i returned the 'S' version and got the normal version. after all the trouble of returning it, paying shipping costs and buying a new one... i still have the SAME distortion problem with the non 'S' version! what the hell do i do now?!

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joe swanson said:

Hithertoo said:

Until metabones releases a fix you may just have to use a RAW editor that doesn't apply correction out of the camera such as DXO Optics or etc... It's a pain but this might be the only way to salvage files.

I don't think you can turn off the in camera distortion correction.

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that's ridiculous though. you can't expect someone to work as a videographer, having to deal with this problem. imagine shooting every shot distorted, hoping it will look ok undistorted? and why is this only happening to me? thousands of people have this combo (GH4 + metabones + sigma 18-35) and everyone's footage looks fine. is there a way to contact brian caldwell directly? didn't he used to post on here?

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Randy Veeman said:

joe swanson said:

Hithertoo said:

Until metabones releases a fix you may just have to use a RAW editor that doesn't apply correction out of the camera such as DXO Optics or etc... It's a pain but this might be the only way to salvage files.

I don't think you can turn off the in camera distortion correction.

Click to expand...

that's ridiculous though. you can't expect someone to work as a videographer, having to deal with this problem. imagine shooting every shot distorted, hoping it will look ok undistorted? and why is this only happening to me? thousands of people have this combo (GH4 + metabones + sigma 18-35) and everyone's footage looks fine. is there a way to contact brian caldwell directly? didn't he used to post on here?

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http://www.dpreview.com/members/5764986886/overview

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