Lens flare trouble

BigLoada

BigLoada

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Name
Dean
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I enjoy night photography but on my lsat trip I had the most terrible flare and reflections on my pictures. Although normally I have a UV filter on, this time I removed it and the flare seems worse. The lens is a Niokon 18-70 AF-S and its only a month or so old. I wasnt using a hood but then I was shooting direct into the lights.

Exposure was about 10sec at f5.6 and I was wondering, if I use a narrower aperture such as f8 of 16, will it be better?

Or is it something that is unavoidable in these brightly lit conditions?
Here is an example, I circled around the worst areas:

lensflare.jpg


Any advice is appreciated as its very frustrating! Thanks folks:)
 
Just a stab in the dark, as I was about to ask a question that I'm now going to answer :):)

Did you place the little eyepiece "blanker" over the viewfinder?? As this was my question. Why is it suggested to use it (I always forget!) Is it becuase stray light reflections get in from behind???

Perhaps that could be some reason.

But however, I would not have used f/5.6. I would try f8 or slightly higher, with a similar exposure time, it looks over exposed to me in parts.


On a side note, we're all getting the arse from being asked what we're taking photo's of, tripod - DSLR etc around tourist sites on the South Bank. I'm suprised, you didn't get 10 SAS crack team guys take you out :) That looks quite a "potential target!" :D
 
Thanks Matty, will try f8 next time. No I didnt think about using the viewfinder blanking thing, must give it a go too.

I did really think we would be told not to take photos but security drove past us continually and it was fine! I was more worried about smoking whilst 15 feet from an oil terminal actually:D
 
The viewfinder blank prevents light from behind the camera from influencing the meter reading when taking shots with the camera mounted on a tripod (i.e. when you're not blocking it with your eye).

Flare is pretty well unavoidable with this type of shot. It should be less bad without a filter, less bad with a prime lens than with a zoom lens, and it should be less obvious at a larger aperture, and having a perfectly clean lens helps, but none of these can actually guarantee to prevent flare.
 
Garry Edwards said:
The viewfinder blank prevents light from behind the camera from influencing the meter reading when taking shots with the camera mounted on a tripod (i.e. when you're not blocking it with your eye).

Flare is pretty well unavoidable with this type of shot. It should be less bad without a filter, less bad with a prime lens than with a zoom lens, and it should be less obvious at a larger aperture, and having a perfectly clean lens helps, but none of these can actually guarantee to prevent flare.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that Garry, could I just ask, when you say larger aperture do you mean a higher number like f16 for example instead of f5.6? I always get confused with this!
 
middlearthimages said:
Hi BL,

larger the number the smaller the aperture. f16 is a smaller aperture than 5.6.

Larger the number the smaller the hole!

Regards,

john
Click to expand...

Mmm more confused because I have been told to use a smaller aperture, but also by other fok to use a larger one. Guess its experimentation time John!

dinorock said:
can we see the shot with out youre added circles please
Click to expand...

Certainly, here it is plus another with two horrible flares to the left of the tall chimney:

DSC_0011.jpg


DSC_0022.jpg
 
ok #2 is definately flare however #1 looks like it could be some thing in the sky not on your pic/lens quick tip next time if you can see it in your view finder try putting your hand just above the lens to cut it out obviously with your hand out of the way of the shot hth
 
It was definitely flare in the first. I wasnt looking through the viewfinder as the camera was on a timer and it wasnt there, but when I set up the shot whilst looking through viewfinder it was. Next time I will try a lenshood though not sure if it would help as the lights are directly in front of the lens.
 
some one else may be able to help here, but would an polarising filter have helped? i know about the longer exposure but would it have cut the reflection down .
 
BigLoada said:
Mmm more confused because I have been told to use a smaller aperture, but also by other fok to use a larger one.
Click to expand...

Yes, because thats the same thing BL ... A smaller aperture (hole) is also defined by a larger 'f'' number.

The 'f' number being a 'fraction' of the hole against the focal length of a lens.... Think i've phrased that right, someone correct me if I haven't.
..
1/16 of the lens opening/focal length. = f16... is a small hole.

1/4 of the opening/Focal length = f4 ... is larger, in fact a whole quarter of the opening available on any given lens

---

I'm not sure about you light flares, I'm wondering if its dust partials on the rear element of your lens, picking up the beams off the flood lights and splashing them around the sensor..

:shrug:
 
BigLoada said:
Thanks for that Garry, could I just ask, when you say larger aperture do you mean a higher number like f16 for example instead of f5.6? I always get confused with this!
Click to expand...
A larger aperture is a smaller f/No. - i.e. f/5.6 is larger than f/16. Flare tends to be less distinct at larger aperture because, although the flare occupies more space, it is less distinct
 
dinorock said:
some one else may be able to help here, but would an polarising filter have helped? i know about the longer exposure but would it have cut the reflection down .
Click to expand...

Polarisers can only help reduce reflections when used at the right angle, so the answer here is 'It depends' on whether it would make any difference.

But if it did make a difference it would probably make matters worse, by reducing/removing internal reflections in the sky, making the lens flare more obvious.
 
Garry Edwards said:
A larger aperture is a smaller f/No. - i.e. f/5.6 is larger than f/16. Flare tends to be less distinct at larger aperture because, although the flare occupies more space, it is less distinct
Click to expand...

I seethanks Garry. I have always said the same, that a large aperture is a smaller number, but I have heard some folk do it the other way round:shrug:
 
BL,

See here.

http://www.photoxels.com/tutorial_aperture.html

http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/950/aperture-priority.html

For your sort of shots you want to use between f8 and F11. These are generally the best area on a lens for landscape shots. As your photos show are quite a way from you, you would want to use that area of apeture to get foreground and background in focus.

My photographic teacher informed me a few weeks back to go above f11 you generally get a softer picture. But each lens is different so its trial and error until you find the sweet spot for your lens.

One other thing is to focus 1/3rd of the way in to the photo for sharpest foreground and background.

Regards,

john.



John
 
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