whoa...is this lens flare?

greentea3 · 04-13-2009, 12:12 PM

I'm a new, happy owner of a k2000 and I just bought a manual focus Spiratone 20mm 2.8 lens.

Took some shots today and it's great, very sharp to my eyes, but I'm seeing what I think is lens flare.

I looked up examples of lens flare on the Internet, and all I see are starbursts, hexagons, or rings of light.

In this photo that I took, there's a huge shape right in the middle of the photo. I guess it looks like a distorted hexagon.

I wasn't expecting for the flare to take up the whole photo! All the examples I've found online are small and coming from the side. They look nice, actually, but the one I have is distracting.

Is it time to buy a lens hood? I searched the forums and I read something about being careful with vignetting when using lens hoods on wide angle lenses...what should I look for in a lens hood?

Gooshin · 04-13-2009, 12:20 PM

most definetly lens flare

**Canada_Rockies** · 04-13-2009, 12:29 PM

To me, this looks as if you took it through a window, rather than veiling flare. Veiling flare (the general overall type, not the aperture shaped ones that echo across the image) would not be as well defined as this.

Wheatfield · 04-13-2009, 01:38 PM

Originally posted by Canada_Rockies

To me, this looks as if you took it through a window, rather than veiling flare. Veiling flare (the general overall type, not the aperture shaped ones that echo across the image) would not be as well defined as this.

Actually, it looks like he has both veiling flare and some nice point source flare as well.

stevebrot · 04-13-2009, 01:51 PM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

Actually, it looks like he has both veiling flare and some nice point source flare as well.

Oh...I see what you mean. At first I thought that the hard-line parts were a reflection off a window. Now I see that they are the image of the aperture opening. Flare! Flare! Flare!

Steve

Damn Brit · 04-13-2009, 01:59 PM

OP, were you using a lens hood?

newarts · 04-13-2009, 02:11 PM

If that's the sun just to the bottom of the brightest hexagon, there's no hood that'll fix it!

Iowa Dave

Damn Brit · 04-13-2009, 02:17 PM

Originally posted by newarts

If that's the sun just to the bottom of the brightest hexagon, there's no hood that'll fix it!

Iowa Dave

I know Dave but it might minimalise it, my question was more rhetorical. If it's that bad with a hood,what would it be like without?

AndrewG NY · 04-13-2009, 02:18 PM

On the positive side, severe flare like this can generally be seen in the viewfinder and improved with even subtle composition changes. And as another poster noted, if the sun is visible in the image most lenses are capable of some flare.

nanok · 04-13-2009, 02:23 PM

the pointis that, if the sun is in the frame, the hood is completely irrelevant, with or without it, there will be no diference.

OP: looks like that lens has a.. problem with flare

, it might also be "helped" by some (cheap/dirty?) filter you have fitted to the lens. some lenses are just bad in such situations, sometimes you can use the lens just fine in any other conditions, so perhaps you will just have to live with it, and/or get a lens which performs better (the pentax kit lens is one example

)

greentea3 · 04-13-2009, 02:43 PM

Nope, the sun wasn't in the frame, and there was no filter or lens hood in place, either. I will look for a lens hood. This is a 20mm f/2.8 lens that I'm using...is this the nature of the beast, or are there other brands/models that do better with lens flaring?

newarts · 04-13-2009, 03:24 PM

Originally posted by greentea3

Nope, the sun wasn't in the frame, and there was no filter or lens hood in place, either. I will look for a lens hood. This is a 20mm f/2.8 lens that I'm using...is this the nature of the beast, or are there other brands/models that do better with lens flaring?

I think the sun is just outside the frame show at the tip of the blue arrow/edge of the building. The corner of the woman's purse and its shadow define the direction to the sun.

Iowa Dave

stevebrot · 04-13-2009, 04:07 PM

Originally posted by greentea3

Nope, the sun wasn't in the frame, and there was no filter or lens hood in place, either. I will look for a lens hood. This is a 20mm f/2.8 lens that I'm using...is this the nature of the beast, or are there other brands/models that do better with lens flaring?

It is partially the nature of the beast and partially a factor of the age and quality of the lens. When it was made, the Spiratone 20mm was somewhat of a novelty item and was sold at a price point considerably below that of other available ultra wide-angle lenses of the time. I would suspect that poor quality coatings are at fault here.

Steve

FWIW...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiratone

kristoffon · 04-13-2009, 06:23 PM

If I can post one of my photos to demonstrate a "good" lens, notice the sun is entirely in the picture, then try to find some flare (there is some, but you really have to look for it). This is by the 18-250mm lens. There are even better lenses regarding flare. I stopped using the hood for this lens completely, it is simply not necessary.

larger

greentea3 · 04-14-2009, 12:37 AM

Oh well, it's a lesson learned. I'll see if a lens hood helps. It's a shame because the lens is beautiful and in exc. condition.

