# 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II chromatic aberration



## cheeseheadsaint (May 26, 2012)

Since getting the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II last winter, this lens has been the most used lens. It's my first L and I love everything about it... except the chromatic aberration. One of the specs on the lens was that it was improved to minimize chromatic aberration. I guess 'minimize' is the key word because to me I feel like there is a good deal of chromatic fringing -equal to the amount I get from photos using the 55-250mm based off my experience.

But maybe I expected too much and maybe if I used the 55-250mm the color fringing would be even worse. At first I ignored it but lately when I edit photos, those purple fringes are really annoying. But I could be overreacting.

I'm not sure exactly how to do a 100% crop so I'm print screening what I see at 100%. This is unedited:
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/7417/cafringing1.png


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## drjlo (May 26, 2012)

I really haven't noticed much CA with my 70-200 MkII, definitely WAY less than with my 50L, 85L. 

However, if you are bothered by it, use DPP's DLO (Digital Lens Optimizer) module, which works even much better than DPP's CA correction module.


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## bycostello (May 26, 2012)

i've had the mk2 for ages.. love the lens and no problems...


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## cheeseheadsaint (May 26, 2012)

Would you consider my print screen to have minimal chromatic aberration?


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## thien135 (May 26, 2012)

What type of filter are u using with the lens?


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## bornshooter (May 26, 2012)

I havent had any problems either if you have a filter on it take it off and see if it improves


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## B-Man (May 26, 2012)

bycostello said:


> i've had the mk2 for ages.. love the lens and no problems...



No problem with my mk2 as well.


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## Marsu42 (May 26, 2012)

cheeseheadsaint said:


> I guess 'minimize' is the key word because to me I feel like there is a good deal of chromatic fringing



Just use Lightroom 4.1RC2 with its new CA reduction and lens profiles, problem solved. CAs and vignetting aren't a problem if you do any postprocessing other than Microsoft paint, leaving only sharpness & focus (af on body & lens) to worry about.


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## Kernuak (May 26, 2012)

While I don't have the lens, something isn't right, as I am yet to come across any L lens with that much fringing. The 17-40 and 24-105 have quite a bit of CA at the wide end, but nothing like that. In addition to looking at filter use, make sure both the front and back elements are clean.


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## TrumpetPower! (May 27, 2012)

thien135 said:


> What type of filter are u using with the lens?



My exact first thought, as well.

b&


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## D_Rochat (May 27, 2012)

I have this problem with my 24-70, but not my 70-200 mkII. My 70-200 mkII is flawless.


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## MazV-L (May 27, 2012)

Looks shocking  Definitely something wrong there. I have the 70-200mm 2.8L is ii, love it and have no such problems with it!!


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## Radiating (May 27, 2012)

What you're seeing is purple fringing. The lens has no lateral chromatic abberation, but all long lenses suffer from purple fringing except for the Canon supertelephoto lenses and Leica APO lenses. If the lens corrected for purple fringing it would cost $11,000, and weight 3 times as much and be a cousin of the 200-400mm f/4.0 IS TC that's coming out.

Just correct it with DXO mark or lightroom. 

On an related note, I would pay $10,000 for a 200-400mm f/4.0 TC with a wider focal length and faster aperture, say a 70-200mm f/2.0 IS TC


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## birtembuk (May 27, 2012)

bycostello said:


> i've had the mk2 for ages.. love the lens and no problems...



I don't see CA either w/ my 70-200/II and I'm usually quite bothered with it. Agree about DDP DLO which is a useful add-on (and also works fine with 35L - which for one exhibits quite its fair bit of CA).


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## Kernuak (May 27, 2012)

Radiating said:


> What you're seeing is purple fringing. The lens has no lateral chromatic abberation, but all long lenses suffer from purple fringing except for the Canon supertelephoto lenses and Leica APO lenses. If the lens corrected for purple fringing it would cost $11,000, and weight 3 times as much and be a cousin of the 200-400mm f/4.0 IS TC that's coming out.
> 
> Just correct it with DXO mark or lightroom.
> 
> On an related note, I would pay $10,000 for a 200-400mm f/4.0 TC with a wider focal length and faster aperture, say a 70-200mm f/2.0 IS TC


The only time I saw as much fringing as that, was with my old Carl Zeiss Jena 70-300 with 3x converter and I use telephoto lenses all the time.


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## cheeseheadsaint (May 27, 2012)

I used B+W MRC haze filter... do you guys think that might be the problem? :/

and I always thought chromatic aberration and color fringing were the same thing? How can you tell color fringing from chromatic aberration?


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## victorwol (May 27, 2012)

Haven't seen such a thing on my copy...


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## D_Rochat (May 27, 2012)

cheeseheadsaint said:


> I used B+W MRC haze filter... do you guys think that might be the problem? :/
> 
> and I always thought chromatic aberration and color fringing were the same thing? How can you tell color fringing from chromatic aberration?



I use that same filter on my 70-200 II without any problems.


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## cheeseheadsaint (May 28, 2012)

This isn't the first time I've seen color fringing like this on my shots. is this a real problem? Meanwhile I'll try out the software


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## D_Rochat (May 28, 2012)

You shouldn't have to correct that in PP with that lens. I'd return it and get another copy. It sounds like you're just unlucky.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (May 28, 2012)

Its purple fringing. Most lenses have it at wide apertures where there are sudden light to dark transitions, and the 70-200mm L MK II is no exception. 

If you use lr4, you can pretty well remove it, however, as a side effect, it removes the purple from the entire image, so the skin tones were affected. They can be fixed, but I did not want to spend the time. 

Before (Top) 

After (Bottom)


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## cheeseheadsaint (May 29, 2012)

So this amount of color fringing is perfectly normal?






This is unedited, earlier on the same day.


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## cheeseheadsaint (May 29, 2012)

and where do I find the DLO or CA module in DPP?


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## Mt Spokane Photography (May 29, 2012)

cheeseheadsaint said:


> and where do I find the DLO or CA module in DPP?


 
DPP does not do a good job of removing purple fringing, its reduced a bit, and triples the size of your file. Other software cannot read the alterations in the cr2 file, so you must save it as tiff or jpeg to see the changes. Its not a very easy solution compared to lightroom.


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## Tcapp (May 29, 2012)

if you're not happy with your version II, ill trade you my version I

  ;D


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## Actionpix (May 29, 2012)

I also have occasional CA problems with this lens. I try to cure it in RAW. In RAW I can control intensity and luminance of purple. This way it gets less visible.


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## avatar13 (Jun 5, 2012)

cheeseheadsaint said:


> I used B+W MRC haze filter... do you guys think that might be the problem? :/
> 
> and I always thought chromatic aberration and color fringing were the same thing? How can you tell color fringing from chromatic aberration?



My understanding is that purple fringing is a type of CA so I think in your case they are the same. I am surprised at the amount being produced by your copy, have you had the lens for long? I have the same lens and it's perfect, I have yet to notice it but I don't think i have photographed such extreme transitions yet between white/dark but I have photographed tree leaves and such against the sky and typically those will show CA as well. Try again without your filter, if it's your copy you can try having Canon take a look as I'm sure it would be a warranty item or just remove in PP.


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## cheeseheadsaint (Jun 6, 2012)

avatar13: I've had the lens since January. Yesterday I did some graduation pictures and again the color fringing is thick. I forgot to remove the filter! Next time I'll try it out without the filter.


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