OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Chromatic Aberration Effect
Split Red, Green and Blue Channels for a Lens Fringe or RGB Glitch Look
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How the Chromatic Aberration Effect works
This chromatic aberration effect pulls a photo's red and blue channels apart so edges pick up coloured fringes. Use the radial mode for a vintage lens look or the linear shift for the RGB split glitch seen in music videos and gaming thumbnails.
How the chromatic aberration effect works
Real lenses bend each colour of light by a slightly different amount, so red and blue land in different places, especially near the corners. The tool recreates that by sampling the red channel from one position and the blue channel from another while green stays put.
Radial or linear
Radial (lens) scales red outwards and blue inwards from the centre, so the middle stays sharp and the fringing grows towards the edges, just like a real wide-angle lens. Linear shift moves red and blue in opposite directions across the whole image at the chosen angle, the classic RGB split.
Choosing an amount
A few pixels give a subtle analogue feel. Ten to twenty pixels look deliberately stylised, and higher values give a heavy glitch. Add a vignette or film grain afterwards for a complete retro look.
Private by design
Channels are shifted on a canvas in your browser, and the photo is never uploaded.
FAQ
What is chromatic aberration?
Chromatic aberration is a lens flaw where different wavelengths of light focus at slightly different points. It shows as purple, green, red or blue fringes along high-contrast edges, most often near the corners of the frame.
Can this tool remove chromatic aberration?
No, this tool adds the effect. Removing real fringing needs lens-specific correction in a raw editor, which can measure the exact shift of each channel for your lens and focal length.
Why do the edges of the output look coloured?
At the image border one shifted channel runs out of picture, so the tool repeats the nearest edge pixel. On large amounts this can tint a thin strip; crop it off if it shows.
Does it work on transparent PNGs?
Yes. Transparency is kept from the original image, while the colour channels shift on their own, so logos and stickers get fringed edges without a background being added.
See also: all Images tools, Audio, Video & Screen, PDF, SVG, Simulations & Screensavers, Generative Art, Chart Makers, 3D Model Viewers, Drawing Pads, Mockups & 3D Making, Diagram Makers, 3D Science, Tracker Music.
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