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Chromatic Abberation - Yay or nay?

polycounter lvl 8
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Selaznog polycounter lvl 8
I've noticed that a lot of people are using chromatic abberation on their models. Personally, I don't like it (especially on really nice detailed sculpts) because every time I try and look at a neat detail, my eyes get confused by the coloured outlines of things. It's kind of like looking at one of those optical illusions with the black and white lines that "move." Maybe my eyes are just sensitive...

It seems incredibly popular and I'm not too sure what it's meant to do. I've noticed a few other people aren't fond of it either. What is the purpose of chromatic abberation? Not complaining, just curious more than anything

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  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 18
    I hear a lot of people complaining about how it hurts there eyes. Real pain or just hyperbole?
  • Selaznog
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    Selaznog polycounter lvl 8
    Well, by hurt I mean discomfort I guess.
    illusion3.jpg


    Like for me, It kind of hurts to stare at that picture. It's cool, just slightly hard on the eyes. So it's especially difficult when you're focusing on cool little details and you get the same sort of effect.
  • cholden
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    cholden polycounter lvl 18
    In a recent discussion with a coworker, we mostly felt it's a neat effect for people that don't know what it is. However, to everyone else, it kinda looks like a silly filter. It's tough to really know long term reaction. Look at Depth of field, used right it's amazing, but abused it's silly. Just be mindful while using.
  • m4dcow
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    m4dcow interpolator
    Alot of these sort of effects mimmick photographic phenomenon. Chromatic abberation is something that photographers don't want to see, but if used well gives the viewer a sense of realism.

    I think if it conveys what you want it to it's all good, like bad video and scanlines from CCTV or whatever, but I think it's just the new lens flare and alot of people a couple years down the line will be embarassed that they used to abuse it.
  • Alemja
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    Alemja quad damage
    Ugh...that image Selaznog posted is making my head hurt. I can actually get headaches from images that use too much of it, and sometimes from ones that use it just a little bit although the headache takes longer to kick in.
  • Andreas
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    Andreas polycounter lvl 11
    I don't like it. But also worth mentioning, is that it only naturally occurs along the borders of a photo, not in the middle. So if you have to use it, use it properly. I especially don't like seeing WIP characters etc. with it slapped on just because it's a WIP.
  • Ace-Angel
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    Ace-Angel polycounter lvl 12
    We had a thread about this not too long ago, although the title wasn't CA, so I can't find it to link it you, pity since it had some nice posts.

    Anyhow, in reality CA is a little complex then what Andreas mentioned, it happens everywhere all the time, just harder to notice unless you want to focus on it.

    For example, lenses as said, CA around the edges like a Vignette effect, bottles and other glass materials with water will CA harsh light/dark colors, and hair or strands of fine threads on harshly lit background will CA too, like say a Grey Foxes fur on a Snow Background.

    Also, fun-fact, sometimes, pending on the object/material in question, the brain will force our eyes to CA the edges so that we can focus on it properly, a la guide-lines of sort of things, so it does indeed have it's basis and uses in real-life. This also helps us in some cases get depth of an object, something which many 2D artist have been doing, a slight CA around the closer parts of an object towards the viewer tend to demonstrate this effect better and help perceive depth better, but again, it must be all subtle, kinda like a skin texture texture, where you don't really see the under-skin colors right off the bat.

    However, since many artists tend to be lazyass-wankers with shaders or post, they will slap on the first thing which gives their model a quick 'grunge' look right off the bat, which is why CA in the past couple of years got a bad rep. of looking bad, because said artist use it without understanding on what's it supposed to do.
  • leleuxart
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    leleuxart polycounter lvl 10
    I actually like it, but I also like other lens effects like DOF, lens flares, noise, etc. It's something that can be easily overdone, just like the other things. I wouldn't use it in every scene or every model(or even on characters really). BF3 and Crysis use it in an interesting way where when you take damage, the screen effects include some chromatic abberation. I think some BF3 levels include it too.
  • throttlekitty
    I hear a lot of people complaining about how it hurts there eyes. Real pain or just hyperbole?

