Some sort of 'colour fringing' I would say.
Various effects like this can occur particularly when shooting towards the light. Usually seems to be a bluish fringe but this one is distinctly purple.
Problems seem to vary between cameras and lenses but quite a common problem; and no simple fixes.
Chromatic aberration (or CA for short). Note the green lines as well; having both is a tell-tale sign of CA. This comes about by the different wavelengths of light not focusing at the same point. This is related to the lens design.
It can be cleaned up in post quite nicely.
Lightroom, Adobe Camera RAW and other RAW converters can do this cleanup automatically for you (or it can be done manually, as I have done here).
Here is a screenshot of the ACR screen that has this functionality. Just check the box and the software does this using your camera / lens profile.
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Last edited by Manfred M; 29th March 2015 at 06:33 PM.
Thanks guys!
I was hoping it wasn't something caused by my, more often that not sloppy, technique.
Since it was shot wide open I guess there's not much I can do about it. I'll have to see if the lens works 'better' at a different aperture.
Check your post-processing software. This is a really common issue and a super easy fix.
Cameras will do this automatically when shooting jpegs and if you are shooting RAW, check your RAW converter. You seem to be using Lightroom; in the Develop Module, look in the "Lens Correction" section and just tick the checkbox there.
It will be located under the "Color" tab and the checkbox is labeled "Remove Chromatic Aberration"
Last edited by Manfred M; 29th March 2015 at 06:56 PM. Reason: Added additional info on removing CR in Lightroom
It's good that you spotted it (CA), sometimes you can go through an entire edit, print, before you spot it or someone else does.
I checked my software and can't seem to find anything having to do with removing CA. =:>(
Maybe I need to start using my PS Elements software instead.
I have no idea what software Sony ships with their cameras, but I find that the camera manufacturer supplied software is generally not targeted at the advanced user (and often is not particularly talented). I don't know Elements at all, but seeing as it is built on the same base engine as Photoshop, that might be a very good place to start.