Help w/ Chromatic Aberration In HDR

[Fractal]

I have created my 3rd HDR, and it seems to suffer dramatic chromatic aberration whereas the source photos do not. I have no idea how or where to start troubleshooting this. Could ya'll please help? Thank you.

[LeeR]

Does this image really need HDR treatment? It seems like a waste to subject such a well composed image to such harsh manipulation; sort of like burning a really fine steak. It this is the best treatment in your opinion, then there has to be a step that is causing this. I know that my camera raw has some tools for dealing with CA but I don't know if it could handle that much. It is quite a lot. Barring that, you'll have to tell us what software you have and how you are using it. Then we may be able to give you more insight into what is causing your problem.

[OsmosisStudios]

I've NEVER seen it that bad. The CA must have been, frankly, unbearable before the HDR treatment! It's soft as all hell: What lens did you use!?

As far as removing it: YOu'd have to remove it from the original files you use to make the HDR: so make sure you dont have any in your 3 (or more) exposures before you HDR them.

[inkista]

Looks like the usual issue of HDR algorithms not handling edges well and overweighting one image at the edge borders over the others. Try messing with the smoothing settings if you're using Photomatix.

This is why I use Enfuse. Enfuse's algorithms include (PDF link) special handling on edges, so halos and the like don't happen. Well, that and I'm lazy and not having to tonemap or leave Lightroom makes me happy.

[Fractal]

Originally Posted by LeeR

Does this image really need HDR treatment? It seems like a waste to subject such a well composed image to such harsh manipulation; sort of like burning a really fine steak. It this is the best treatment in your opinion, then there has to be a step that is causing this. I know that my camera raw has some tools for dealing with CA but I don't know if it could handle that much. It is quite a lot. Barring that, you'll have to tell us what software you have and how you are using it. Then we may be able to give you more insight into what is causing your problem.

I guess it doesn't need the HDR treatment, but I wanted to learn HDR techniques so I chose this photograph to do so.

I was using a Nikon D200 with a AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED lens. On the lens I had a PROMASTER DIGITAL UV filter. I took the photographs using a tripod and a remote cable shutter release.

I used Photomatix Pro 3.2.7 for Mac OS X. I imported 5 RAW files each taken 1 stop apart. For the settings I chose:
- Align source images
- By correcting horizontal and vertical shifts
- White Balance: As shot
- Color primaries HDR based on: Adobe RGB

As soon as I clicked Tonemapping, the crazy CA manifested.

Below are the 4 of the 5 originals I used (converted to JPEG so I could upload them to Flickr for ya'll). I was limited to 4 because of this forum's limitations.

[megkunert]

Originally Posted by LeeR

Does this image really need HDR treatment? It seems like a waste to subject such a well composed image to such harsh manipulation

What he said.

[OsmosisStudios]

There is some TERRIBLE CA in those originals: correct it before you run them through the HDR.

[Fractal]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

There is some TERRIBLE CA in those originals: correct it before you run them through the HDR.

Really?! Where? Can you point it out. I need to train my eye to see these things.

[OsmosisStudios]

There's a thick pink CA line along the banister (in the same place it shows up in your HDR pictures) in your originals. There's also a fairly thick green one along the black wall portion (again, same place as in the HDR). Just to name the two most glaring

[Fractal]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

There's a thick pink CA line along the banister (in the same place it shows up in your HDR pictures) in your originals. There's also a fairly thick green one along the black wall portion (again, same place as in the HDR). Just to name the two most glaring

Given the equipment I used to take those photographs (see above), I would assume it's not due to the hardware. Since I've taken pictures before with the same equipment (Portfolio - a set on Flickr), was it my technique?