    Don't take this as name calling, it's just a recent example that's fresh on my mind.

    http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103156
    This is a case where I feel pain from the effect when looking at the images full-sized. The sharp contrast along the edges keeps pulling my eyes out to the borders where the colors are pronounced. It could be the aliasing or lack of blurriness in the shifts, I can't say.

    I've seen presentations that I felt looked really nice, but they also had more going on than just CA on the render. I think I'm mostly in the lens flare crowd.
  • Snacuum
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    Snacuum polycounter lvl 9
    I had no idea anyone was actually using this intentionally... The first time I saw it to my annoyance was the first time I used my Dell U2410. Play a game like Skyrim and the text just flares red all around. I got used to though, but I don't know why anyone would force it.
  • Amsterdam Hilton Hotel
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    Amsterdam Hilton Hotel insane polycounter
    like literally every other optic effect its fine to do it in restraint, especially in like an environment. you really need to mask it with the depth buffer and keep it subtle and preferably combine it with a bit of dof so it doesnt split the viewers eyeballs trying to look at a small detail.

    throwing it on a model render or just a single asset showoff is not a good thing, much like dof
  • Noors
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    Noors greentooth
    Like every post effect, it could be nice if used subtly but most of the time, it looks like anaglyph shit.
    It's fine for a beauty shot, but it doesn't help for more technical shots, wips...

    edit : erm well, just exactly what Amsterdam said ^^
  • SHEPEIRO
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    SHEPEIRO polycounter lvl 17
    as said befor its a nice effect and makes an image feell much more real if used very subtly....BUT it costs and if it costs people want to see its worth it... so it gets turned up...

    i think next gen alot of these effects will come into their own and make a very natural feeling images because we will be able to afford to use them subtly....having said that initially you will have bokeh chromatic aberation et al rammed down your eyes
  • mospheric
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    mospheric polycounter lvl 11
    m4dcow wrote: »
    Alot of these sort of effects mimmick photographic phenomenon. Chromatic abberation is something that photographers don't want to see, but if used well gives the viewer a sense of realism.

    I think if it conveys what you want it to it's all good, like bad video and scanlines from CCTV or whatever, but I think it's just the new lens flare and alot of people a couple years down the line will be embarassed that they used to abuse it.

    I agree with m4dcow. As a photographer, we try to get rid of all chromatic abberation to create a pristine print. Yet, getting rid of all of it is a feat in itself and some does remain. I think applying chromatic abberation to a model will work if only done subtly. Combined with a bit of DoF, the model can appear more lifelike. Does it need to be used on every model? No. Does it make every model that it is applied on look like shit? No. It's up to a good artist to determine where and when to use it.
  • EarthQuake
    Like any filter/effect, if it is super obvious and annoying what was applied it is over done. I like a little DOF, CA, sometimes even noise, hell even bloom can look nice if its subtle. But if you look at a render and go OMG the CA!!! THE HORROR!!!! - its too much.

    This render has a small bit of CA, and some DOF via Lens Blur in photoshop using the depth buffer in the alpha: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/499159/3PointStudios_Brink_High_ar02.jpg

    As a photographer we're always trying to get rid of noise, CA, distortion, etc but these are often used as a way to make a render look more "real", because our eyes are so used to seeing these artifacts in traditional photography, it makes a 3d render look less "computery" when done correctly. These sort of effects are essential when matching a render with video/still photos.
    Andreas wrote: »
    I don't like it. But also worth mentioning, is that it only naturally occurs along the borders of a photo, not in the middle.

