What is the rainbow-like flare opposite the sun, and how can I avoid it?
Asked 10/7/2012
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2 answers
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In a photo with the sun in the frame, I’m seeing a rainbow/prismatic flare in the lower-right area of the image, roughly opposite the sun. I was using a lens hood, so I’m wondering whether this is normal lens flare/ghosting or if a cheap UV filter could be making it worse. What causes this effect, and what can I do to reduce it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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This does look like some kind of flare, I can't tell if this is caused by the lens or the UV filter but filters (especially "not so expensive" ones) are know to cause flare.
To avoid flare you just have to prevent the light coming directly from the sun from hitting the front of your lens, this is what the lens hood does when the sun is outside the frame.
When the sun (or any light source) is in the frame remove your UV filter and try different angles, changing the lightsource-lens angle will move the flare in the image, you can either try to minimize it or to use it for artistic purposes.
And always remember - never look at the sun trough the camera's viewfinder, use live view (and preferably sunglasses too)
Originally by user2481. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2481
13y ago
0
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This is most likely lens flare/ghosting, specifically a prismatic ghost caused by strong sunlight reflecting and refracting within the optical path. A UV filter can definitely make it worse, especially a lower-quality one, because it adds another reflective surface.
The clue is that the flare appears roughly opposite the sun across the center of the frame, which is typical of internal reflections.
How to reduce it:
- Remove the UV filter when shooting into bright light or the sun.
- Change your shooting angle or composition slightly; small shifts can move or reduce the ghost.
- Use the lens hood when the light source is outside the frame, but note it helps much less when the sun is actually in the frame.
- Sometimes flare is unavoidable with the sun in shot, so you may need to compose around it or use it creatively.
Safety note: don’t look at the sun through an optical viewfinder; use live view instead.
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