Reflection Issue

[Figment]

Ok, first let me lay out the troubleshooting we've done.
The below image was shot with an 18-55 Kit lens on a Nikon D60.
Some back story: My friend and I were shooting at work one night at a skyscraper nearby. We started noticed that his camera was getting some refraction from some lights in our courtyard. This was on a D60 with 18-55 Kit lens. We swapped lenses (On my D40) and he was unable to reproduce this with my lens. (We shot in as exactly the same position as we could get, and had NO trouble reproducing this with his setup every time) I was unable to reproduce this with his lens on my camera. But, once he put HIS lens back on HIS camera, he got the reflection again.

Fast Forward to the image below. This was taken a week or two ago, and he's getting the same reflection. I took similar shots on my D40 with his lens and was unable to reproduce it. He can reproduce it indefinitely with his lens and his camera, but not with any other combination. He's tried with a UV and polarizer filter (For troubleshooting) and gets the same result.

So, what we want to know is why is this happening, and what can we do to correct it? (Sorry for the long post, but I wanted everyone to understand EXACTLY what we've done to troubleshoot this) Is this a camera issue? (That's what I'm leaning towards, but it doesn't reproduce with my lens, and I can't reproduce it with his lens. It's ONLY his camera/lens combo) And it's not him shooting either, because I can reproduce this with HIS setup as well.
Please help!

 

[Pugs]

You using the same settings each time? f/4.2 is pretty wide open for that lens. If you're not using the same aperture and focal length on your D40, you'll have different effects. Narrower apertures will help minimize ghost lights and lens flare a bit.

Edit to add: And, if he has a UV filter on the front of his lens and you don't, the extra layer of glass could be adding another surface to reflect light.

 

[Figment]

You using the same settings each time? f/4.2 is pretty wide open for that lens. If you're not using the same aperture and focal length on your D40, you'll have different effects. Narrower apertures will help minimize ghost lights and lens flare a bit.

Edit to add: And, if he has a UV filter on the front of his lens and you don't, the extra layer of glass could be adding another surface to reflect light.

Hmmm. I see your point on the f/4.2.
We only used the filters for troubleshooting to see if it would remove the flares.
We did use the same settings each time on each camera, however we can't be sure we were zoomed EXACTLY the same. I'll have to see if we can reproduce this on his camera again, and I'll take the same shots on mine, and make sure we're EXACT on settings. I'll post results here and get some C&C on em.
Thanks for your input, Pugs.

 

[Figment]

Ok, so we've done some testing, and figured out at least partially what was causing the issue. It would appear that my on-board light meter is set to auto, while his was set to -4.7.
Also, we noticed something about our lenses.
My camera, a D40 came with what I thought was the standard Nikon kit lens 18-55.
His D60 also has a Nikon 18-55. However, we noticed something about the lenses:
My setup, which was purchased 8 months or so after his was has some extra info on the lens.
His lens reads: 1:3.5-5.6G
My lens reads: 1:3.5-5.6GII ED
What's the difference? I can find both lenses, but can't find what the difference is? We also noticed that my lens is a little skinnier than his and maybe a TAD longer (Maybe. Kinda hard to tell outside in the dark) but his is definately a little rounder than mine. So my guess is that another partial reason I don't get the flair is my lens may have some extra layer of "protection" against it. Any thoughts? And does anyone know the difference between the two lenses?
Thanks guys! Hopefully all this info may help someone else having a similiar problem.

 

[KmH]

• AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED , released in 2005. minimum aperture 32, weight 210g
• AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II, released in 2006. minimum aperture 38, weight 205g
• AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR, released in 2007. minimum aperture 32, weight 265g, and has a VR on/off switch on the barrel.

More info here: http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/18-55mm-vr.htm

 

[mostly sunny]

I have a picture I took last week-- I am not sure it's exactly like the problem you have posted- It's a refection off of a cup?? I don't know why it did it.. -- but I'd share if you like?


ok- I am sharing anyway. Maybe I used a flash- But even without a flash there is a slight reflection.

 

[Figment]

Thanks for the posted info on my lenses.
As for your photo Sunny, I'm not 100% sure what you're referring to.
I see a reflection inside the cup, but that's simply because it's liquid I would think.
I do see some fuzziness around the edges of the smaller mug, and around one side of the plate. It ALMOST looks to me like you moved the camera a touch, but I'm in NO way an expert on this, so I'm probably way off and it's something more technical than that.

 

[mostly sunny]

Thanks for the posted info on my lenses.
As for your photo Sunny, I'm not 100% sure what you're referring to.
I see a reflection inside the cup, but that's simply because it's liquid I would think.
I do see some fuzziness around the edges of the smaller mug, and around one side of the plate. It ALMOST looks to me like you moved the camera a touch, but I'm in NO way an expert on this, so I'm probably way off and it's something more technical than that.

See, I'm new, brand new just born. Just tossing that idea out there. I didn't see the reflection in the cup when I was looking at it though???