Lens distortion is a physical optical aberration where straight lines in the real world become curved on a camera sensor because spherical glass elements bend light more aggressively near their edges. This geometric warping is entirely independent of perspective distortion, which is caused by camera distance rather than glass physics.
The three primary types of optical lens distortion are barrel, pincushion, and mustache. 1. Barrel Distortion (Negative Distortion)
The Effect: Image magnification decreases toward the edges of the frame. Straight lines bow outward away from the center, making the image look inflated like a sphere or a barrel.
Common Lenses: Wide-angle lenses, fisheye lenses, and the wide end of standard zoom lenses.
Visual Impact: It pushes the center of the image forward. This makes subjects appear slightly thicker or rounder than they are. 2. Pincushion Distortion (Positive Distortion)
The Effect: Image magnification increases toward the edges of the frame. Straight lines bow inward toward the center, making the corners look pinched as if you pressed a finger into a soft pillow.
Common Lenses: Telephoto lenses and the tightly zoomed end of variable focal length lenses.
Visual Impact: It can make portraits look unnatural by making faces appear narrower. However, it keeps architectural elements looking tighter and more compressed. 3. Mustache Distortion (Complex / Wavy Distortion) Understanding Lens Distortion – The ASC
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