How to Use FFmpeg chromaberrap for Chromatic Aberration

This guide explains how to simulate chromatic aberration on a video using FFmpeg’s built-in chromaberrap filter. You will learn the basic command syntax, understand the key parameters for adjusting horizontal and vertical color channel shifts, and explore practical examples to achieve realistic lens distortion effects.

Understanding the chromaberrap Filter

The chromaberrap filter simulates chromatic aberration (color fringing) by displacing the red and blue color channels in opposite directions relative to the green channel. This replicates the real-world optical phenomenon where a camera lens fails to focus all wavelengths of color to the same convergence point.

Basic Syntax and Parameters

The basic structure of the filter within an FFmpeg command is:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "chromaberrap=h_shift=value:v_shift=value" output.mp4

The filter accepts two primary parameters to control the displacement:

• h_shift: Controls the horizontal shift of the red and blue channels. It accepts float values (typically between -100.0 and 100.0). Positive values shift the channels in one direction, while negative values shift them in the opposite direction.
• v_shift: Controls the vertical shift of the red and blue channels. It also accepts float values.

If you do not specify these parameters, they default to 0, resulting in no aberration.

Practical Examples

1. Subtle, Realistic Aberration

For a realistic lens imperfection, use small values. This is ideal for matching digital CGI with real camera footage.

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "chromaberrap=h_shift=1.5:v_shift=1.0" -c:a copy output.mp4

2. Extreme Stylized Aberration

For a glitch, dreamlike, or psychedelic aesthetic, increase the shift values significantly.

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "chromaberrap=h_shift=8.0:v_shift=6.0" -c:a copy output.mp4

3. Horizontal-Only Aberration

If you only want the color fringing to occur along the horizontal axis, set the vertical parameter to zero.

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "chromaberrap=h_shift=4.0:v_shift=0" -c:a copy output.mp4

Format Compatibility

The chromaberrap filter works best with video formats that support separate color planes (like YUV formats). If your input video uses a different pixel format, you should force conversion to a compatible format like yuv420p prior to applying the filter, or chain it in the filtergraph:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "format=yuv420p,chromaberrap=h_shift=3.0:v_shift=3.0" output.mp4