More and more people are joining drone photography to capture magnificent aerial perspectives. However, not all drone pilots understand photography knowledge and have certain photography skills. When wide-angle distortion and photo distortion occur during drone photography, what should drone novices do?
Drone wide-angle and photo distortion affect the beauty of drone photography and may also reduce the professionalism of photos. This article will provide you with a detailed analysis of the causes, effects and solutions of wide-angle distortion and photo distortion in drones to help you take more perfect aerial photos.
What are wide-angle distortion and photo distortion?
Wide-angle distortion
Wide-angle distortion refers to the phenomenon that the edges of the picture appear stretched or bent when the drone camera uses a wide-angle lens (such as 24mm or shorter focal length). This distortion is more obvious when the lens angle of view is wider. For example, straight lines (such as the horizon or the edge of a building) may become arcs, and the proportions of objects will be out of balance, especially at the edges of the picture.
Photo distortion
Photo distortion is a broader concept that includes other deformations caused by lens quality, sensor limitations or improper post-processing in addition to wide-angle distortion. For example, color distortion, blurred details or barrel/pincushion distortion are all distortions.
Drone cameras are usually equipped with wide-angle lenses and ultra-wide-angle shooting modes to capture a wider field of view, but this also makes distortion problems more common.
Causes of distortion and distortion in drone camera lenses
Lens design
The optical properties of wide-angle lenses determine that its imaging in the edge area will produce barrel distortion (the picture bulges outward). This is a physical limitation that cannot be completely avoided, especially in low-cost drone lenses.
Sensor size
Drone cameras usually use smaller sensors (such as 1-inch or 1/2.3-inch), and their optical performance is limited compared to full-frame cameras. The smaller the sensor, the more distortion and distortion are easily visible at the edge of the picture.
Flight environment and shooting angle
The overhead or tilted perspective of the drone will amplify the distortion effect. For example, when photographing vertical buildings, objects near the edge of the frame may appear tilted or stretched.
Post-production compression or algorithm processing
Many drones have built-in automatic correction functions, but if not handled properly, they may introduce additional distortion or loss of detail.
How to reduce or fix wide-angle distortion and distortion？
Tips for wide-angle shooting
Adjust the shooting angle: Try to keep the camera level and avoid excessive tilt angles, especially when shooting scenes with straight lines or obvious line composition.
Center point composition: Place the important subject in the center of the frame to reduce the impact of edge distortion on key elements.
Choose the right focal length: If the camera drone supports zoom lenses (such as Autel EVO II PRO V3), you can zoom in appropriately to reduce the wide-angle effect.
Use filters: ND filters or polarizers can improve lighting conditions and test shooting under different exposure lighting.
Built-in correction of drones
Enable lens correction: Most drones provide distortion correction options in the firmware, and drone pilots can also turn on grid lines for comparison. Adjusting these settings when shooting can have a certain correction effect on barrel distortion.
RAW format shooting: The choice of photo format can provide good materials for post-adjustment, and it is usually recommended to record photos in RAW format. Although RAW files retain the original distortion, it provides more room for post-adjustment.
Impact of camera lens distortion and distortion
Reduced visual beauty: A curved horizon or stretched objects will make the photo look unnatural and destroy the harmony of the picture.
Loss of professionalism: For commercial photography or mapping tasks, distortion may cause inaccurate data and affect the quality of delivery.
Increased difficulty in post-processing: Uncorrected distortion may increase the workload of post-editing, or even be impossible to completely repair.
How to post-process distorted photos?
Software correction:
Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop: Use the "LENS CORRECTION" tool, select the corresponding lens profile, or manually adjust the "Distortion" slider.
DJI Fly or third-party APP: Some drone supporting software has built-in correction function, which can be automatically optimized when exported.
Specialized tools: such as DxO PhotoLab or PTLens, which provide more precise distortion correction for specific lenses.
Crop the picture: If the edge distortion cannot be completely fixed, you can crop out the affected part and keep the central area.
Straighten the horizon: Use the software's "Straighten" tool to fix the curved horizon.
Hardware upgrade
Change lenses or equipment: High-end camera drones support lens replacement. Choosing a longer focal length or a lens with higher optical quality can reduce distortion, such as Autel EVO MAX 4T.
External lens: Some drones support additional lenses (such as corrective lenses), but you need to pay attention to weight and flight stability.
Summary
Wide-angle distortion and photo distortion are inevitable challenges in drone photography, but through reasonable shooting techniques, equipment settings and post-processing, their impact can be minimized. Choose Autel's high-quality camera drones to take amazing aerial photos!
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