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07-03-2010, 03:28 PM   #1
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What is wrong with this picture?

I am getting a fair percentage of pictures like the attached. I would assume it is over exposed? But why? This was a quick snapshot through the window of a moving car with the k-x on auto pict so I'm not expecting miracles. I was actually expecting the focus to be a miss, but it's not bad. The exposure is awful though.

Any suggestions on what I am doing wrong? I've looked through the EXIF but I honestly do not have enough experience to know what to look for.

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07-03-2010, 03:32 PM   #2
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Exposure seems mostly OK. What it's doing is flaring. Put on a lens hood; stop down a bit (looks like it was shot near wide open? seems to have fairly shallow dof).
07-03-2010, 03:33 PM   #3
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Heh, I guess I was wrong! F8, huh?
07-03-2010, 03:33 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by jatrax Quote
This was a quick snapshot through the window
That's where my money is. Roll down the window and try again.

07-03-2010, 04:46 PM   #5
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Backlit and through a window...
07-03-2010, 04:52 PM   #6
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If I may..

A simple Autolevels adjustment in Photoshop. I could do a lot more with the original but, there isn't anything particularly wrong, in general..



07-03-2010, 05:45 PM   #7
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Thanks for the help!

I'm not sure the window is the problem, although I do understand that it cannot possibly help the situation. I have lots of pictures showing the same thing that don't have a window involved.

Lens hood, now that might be it. Most but not all of the problem pictures were taken with my FA 28-200mm which has a 77mm front element. Is flare more of a problem with a lens like this than with something like the DAL 18-55mm kit lens?

I usually use the lens hood on the DAL 18-55mm but I don't have one for the FA 28-200mm.

07-03-2010, 09:45 PM   #8
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I used to have a FA 28-200 and it gave out pictures like yours . I got rid of it, didn't find out what caused the problem .
07-04-2010, 10:40 AM   #9
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Ken,

Maybe I bought yours.....

I think I'll try to find a lens hood for this and see if that makes a difference. It does seem to consistently over expose a bit even on good shots.

I bought it to take to the beach where I wanted versatility without changing lenses. I don't use it for much other than that.

John
07-04-2010, 10:59 AM   #10
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What's your weather like up there?

Is it possible the lens steamed/fogged up?

Happens to me all the time in Florida.
07-04-2010, 11:24 AM   #11
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That is flare and I would bet the lens had something to do with it in the sense that it is not a DA lens.
DA have a special coating on the last lens that would prevent this type of flare.
I would bet that light is reflecting off the sensor and to the lens.
I have one particular lens of this type and if there is sun involved, then you can be sure that this is the type of photos it will produce.
There are full frame lenses though that don't react this way..it might just be for this particular lens.
Try another lens with the same shooting conditions and see if your shots would still look the same. If it does then, you can rule out the lens..but my bet would be on the lens producing this.
07-04-2010, 12:00 PM   #12
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Ira,

I was actually in Florida! Orlando and drove north to Virginia. I have lots of shots at Disney that have this problem, but it was definitely not fogging. It was 95 and no clouds which I am not used to. If it gets 95 here they declare a state of emergency.

Gerry,

I think you are correct. I have shots taken with the DAL 55-300mm at roughly the same place & time and they do not show this effect. I am wondering if the 77mm front element (and the FF lens design) is what is causing it. I'll test with a lens hood and see if that helps. If I can find one for this lens.....
07-04-2010, 12:05 PM   #13
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Dosn't the exposure meter see flare or window?
I'd say it's still overexposed, whatever the light source is.

The reason why it might be overexposed... did you prefocus? I see trees getting smaller ahead. Maybe you locked focus/exposure while being in shadof from larger/closer trees seen at the right side of frame.

Because the trees seem to be exposed correctly, but sky and road clearly requires some negative exosure.

Most often i encounter wrong exposures when i lock my focus and dont notice subtle light changes, that make a lot of difference with cameras dynamic range.
07-04-2010, 12:56 PM   #14
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Lens hoods cure all ills

Well, maybe not, but for what it's worth:

Yesterday I was playing with an old Sigma 34mm f2.8 on my K7, shooting inside in what seemed to me to be very mellow light. Pictures looked a little drab and ever so slightly washed out; not over-exposed, just wishy-washy looking. On a whim, I put the petal hood from the 18-55 kit zoom on the Sigma (it almost fits) and shot again -- the hood made a significant difference, better contrast and presence. Even in circumstances that don't seem conspicuously conducive to flare, I plan to use hoods as much as possible.
07-04-2010, 01:15 PM   #15
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I have to agree with pentup above. When I first saw the shot I said to myself "no hood". I don't think its the coating. I regularly shoot with an old "A" 70-210 and get lots of flare/haze if I forget to extend the hood. If I extend the hood I get nice sharp shots that don't look like they were shot thru a haze filter. You don't need to get anything extravagant, a simple rubber 72mm screw in hood should work fine. Both Adorama and B&H sell them for about $8. Frequently the simplest solution is the best.

NaCl(hoods are a photographers best friend)H2O
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