Luckily, there are ways to fix this error, and Adobe Lightroom has all the tools you need. Keep reading to find out how to fix chromatic aberration in Lightroom.
What Is Chromatic Aberration, and Why Does It Happen?
Chromatic aberration, or color fringing, is when a lens fails to focus all the colors to one point. This results in colorful outlines that distort the edges of the objects in the image.
Chromatic aberration happens because various wavelengths of light passing through the lens are not focused correctly, so the light bends at incorrect angles or speeds, causing color fringing to occur.
How to Fix Chromatic Aberration in Adobe Lightroom
There are two types of chromatic aberration that can occur: transverse (also known as lateral) and axial (or longitudinal). Depending on the type of color fringing affecting your picture, you will need to take different steps.
If you want to take your image a step further, here are several ways to change the color of an object in Adobe Lightroom. But for now, let’s show you how to correct chromatic aberration…
What Is Transverse (Lateral) Chromatic Aberration?
Transverse chromatic aberration is the result of different wavelengths being focused at different points in the focal plane, which causes a distortion in the lens. This type of color fringing translates to the blue-yellow or red-green fringing. If you can easily identify this type, then fixing it is easy with a few simple steps.
How to Fix Transverse (Lateral) Chromatic Aberration
Once you have uploaded your image to Adobe Lightroom on your PC, all you have to do is this:
Click the Edit button at the top of the right sidebar (it looks like three lines with a small circle in each). Scroll down to Optics. Now, click the empty box on the left of Remove Chromatic Aberration, and the box should be ticked.
If transverse color fringing was affecting your image, then these steps should rectify the issue immediately. However, if you still notice some color fringing, it is likely that axial chromatic aberration is affecting your picture, and you will need to use the Defringe tool for extra refinement.
The Defringe tool is only available on PC, and if you have yet to install the software, you can download Adobe Lightroom here.
What Is Axial (Longitudinal) Chromatic Aberration?
Axial chromatic aberration frequently happens when using wide apertures. It occurs because the different wavelengths of light are not focused at the same distance from the lens, which results in the colors distorting.
How to Fix Axial (Longitudinal) Chromatic Aberration
To fix axial chromatic aberration, Adobe Lightroom 4.1 and later offers the Defringe tool, which aids you in manually removing unwanted patches of color.
Amount controls how strong the Defringe tool is, while Hue controls the range of color that you want to remove. Notice how with Purple Hue, the left side of the slider is blue while the right is red and the middle is purple; with Green Hue, it is almost the opposite on each side, with a green center.
To use the Defringing tool:
Click on Defringe. Select the purple or green circle icon underneath Defringe, depending on what color you want to target. Move the circle on the Amount slider to determine how much correction you want. Adjust the color range under Purple Hue or Green Hue to indicate the colors you want to target.
You should see that the color fringing corrects itself after following these steps. However, sometimes there will be small patches of color still left behind. You might not notice it right away, but zooming into the image should bring up any details that were not corrected.
If you want this fixed as well, there is a way to do it:
Select the color picker tool on the far right. A circle that acts as a magnifying glass will appear by your cursor, zooming into the pixels. Hover the tool over the areas you want fixed, and the circle will turn the color of the fringing. When you find the right spot, click your mouse, and the color fringing should disappear.
If you really want to nitpick, you can also use the Color Mixer and Color Grading tools to tweak your image even further. If you’re not sure how to use the Color Grading tool, check out these common color grading mistakes and how you can fix them to make sure you don’t end up with more errors that need correcting.
No More Chromatic Aberration
Chromatic aberration really isn’t a train smash, but it can be frustrating, especially for professional photographers. And while there are plenty of ways to fix the issue in Adobe Lightroom, the best thing you can do is to avoid it altogether; that way, you don’t need to put in any extra effort, and your desired outcome is guaranteed.
