[NS_Sailor]

I've having an issue of a reflection of the sun possibly off the lens itself appearing in the image when I try to shoot a sunset when the sun is not dead centered in the frame with my K-r with either the kit 18-55 lens and the DAL 50-200 lens. This "reflection" had ruined may once in a lifetime shots

I try to keep my lenses & 1A/UV filters clean with good quality cleaners and I've tried shooting in different modes with no change

Should I look at changing my 1A/UV filters or try something else to fix this problem

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[Na Horuk]

Where is this reflection? Isnt that just reflected in the water?

I would suggest you remove the filter altogether. And put on the lens hood (though, in this case, it wont do much since the sun is straight ahead)

[savoche]

First thing I would do too is to remove the filter. It does no good anyway (other than potentially protecting the front element of the lens).

[carrrlangas]

Filter´s blame for sure! The hood is enough to protect the front element, apart from reducing flare and enhancing contrast.
Plus, modern lenses coatings are very strong and is very difficult to damage them, more so on the front filter with the SP coating.
Moreover, if you do scratch the front element, no problem! changes of seeing any degradation in IQ are far less than those of seeing it by using the filter all the time

[jatrax]

Take the filters off. UV filters are not needed on digital. They are the most common cause of reflections such as you describe. If you feel you need a filter on the lens to 'protect' it then take it off when shooting into the sun or other light sources and put it back on when you are done. Personally I never use 'protective' filters although a CPL and a set of ND filters are in my bag all the time. Modern lens coatings are very tough and I don't feel the potential additional protection of a filter is enough to offset the potential loss of image quality caused by a filter.

[carrrlangas]

set of ND filters

Curious to which set of filters do you use? I´ve resolved CPLs with a 52mm Marumi Super DGH + 77mm B+W but haven´t bought NDs yet

[jatrax]

Curious to which set of filters do you use?

I have an ancient set made by Toshiba in 1, 2 and 3 stops, came with some M42 equipment I bought as a lot. No idea where they rank on quality, certainly they don't have modern coatings. But they seem to work.

I also have a new Hoya NDX400 10 stop. Everything is in 49mm which limits what lenses I can use but so far it has been enough. I have B+W CPL's for everything, except 49mm where I have a couple old Asahi ones.

[Kozlok]

It's the filter for sure. Also, try stopping the lens down a bit to a smaller aperture.

Here's one with my 18-55, Florida sun. No filter, no flare. This was at 55mm.




And at 18mm, again no filters, again no flare!

[JimJohnson]

+1, +2, +... ditch the UV filter. Your camera's sensor already has a UV filter so in terms of filtration, your extra glass surface is just adding flare. UV filters are a myth held over from the film days. You will get much more protection from the lens hood. If I carry a lens without a hood and no lens cap it will attract all kinds of dust. However once I mount the hood, comparatively very little dust makes it to the lens. Most likely your kit DA L lens didn't come with a hood - but the bayonet mount is there. Go to Amazon and search for a hood for your lens (e.g. DA L 18-55 hood). There are some bayonet mount hoods nearly identical to Pentax's that cost very little.

When I was in Chicago recently for the Tall Ships Festival it was really easy to spot the true amateurs who paid big money for a SLR and didn't know what they were doing. Either they had no hood or worse they had a hood and left it reverse mounted in the storage position.

[Kozlok]

the true amateurs...had a hood and left it reverse mounted in the storage position.

They usually have a ball cap on backwards too.

[NS_Sailor]

Thank you all for the advice
I guess the rules I learned and precautions I took to protect my equipment over 30 + years shooting film are sometimes hard to break
I will be ditching my U/V filter from now on.

[jatrax]

I will be ditching my U/V filter from now on.

You need to do what you feel comfortable with. But digital is NOT the same as film, though certainly most of the rules apply. Try to think of filters as a tool, put them on when you need it and take it off when you don't. I know plenty of photographers that always have a UV filter on. Not my business to tell them how to work. But putting a filter on (any filter) reduces the image quality to some degree. Only you can decide if that reduction is worth the benefit gained.

CPL adds another layer of glass and costs you light: but you gain the polarizing affect.
ND filters add a layer or more of glass but you gain the reduction in light and thus slower shutter speeds
UV filters add a layer of glass with potential IQ loss and ghosts but can protect the front of your lens in some cases
Color adjustment filters? Well, I can't think of any purpose at all on digital....

If you are shooting in a sandstorm or at a beach, maybe that filter is worth it, otherwise.......

[dms]

As Horuk said--it does not appear to be flare--rather it's the reflection of the sun near to the water.

There is minor flare--and as everyone else said--the filter is a major source of flare.

BTW you also should be careful about closing the diaphragm, as light bouncing of the metal adds to flare. So when shooting into the sun and other strong light sources ALSO try the shot w/ lens fully open or only slightly closed down.

[NS_Sailor]

Again thanks for the advice.

I also have a 10 stop ND filter which I've used with varying degrees of success, a 6 point star burst filter which creates some interesting effects with lights at night and of course a polarizing filter.
Maybe loosing the U/V filter will also help to correct the color distortion I sometimes get when using the ND filter on longer exposures
I will probably hold on to my U/V filter and use it to protect my lens especially when I'm in less than ideal environments on the ship at sea or on the beach
I will also try shooting at a faster shutter speed and a wider F stop to help with the flaring
I have the lens hood that came with my K100D along with the lens hood that works with the 28-80 and 80-300 FA lenses from my MZ and use them regularly.
Unfortunately I've been known to shoot with my Baseball cap or Hard Hat on backwards but only when I need to use the internal flash to light up a shadow so the bill of the cap will not prevent the flash from opening fully and not firing when needed.