Raw Update 4.08 removes distortion correction for Sony RX100 files?

Question

I loaded raw update 4.08 on my 27 inch iMac yesterday. A while later, I opened Aperture 3 to export some RX100 files from a family event last week to Smugmug. To my horror, as the photos loaded when I viewed them, the automatically applied lens distortion correction was removed and obviously it was worst with the wide ones. The issue also shows up in iPhoto, so it seems a general OS thing. To confirm it was indeed due to the raw update, I exported the same raw files to my MacBook Air, which I hadn't updated yet. Sure enough, Aperture loaded them with distortion correction just fine. Obviously, I won't be updating the MacBook until this issue is fixed.

Answer 1

TBannor wrote:
I loaded raw update 4.08 on my 27 inch iMac yesterday. A while later, I opened Aperture 3 to export some RX100 files from a family event last week to Smugmug. To my horror, as the photos loaded when I viewed them, the automatically applied lens distortion correction was removed and obviously it was worst with the wide ones. The issue also shows up in iPhoto, so it seems a general OS thing. To confirm it was indeed due to the raw update, I exported the same raw files to my MacBook Air, which I hadn't updated yet. Sure enough, Aperture loaded them with distortion correction just fine. Obviously, I won't be updating the MacBook until this issue is fixed.
This may be disappointing, but it is expected.  Note that Aperture has removed nothing, however.  What you are seeing is caused by using a RAW Original instead of a JPG Original.
The Apple RAW Compatibility Update is part of the OS.  The RAW converter in OS X is system wide.  Any program can use it.  Aperture uses it.
Aperture does not, afaik, do _any_ lens correction.  Lens correction must be handled by a plug-in or external editor (or done outside of Aperture).
The files you had imported and viewed prior to the most recent RAW Compatibility Update were JPGs.  They were converted in-camera.  The camera contains the software to correct for lens distortion when it converts the sensor data to a JPG file.  Now that you can view the converted RAW files, you can see that this distortion correction is not applied.  That makes sense:  Aperture is doing the conversion, not your Sony camera.
So there is no issue to be fixed.  If you want to use Sony's lens corrections, you have to either use the JPGs created by the camera, or convert the RAW using Sony's RAW converter (Image Data Converter v. 4).  Other software may also apply lens distortioin correction (I don't know).  Aperture does not.
This is a much-asked-for feature request.  If you would like to see it added to Aperture, tell Apple.  The only line they listen to is "Aperture➞Provide Aperture Feedback".  It certainly wouldn't hurt to add your voice.
HTH.
--Kirby.