    While CA's can often be more pronounced along the edges, it isn't at all true that CA doesn't occur in the middle of an image. CA behavior varies wildly depending on the specific lens you use as well, and newer lenses designed for digital sensors control CA much better than older lenses designed for film cameras. With heavy contrast(black subject on bright sunny sky) virtually every lens will exhibit some sort of CA, even in the center of the photo.
  • purehilarity
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    purehilarity polycounter lvl 6
    I feel like it's one of those things (like most filters) that people want to bash because any idiot can slap it onto their project and many people over-use. That said, I think it looks good done right. Same with all those things... vignettes, DOF, lens flares, people think they're too good for them but to the untrained eye who doesn't realize how gimicky it is they just look cool and what's wrong with having your stuff look a little cooler? I do agree totally that people misuse all these things all the time, but like anything in art you just have to do it right.
  • Snacuum
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    Snacuum polycounter lvl 9
    My monitor practically makes every word here on polycount shimmer with chromatic aberration
  • Zwebbie
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    Zwebbie polycounter lvl 18
    It's the new lens flare, if you ask me. Also, because I'm wearing fairly strong glasses, I see the effect all the time when looking to the side, and I associate it more with having to turn my head.
  • Junkie_XL
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    Junkie_XL polycounter lvl 14
    I like to use it very sparsely. I"ll increase the value just enough so the edge of something on the sides of the screen only show 1-2 pixels thin of green. It isn't strong enough to be annoying or immediately identifiable but I think the eye picks up on it.
  • Marine
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    Marine polycounter lvl 18
    I don't like it, it's like every character in games has a camera for a head instead of eyes.
  • ausernottaken
    It looks awesome on DOF blur but it probably shouldn't be used on anything else.
  • Adam L. Gray
    cacba.jpg

    On a more serious note though, sometimes it looks good, sometimes it doesnt, it's not the effect itself that should be blamed but its usage. Same goes for lensflares, they still look good in games when looking at the sun/a strong light-source, while still not being overdone.
  • SHEPEIRO
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    SHEPEIRO polycounter lvl 17
    Marine wrote: »
    I don't like it, it's like every character in games has a camera for a head instead of eyes.

    no i would look at it like: every real thing you see through a screen is captured on a camera, seeing things within a computer generated image that you relate to a camera on a screen can help suspension of disbelief.

    it is in the end of the day a graphical effect, used well it can be great used badly it can be rubbish.

    im interested in things like this when they are used for style, rather than realism too, i wander how you could use it to accentuate a graphical stylised game or render rather than realism, has anyone got any good examples of this?
  • r_fletch_r
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    r_fletch_r polycounter lvl 9
    I love CA, DOF, and noise. they make things look far less rendered.

    although sometimes i get overexcited and ham it up. :D
    indy_1.jpg
  • SHEPEIRO
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    SHEPEIRO polycounter lvl 17
    i dont mind noise on a still image but i tend to hate it in moving image after a while it tires the eyes....CA can be like that if over used...DOF when used properly to focus the eyes and provide nice zones of rest can actaully make looking at a game easier on the eyes
  • leslievdb
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    leslievdb polycounter lvl 15
    as long if it doesn`t take away readability im oke with it. Sometimes even if its exaggerated
    It also depends, if you`re making a beauty render its fine but if you`re making a render to show of the technical side of your model i wouldn't add any of those distracting effects
  • fearian
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    fearian greentooth
    Love it, when used right. Even laid on thick I still like it. I mean it doesn't look cheap like someone slapping on some lens flairs or a PS drop shadow, it's just overused a bit.

    Also, try telling Daphz Chromatic Abberation is no good, I dares ya!
  • gsokol
    just like every other effect in the universe...it looks good if its used with subtlety. Just like with lens flares/dof/etc...if it doesn't stand out you have done a good job.

    I don't see the point of putting it on a character...chromatic abberation is supposed to occur on the edges of a photo....so its usually used like a vignette...why would you slap it on a model?
  • ScudzAlmighty
    fearian wrote: »
    Love it, when used right. Even laid on thick I still like it. I mean it doesn't look cheap like someone slapping on some lens flairs or a PS drop shadow, it's just overused a bit.

    Also, try telling Daphz Chromatic Abberation is no good, I dares ya!

    Daphz, fearian says yer shit yo!
  • JacqueChoi
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    JacqueChoi polycounter
    Chromatic Aberration is my favourite kind of aberration.

    :)


    Seriously though. Like everyone has said, there's a time n' place for it. When used well and sparringly can be cool.

    So can lens flares and film grain.
  • ErichWK
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    ErichWK polycounter lvl 12
    Daphz is dah best. Don't ever stop.
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