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11-12-2009, 04:24 PM   #1
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Sigma 30mm F1.4 reflections - happen on all F1.4 lenses wide open?

Hi,

This feels like a total newb question, but then again I owe everything I know about photog from this forum so no need to be bashful.

I bought the Sigma 30mm f1.4 mostly to shoot low light shots (duh) including friends in pubs. I've noticed that in lots of shots, the brighter lights will be reflected in a green/orange glow upside down on the opposite side of the frame.

For example - took a few shots of my friend at the fantastic Gordon's Wine Bar in London. The room is extremely dark and lit only by candle light - so I was shooting the lens wide open at f1.4. Composition included my friend sitting at the table with a candle slightly in front of her to the right side. In every shot, there was a green mirror image of the candle flame on the left portion of the frame.

This was even worse when I shot a neon sign on top of a building, taken from a good 200 yards away from the opposite end of the plaza. You could actually see the entire sign, letters and all, upside down in a green/orange glow superimposed over the bottom part of the building.

Is this a normal issue with super fast lenses wide open? If so, what can I do to avoid or minimize this effect without removing the candle? Or does my Sigma have issues (still under warranty so I can send back)?

Cheers,
Mugs

11-12-2009, 05:06 PM   #2
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Do you use a hood when shooting?
11-12-2009, 05:10 PM   #3
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This sounds like reflection from filters.... Do you use any filter?
I know I will get these type of reflection if I used a cheap filter. Problem solved by using high grade Pro-1 Digital filter.
11-12-2009, 06:04 PM   #4
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Definitely sounds like a filter issue. I've seen these on FA 50 when using a cheap filter. Went away when I took it off. It is a flare issue, but the sort that using a hood doesn't seem to help very much.

11-12-2009, 06:07 PM   #5
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If you are using a filter on the lens remove it and see if that helps. If you aren't, then it is just Sigma's kinda crappy anti reflective coatings.
11-12-2009, 09:09 PM   #6
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I have the Sigma 30 and I haven't noticed this at all with the lens. I would agree with the others that this sounds like a filter issue (of which I don't use). Incidentally, I always use hoods to (not that this would matter in this case).

c[_]
11-13-2009, 02:59 AM   #7
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Thanks friends. That makes me feel much better. Yes, it's a lower grade Hoya filter that the seller threw in for free, and it doesn't feel like the glass in the filter is set properly. It sort of "chatters" a little if you tap it, making me think its just plain defective. Classic case of getting what I paid for .

I have a Hoya Pro1 Digital on my 12-24 and loving that combo. Stick with the Hoya or is there anything else I should be looking for?

11-13-2009, 03:15 AM   #8
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What about using NO filters at all? I refuse to use filters because I don't want to have more glass in front of my precious glass. If you use filters for protection then I'd like to suggest you to use a hood all of the time. The chances of damaging the front lens are extremely dim; a cracked filter will do more harm to the lens than a cracked hood...

Filters are the biggest scam in the history of mankind!
11-13-2009, 03:47 AM   #9
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If you really need filter for peace of mind, get the Kenko Pro-1D Protector instead. Kenko supposed to be the same as Hoya, but at a lower price. Protector is cheaper than UV typically.
11-13-2009, 04:05 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Asahiflex Quote
What about using NO filters at all? I refuse to use filters because I don't want to have more glass in front of my precious glass. If you use filters for protection then I'd like to suggest you to use a hood all of the time. The chances of damaging the front lens are extremely dim; a cracked filter will do more harm to the lens than a cracked hood...

Filters are the biggest scam in the history of mankind!
Haha... Interesting thought, but I find that when I'm out touring around taking pictures, I usually have the hood on (mostly for protection, and flare) but I'm lazy enough that the lens cap stays in my pocket . I know that 99.9% of the time, the hood will be enough protection, but it's that one time some lady bangs against me with the metal buckle on her purse or something of that nature. Not expecting the filter to stop a bullet or anything.

But I do wonder - does a filter really add to the damage for anything more than scratches? For a proper impact that is?
11-13-2009, 07:03 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Muggins Quote
Haha... Interesting thought, but I find that when I'm out touring around taking pictures, I usually have the hood on (mostly for protection, and flare) but I'm lazy enough that the lens cap stays in my pocket . I know that 99.9% of the time, the hood will be enough protection, but it's that one time some lady bangs against me with the metal buckle on her purse or something of that nature. Not expecting the filter to stop a bullet or anything.

But I do wonder - does a filter really add to the damage for anything more than scratches? For a proper impact that is?
People can come up with all sorts of scenarios where a filter will save a lens, but the truth is, they won't do much good in most of the common mishaps. Let's face it, if you drop a lens, the filter might save the front element from damage, but the focus helicoid is going to be wrecked and the optical block will likely need replacing anyway. New lenses aren't particularly robustly built.
I've been shooting for close to 40 years, I gave up on "protective" filters over 30 years ago and have yet to damage a lens in any way that a filter would have prevented.
I shot a lot of B&W (almost all of my film work was B&W), so I had some sort of filter on pretty much all the time, but I have yet to damage a filter either.
"Protective" filters really are proof that PT Barnum was right.
11-13-2009, 10:25 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by LeDave Quote
Do you use a hood when shooting?
A hood doesn't do anything if the light source is IN the frame.
11-13-2009, 10:29 AM   #13
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Yeah, there's no need to use a filter here.
11-13-2009, 10:36 AM   #14
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I have had a filter on my 18-55 since I bought it. I went out a couple of weeks ago without the filter since I had swapped out my CP and didn't replace it. I got home and looked at the shots and they all looked noticably sharper. It took me a while to figure it out. I've taken all of my UV filters off of my lenses. They are cheap filters that I'm just going to give away since I'm selling the lens. If I do get UV filters I'll get better ones next time but for now, no filters.
11-13-2009, 11:43 AM   #15
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try a Sigma 62mm Multi-Coated UV Filter

Amazon.com: Sigma 62mm Multi-Coated UV Filter: Camera & Photo
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