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Optical Distortion vs Perspective 'Distortion'
This page discusses optical distortion (zero or very low for the Venus Optics Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D) versus perspective distortion.
First, it shows that zero or near-zero optical distortion coupled with leveling the camera produces an image which is as true as it can be according to the laws of physics—that is, perfectly accurate, even if odd looking versus the highly distorted (but very useful) image processing that the human brain performs for seeing the world.
Optical distortion results from lens design. It is often traded-off for other lens properties deemed more important. It is any warping of the shape of an object, e.g., a straight line that does not remain straight, or a circle that becomes ovalized.
The inverse square law states that the size/intensity/etc of various natural phenomena decrease as the inverse of the square of the distance. For example, an object at a distance of 10 meters is 1/4 the area (1/2 linearly) of an object at a distance of 5 meters.
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Diglloyd Guide to Mirrorless offers comprehensive integrated coverage of most APS-C and full frame mirrorless cameras and lenses.
Special emphasis is placed on Sony full-frame, including Sony lenses and the high performance Zeiss Batis and Zeiss Loxia lenses plus Rokinon/Samyang and others. Fujifilm X, Olympus and Panasonic M4/3, Sigma dp Merrill and dp/sd Quattro are also covered in depth. Years in the making, it offers a wealth of material for choosing and using a mirrorless camera.
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- Aperture series from wide open through stopped down, showing the full range of lens performance and bokeh.
- Optical quality analysis of field curvature, focus shift, sharpness, flare, distortion, and performance in the field.
Want a preview? Click on any page below to see an excerpt as well as extensive blog coverage, for example on Sony.
Sony A7R III + Venus Optics Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D RAW: LACA corrected, diffraction mitigating sharpening
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