Why am I getting a ghost reflection opposite a bright light in a long-exposure photo?
Asked 5/2/2011
3 views
2 answers
0
In long exposures of a very bright subject against a dark background, I’m seeing a faint duplicate or reflection appear on the opposite side of the frame. It showed up in 10-second exposures and was still visible around 4/5 second. The camera was a Canon 550D with a Tokina 11–16mm lens at 16mm. What causes this, and is there a way to prevent it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
16
This isn't uncommon to see when you have a UV filter attached to the lens which, generally, a lot of people do because it gets recommended by the camera store as lens protection. If you want a really detailed explanation, there's one on Luminous Landscape showing and explaining the issue.
My take, and it's a personal opinion, is to lose the UV filter if you have one. The "protection" offered is usually minimal, at best, and the impact to certain images is not. So, to my way of thinking, the loss outweighs the gain.
Now, all of that assumes you have a filter on your lens... Looks like it, but you didn't say.
Originally by user472. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user472
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is most likely lens flare/ghosting caused by internal reflections in the optical path. A very bright, overexposed light source can reflect between lens elements, and especially between the lens and any front filter, creating a faint mirrored image elsewhere in the frame.
The most common culprit is a UV/protective filter, particularly if it has poor or no coatings. If you have one fitted, remove it and test again. A poorly coated lens element or filter can make the effect worse.
Why it’s more visible in long exposures: the bright source is so overexposed that the reflected light becomes strong enough to show up against the dark surroundings.
To reduce it:
- remove any UV/protective filter
- avoid cheap or uncoated filters
- reduce exposure if possible so the bright source is less blown out
- slightly change composition/angle if practical
If no filter is attached, some amount of this can still happen from normal internal lens reflections.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI15y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
What causes red, green, and blue specks in long exposures?
Why do I see a ghost image of a fly in a flash macro shot?
What causes a small white dot in a blue sky during a long exposure?
Are Tokina AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8 Pro DX and AT-X 120 Pro DX AF 11-20mm f/2.8 the same lens?
What causes bright halos around subjects, and how can I reduce them?