mysterious reflections, maybe flare?

[chrisjongkind]

...

 

[Alex_B]

since this lens is brand new and assumed to be free of problems

first time i hear such a statement

even the best equipment has its problems since there are simply limits in technology.

Butyours is maybe not the lens since the effect seems a bit extreme to me.

Did you use any filter in front of your lens?
are these images taken through a car's window or any other kind of window?
what was your aperture? wide open?

 

[ksmattfish]

I've never seen anythng quite like this, at least without shooting through glass. Could it be a reflection on your UV filter (if you are using one)?

 

[darich]

Looks like they were shot through double glazing or secondary glazing. The reflection could be a result of the second pane of glass.

 

[fmw]

It is called ghosting and occurs when light is reflected (not refracted) from the areas where layers of glass meet. These images are also very overexposed and that makes the problem worse. You can create this affect with any camera lens by shooting directly into a powerful light source. You will often see a little line of ghosts - one for every element in your lens. You shot these through glass from another building. If you had been outside, the ghosts wouldn't be there.

 

[Alex_B]

You shot these through glass from another building. If you had been outside, the ghosts wouldn't be there.

so we all agree on this

let us wait for the OP comment

 

[chrisjongkind]

...

 

[Alex_B]

hmm, for a plain uv filter that reflection seems a bit much ...

 

[fmw]

I doubt the UV filter had anything to do with it. You can generate ghosting with a UV filter but it would normally take a more powerful light source than electric signs from across the street.

The problem is that a UV filter is very thin. The glass in your lens, on the other hand, is quite thick. The lens will cause ghosting way, way before a UV filter does. The UV filter might add an additional element to the ghosts but would not be the major culprit. I would have bet money on your shooting through window glass but, since you didn't, you have lens ghosting that was aggravated by the serious overexposure.

 

[ksmattfish]

I don't use UV filters, and have never had any ghosting problems doing urban night photography with film or digital.

 

[ksmattfish]

...but heard that I should leave one on always to protect the lens glass?

Just make sure you aren't smacking the lens around when it's off. I haven't had one on any of my cameras (dozens of regular users) for years, maybe almost a decade now, and have yet to damage a lens in a way that would have been protected by a UV filter. Not saying you should stop using them completely, but the lens won't be damaged as long as nothing comes into contact with it.

 

[The_Traveler]

I thought that we had taken a group pinkie pledge not to argue about uv filters.
:hail:

 

[castrol]

Heh, I have the same problem with my UV filter. I have to remove mine when
doing any night photography.

 

[fmw]

I thought that we had taken a group pinkie pledge not to argue about uv filters.
:hail:

OK, if you want to get that serious about it. I was just blaming the lens instead of the filter. I wasn't arguing.

 

[chrisjongkind]

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