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BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Questions

Photography Question 

Fred I. Clayton 		 

image problems


 
  moon.jpg
moon.jpg
moon at night

Fred I. Clayton

  
 
When I take pictures of the sun at sunset or of the moon at night, I get a ghost of the object in the image offset to the side or above or below. Is it a reflection in the lens system? How can I get rid of it?


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February 28, 2002

 

Jon Close 		  Classic lens flare. To combat:

(1) prime lenses are less susceptible than zooms,
(2) Use a lens hood and/or shade the lens with hand, hat, etc.,
(3) Remove superfluous filters, use high quality multicoated filters,
(4) Smaller apertures may increase flare, do DOF preview to check for flare,
(5) Make sure the lens is clean (no streaks, no dust particles),
(6) Flare should be apparent in your viewfinder. You can often change position or point of focus slightly and eliminate the flare.

More info at:

http://jonathanclark.com/diary/flare/

http://people.smu.edu/rmonagha/mf/flare.html


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February 28, 2002

 

John A. Lind 		  Jon has hit all the major causes for flare. He's right that these reflections can be seen in the viewfinder, but you must deliberately look for them. They are not nearly as prominent in the viewfinder as they are in the resulting slides/prints. If you look carefully though, you will see them.

Although there are other possible causes, this particular effect is a classic example of reflections from filter surfaces (front and back). It's possible for this to occur even with multi-coated filters, although it reduces the prominence of the "ghosting." If you were using a filter, take it off and try it again; I'd bet dollars to donuts the "ghosting" goes away.

-- John


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February 28, 2002

 
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