can lenses be cool or warm?

Elaine · December 4, 2006

I have a lens that seems to always turn out cooler toned pictures. Is it correct to say that lenses can have a tendency to be cool or warm? It's a little frustrating because I know I will usually need to do some work in post to reduce the blue and add a warming filter to the pictures with that lens (I use it most for portraits...it has nice bokeh). I'm considering e-baying it for a different lens and wondered if this issue has bothered anyone else? It is an older lens, so perhaps that has something to do with it? Any thoughts or input on this?

Thanks!

ziggy53 · December 4, 2006

Elaine,

All lenses have "personalities". Color and contrast, dimensionality and bokeh, are all terms I've heard in the descriptions of different lenses.

It used to be worse with film, because there was less you could do about it after the fact.

Since the traits are identifiable, and repeatable, you can develope strategies to "massage" any peculiarities to your liking, especially in the digital domain of software image processing.

The trick is to develop a methodology and procedure to make the process as painless as possible. Key to this is image processing software that allows automation, especially batch automation. It still may take some time, but the automation removes the tedium from the task.

If you describe your current software and method, we can probably help recommend to you a particular solution, which might necessarily require additional software, but possibly inexpensive software.

ziggy53

Tee Why · December 4, 2006

Yes,
Speaking from my personal experience, for Canon's, Sigma lenses tend to have the warmest color cast, if you consider Canon L lenses as standard. Tokinas tend to be a bit cooler, and Tamron's seem very close to Canon's color cast.

It can be easily fixed in processing though with adjusting WB or other various settings that allows you to tint colors.

gluwater · December 5, 2006

Why wait till you are processing the images to fix the cast? Just use a custom WB during the shoot. You may need to practice to see what works for you but I think fixing it in camera is always the easiest thing in the long run. Good luck!

Khaos · December 9, 2006

Depends on your definition of cool and warm. If you are using AWB, yes, the lens may affect the color temperture. However if you set the WB yourself, no, the lens shouldn't make a difference in that aspect.

I use AWB, shoot RAW, and adjust color temperture in post processing. I do notice that my 24-70 L is a tad warm when using AWB, but its nothing that can't easily be adjusted in post.

Elaine · December 11, 2006

Thanks for the feedback, folks! I don't usually use AWB and I don't have much trouble, except with one lens. Even outside in daylight with a daylight WB setting, the pics come out too cool, with blue undertones to everything. I am currently using PSE 3, and I usually decrease the blue in color variations and then apply a warming filter. Sometimes I go to far though, and after I come back to a picture I've already worked on it looks too warm! So I don't trust myself to get things right yet. I'll keep tinkering!

Elaine

Light Wizard · December 11, 2006

Warm or Cool Lenses
It's is true, not all lenses are created equal. All lenses are different as far as color cast, contrast and so on. What you need to do is to know your equipment, know your lenses; and tweek post shoot with a good editing software......:D

rutt · December 11, 2006

Is this just an artifact of slightly different colored glass? Certainly filters can be cool or warm. And probably not all glass is completely neutral (equally transparent to all spectra?)

Is there something else going on?

Tee Why · December 11, 2006

One thing to remember is that your monitor needs to be calibrated for color, if it's not, then there is no guarentee that the colors are due to the monitor being off. Seeing as it's onlhy one lens, I suspect that it's a lens.

Is this a Canon 75-300mm by any chance?

Elaine · December 11, 2006

Tee Why wrote:

Is this a Canon 75-300mm by any chance?

Nope...It's a Minolta 70-210 f/4, also known as the "beercan."

Tee Why · December 11, 2006

Sorry, I'm not familiar with Minolta lenses, just Canon stuff.
You can adjust the WB if you are setting in unchanging light situation but if you are shooting outside under changing lighting situation, then it's almost impossible to keep adjusting WB. You can bring a Grey Card to fix the WB, but other than getting rid of the lens, your best bet is to shoot in RAW and fix it in processing as you have been doing.

Good luck.

can lenses be cool or warm?

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