Vignetering

Vignetering, commonly referred to as vignetting in photography, is the gradual decrease in image brightness from the center toward the edges. It can also affect color saturation, making the outer areas appear less vibrant than the center. The effect is often most noticeable in photos taken with wide-angle lenses at large apertures or when using filters, and it is typically stronger in the corners.

Causes include optical vignetting caused by the lens design and the angle of light rays, which reduces illumination toward the image border; mechanical vignetting from obstruction by the lens hood, filter stack, or the inner barrel; and sensor-related factors such as microlens shading and nonuniform pixel response. The effect tends to be most pronounced with wide-angle lenses, open apertures, and configurations where light paths are more restricted.

Types of vignetting include natural or optical vignetting, mechanical vignetting, and digital vignetting (correction applied in software). Some vignetting may be intentional for aesthetic purposes, while other instances are a byproduct of equipment. The strength of vignetting is often described in terms of stops of light falloff and can coincide with subtle color shifts toward the edges.

Correction and management methods include capturing flat-field calibration frames, applying lens-specific or camera-based correction profiles, and using post-processing tools to apply radial corrections. In-camera lip corrections or lens profiles can reduce vignetting automatically, though aggressive correction may introduce noise or reduce corner sharpness.

Understanding vignetting helps photographers assess lens performance, decide when corrections are appropriate, and determine whether its appearance supports the desired artistic effect.