Tuesday February 3
 
17:36
 
G1 Review: Kit lens – Barrel Distortion

The same RAW image converted in Lightroom 2.2 (top) and Faststone Image Viewer. Faststone RAW conversion reviews the real lens distortion.

There is significant barrel distortion at wide angle – thankfully the Panasonic RAW data includes lens compensation data and that is used by Lightroom 2.2, ACR 5.2, and in-camera JPEG conversion.

I applaud Panasonic for including distortion data in their RAW files – it means that the resulting image contains no distortion.

On the other hand, it does mean that every image has data removed. In the Lightroom image, it’s clear to see that data has been lost in the corners – that means that the 12MP images generated by the camera are actually based on less than 12MP of data, because the corner portions of the raw files are being discarded.

The trade-off in getting distortion free images is undoubtedly worth it, but I just hope that it doesn’t cause manufacturers to create lower quality lenses because they know they can adjust them later in RAW processing.

One thing that puzzles me is that not all barrel distortion is removed, however. Look at the TV image below, which is after lens correction. Yes, I’ve not framed it perfectly, but the framing isn’t responsible for the distortion. If Panasonic are including distortion data in the lenses and RAW files, why doesn’t that translate to perfect distortion removal?

Barrel distortion still visible even with RAW conversion taking lens correction data into account. Lightroom 2.2. Note: This image has been brightened to make it easier to see the screen edges.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 Review
1. Introduction
2. EVF, LCD, and Focus
3. RAW Magnification
4. RAW vs JPEG
5. High ISO
6. Kit lens – Barrel Distortion
7. Kit lens – Purple Fringing
8. Miscellaneous Observations
9. Conclusion

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 – Main Page