Photographers - lens correction software?

[crosshair]

I'm hoping someone can recommend me some quality software for lens correction- removing distortion, vignetting, etc.
I shoot a lot of wide angle, because much of the time I can't get an unobstructed shot of a subject from far away.
Probably won't be getting a tilt-shift lens or large format camera anytime soon.

I've been using the "Lens Correction" filter in photoshop, and it just doesn't cut it for what I need (flexibility, sharpness.)

Help me out here.

[Clay]

Lots of cool stuff you could try with this software:

Corel PaintShop Photo Pro X3 - Photo Editing Software

[Graphic D.]

I've been using the "Lens Correction" filter in photoshop, and it just doesn't cut it for what I need (flexibility, sharpness.)

This is an area where this noob can help you out. Which version of Photoshop are you using? If you are using CS4 or higher there are some radical improvements in the lens correction filter. I shoot architectural stuff all day long with wide angle lenses and correct them in photoshop with an amazing degree of accuracy.

Some of this has to do with they settings inside your digital camera. If you're using a DSLR you need to turn on the EXIF information for your lens and switch your file type to RAW. Once you've done that, PS will know how to compensate for that lens.

The trick is that PS is assuming that you had the camera level. Wide lenses tend to do screwed up things when the've been moved up or down so a tripod and one of those hot shoe bubble levels is a must.

After that, a little high pass sharpening and touch up and you're good to go. http://tv.adobe.com/watch/photoshop-...ns-correction/

[crosshair]

I have been clunking along in CS2 but when my new laptop arrives I'll be upgrading to CS5.
So, do you mean I HAVE to shoot on a level for PS' lens-specific compensation to work? That's the thing...much of the time when I'm in a confined area I have to angle up (and thus get the resulting trapezoidal distortion) to get the whole subject in the frame.
Will investigate this EXIF business. I sometimes shoot RAW, sometimes don't- a RAW specific feature in the lens correction filter would give me a good reason to shoot more RAW.
Currently I'm using a Canon Rebel Xsi... EF-S 10-22mm for wide angle. I'm saving my pennies for a tilt-shift lens, but won't be getting it soon.

Stay tuned, I may get in touch and pick yr brain about some of this business. Thanks.

[Graphic D.]

With CS5 on your laptop you can shoot tetherd to the laptop via usb cable, that's the jam right there. I shoot tethered with my 5DMK II and it's pretty rad being able to see my results and adjust on the fly.

To answer your question; no you do not "have to" shoot level to be able to perform the lens correction. However, even if you take a prime lens and shoot a picture that's angled upward the result will still be a picture that's angled upward. If your trying to take a picture that's been shot at an angle and make a flat head-on image you need the vanishing point tool not lens correction.

If you shot a picture of a building from a croucing position, angled upward, with your lens and corrected it with the lens correction tool it would only remove the distortion from the building. It will not correct the original position that you shot it from. Essentially you will have an image of a building that was shot from a crouching position, angled upward that has sharp perpendicular angles. Make sense?

Hit me up and I can shoot a quick tutorial if needs be.

[crosshair]

Thanks- when I get the new setup on line I will definitely hit you up.
It's possible that what I'm imagining (an all-in-one lens and vanishing point tool, one step for minimum loss) does not exist.