04-13-2009, 12:12 PM	#1
greentea3 New Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Francisco Posts: 20	whoa...is this lens flare? I'm a new, happy owner of a k2000 and I just bought a manual focus Spiratone 20mm 2.8 lens. Took some shots today and it's great, very sharp to my eyes, but I'm seeing what I think is lens flare. I looked up examples of lens flare on the Internet, and all I see are starbursts, hexagons, or rings of light. In this photo that I took, there's a huge shape right in the middle of the photo. I guess it looks like a distorted hexagon. I wasn't expecting for the flare to take up the whole photo! All the examples I've found online are small and coming from the side. They look nice, actually, but the one I have is distracting. Is it time to buy a lens hood? I searched the forums and I read something about being careful with vignetting when using lens hoods on wide angle lenses...what should I look for in a lens hood?

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04-13-2009, 12:20 PM	#2
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	most definetly lens flare

04-13-2009, 12:29 PM	#3
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	To me, this looks as if you took it through a window, rather than veiling flare. Veiling flare (the general overall type, not the aperture shaped ones that echo across the image) would not be as well defined as this.

04-13-2009, 01:38 PM	#4
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by Canada_Rockies To me, this looks as if you took it through a window, rather than veiling flare. Veiling flare (the general overall type, not the aperture shaped ones that echo across the image) would not be as well defined as this. Actually, it looks like he has both veiling flare and some nice point source flare as well.

04-13-2009, 01:51 PM	#5
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by Wheatfield Actually, it looks like he has both veiling flare and some nice point source flare as well. Oh...I see what you mean. At first I thought that the hard-line parts were a reflection off a window. Now I see that they are the image of the aperture opening. Flare! Flare! Flare! Steve

04-13-2009, 01:59 PM	#6
Damn Brit Guest	OP, were you using a lens hood?

04-13-2009, 02:11 PM	#7
newarts Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Ames, Iowa, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 2,965	If that's the sun just to the bottom of the brightest hexagon, there's no hood that'll fix it! Iowa Dave

04-13-2009, 02:17 PM	#8
Damn Brit Guest	Originally posted by newarts If that's the sun just to the bottom of the brightest hexagon, there's no hood that'll fix it! Iowa Dave I know Dave but it might minimalise it, my question was more rhetorical. If it's that bad with a hood,what would it be like without?

04-13-2009, 02:18 PM	#9
AndrewG NY Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Chappaqua, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 688	On the positive side, severe flare like this can generally be seen in the viewfinder and improved with even subtle composition changes. And as another poster noted, if the sun is visible in the image most lenses are capable of some flare.

04-13-2009, 02:23 PM	#10
nanok Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 969	the pointis that, if the sun is in the frame, the hood is completely irrelevant, with or without it, there will be no diference. OP: looks like that lens has a.. problem with flare , it might also be "helped" by some (cheap/dirty?) filter you have fitted to the lens. some lenses are just bad in such situations, sometimes you can use the lens just fine in any other conditions, so perhaps you will just have to live with it, and/or get a lens which performs better (the pentax kit lens is one example )

04-13-2009, 02:43 PM	#11
greentea3 New Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Francisco Posts: 20 Original Poster	Nope, the sun wasn't in the frame, and there was no filter or lens hood in place, either. I will look for a lens hood. This is a 20mm f/2.8 lens that I'm using...is this the nature of the beast, or are there other brands/models that do better with lens flaring?

04-13-2009, 03:24 PM	#12
newarts Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Ames, Iowa, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 2,965	Originally posted by greentea3 Nope, the sun wasn't in the frame, and there was no filter or lens hood in place, either. I will look for a lens hood. This is a 20mm f/2.8 lens that I'm using...is this the nature of the beast, or are there other brands/models that do better with lens flaring? I think the sun is just outside the frame show at the tip of the blue arrow/edge of the building. The corner of the woman's purse and its shadow define the direction to the sun. Iowa Dave

04-13-2009, 04:07 PM	#13
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by greentea3 Nope, the sun wasn't in the frame, and there was no filter or lens hood in place, either. I will look for a lens hood. This is a 20mm f/2.8 lens that I'm using...is this the nature of the beast, or are there other brands/models that do better with lens flaring? It is partially the nature of the beast and partially a factor of the age and quality of the lens. When it was made, the Spiratone 20mm was somewhat of a novelty item and was sold at a price point considerably below that of other available ultra wide-angle lenses of the time. I would suspect that poor quality coatings are at fault here. Steve FWIW...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiratone

04-13-2009, 06:23 PM	#14
kristoffon Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Brazil Posts: 532	If I can post one of my photos to demonstrate a "good" lens, notice the sun is entirely in the picture, then try to find some flare (there is some, but you really have to look for it). This is by the 18-250mm lens. There are even better lenses regarding flare. I stopped using the hood for this lens completely, it is simply not necessary. larger

04-14-2009, 12:37 AM	#15
greentea3 New Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Francisco Posts: 20 Original Poster	Oh well, it's a lesson learned. I'll see if a lens hood helps. It's a shame because the lens is beautiful and in exc. condition.