LR5 Lens correction for Sigma 8-16mm

I've found that the lens distortion correction in LR5 doesn't do anything with the images taken taken with this lens. Has anyone else noticed this? Or know any way to get it to work?

The distortion from the lens at 8-12mm looks quite complex, with distortion not even across the image. I can get round it manually, but it's very time consuming, and I'm using the lens on an architectural shoot, for which the client wants a minimum of 60 images. I need to use this lens, as the available space around the buildings is extremely limited in places by busy roads, and some shots are not possible at longer focal lengths. On some of the buildings (there's 5 spanning 7 miles) I can't get closer to the buildings than the pole you see in the foreground of the first shot, though I will have the use of access platforms to get to mid-building height.

The exif also doesn't show the focal length the lens was set at.

Here's a couple of examples to show the type of image I am dealing with. Does anyone know of another program that would correct the distortion if I can't do it in LR5?

I believe the exif doesn't show for anything taken at 8 or 9mm. Once you get up to 10mm it magically reappears.

Lightroom's going to have a problem if it doesn't know the focal length. I would guess it can apply distortion correction correctly for anything taken beyond 10mm?

No, I tried it at 16mm, and it did nothing there either....

The lens correction profile also doesn't recognise the lens automatically, which it does with all my other lenses that are in LR's database.

A quick test at 8mm & 16mm with mine on a K5. No auto recognition of lens. Had to set Make Model and Profile. No sign of correction at 8 but yes at 16mm. I wonder if an 8mm focal length is outside the scope of the software

Pentax DSLR's don't record focal length below 10mm in the EXif, I have the same problem.

I was going to have a go at shooting in DNG instead of PEF to see if this made a difference as the file won't (maybe) be recorded as a Pentax file so it may be possible to select a different lens (Nikon etc.) profile in LR.

Thanks froeschle, will have a look at that!


I shoot in DNG, so it's nothing to do with it being a Pentax file.

Actually, I don't think it's correct to describe this as a "firmware bug" because no manufacturer guarantees that other makes of lens will be reported properly. They have no reason to ensure it, especially when some of these are reverse-engineered.

I'd think it was up to Sigma to make their lens work, not up to Pentax.

Is it not possible to manually enter the missing EXIF? If so does the included LR5 profile work?

Adobe do provide software that allows creation of profiles, but it is quite time consuming with zoom lenses.

Regards Steve

Hi Jonathan,
On topic a bit, but not LR. Have you tried DxO software for your needs? I think their software will address your problems. Please see below link

http://www.dxo.com/intl

I had this lens also.

Just to add to the comments that it doesn't recognise it below 10mm, and yes I always had to select the lens manually (LR4). but 10mm-16mm, once selected it was fine.

perhaps this will be of some help to you - although no replacement for in-software recognition:
http://u88.n24.queensu.ca/exiftool/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=269rcni5gd94q9mq4ma...

Just had a play. Distortion correction seems to work ok from 10mm (once lens has been manually selected).

Hi Johnathan

I think this will interest you quite a bit, and everyone else that has a problem with the Sigma 8-16 exif.

First impressions are that it works well, note the search function does not looking in sub-folders

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-processing-articles/233821-sigma-8-16mm-modifier-program.html

Thanks for that, Brian, looks interesting, I will try it out.