Why do Nikon lenses show SO much purple fringing in the tests vs. Canon???

[BigEater]

I was using the ISO 12233 Resolution Chart Comparison tool and noticed that many Nikon lenses versus their Canon equivalents show quite a bit more purple fringing at wide apertures. Like for example the Nikon 85 1.8G vs. the Canon 85 1.8. Is this a characteristic of Nikon lenses? Is it a testing artifact? Do Canon lenses just not have purple fringing wide open? I know different companies focus on different performance aspects but this seems excessive.....

[ham]

I can say my 35mm f/2 has quite a bit of fringing, other than that I don't know...

[Daniel Browning]

Is this a characteristic of Nikon lenses?

I can't say for sure, but I've noticed it too. From what I've read, my impression is that Nikon lenses seem to have more aberrations, on the whole, than similar Canon lenses. (Even when the latter are significantly less expensive.)


Is it a testing artifact?

There may be something related to the testing methodologies. Two that come to me off the top of my head:


Raw conversion algorithms are different. It's possible that the images would look more similar if the same software (and settings) were used to process both files. (But then the test would not be realistic for people who prefer the manufacturer software.) I'm not sure how much this factors into things.
24 MP vs 21 MP. It's only a 7% difference in linear resolution, but I should throw it out there anyway.

[Sean Setters]

Why hasn't someone mentioned the big, pink elephant in the room? Canon lenses are just superior...

he he he

[waits for the recent convert's response]

[Dr Croubie]

Could it be because Nikon had automatic CA-correction in-camera long ago for jpegs, whereas canons had to shoot raw and do it in dpp? So joe consumer with his low-low-end camera who doesn't know what a raw file even is could look at jpegs straight from the camera and think the nikons looked better? Then the lens designers just got lazy and focussed more efforts towards sharpness and bokeh etc, and didn't care about designing a lens for low CA?

[Sheiky]

I was using the ISO 12233 Resolution Chart Comparison tool and noticed that many Nikon lenses versus their Canon equivalents show quite a bit more purple fringing at wide apertures. Like for example the Nikon 85 1.8G vs. the Canon 85 1.8. Is this a characteristic of Nikon lenses?
Interesting question, because of all the lenses I've used the Canon 85mm 1.8 probably has the most purple aberration I've seen. But I can clearly see your point when I look at the charts.