Why do bright lights show severe diagonal streaks at night after cleaning my lens?
Asked 1/30/2012
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My Canon PowerShot A650 has recently started showing very strong diagonal streaks around bright light sources in night photos. I used to see a little starburst effect sometimes, but nothing this severe. It seemed to start after I tried to clean the lens because there was a droplet on it. Could I have damaged the lens, or is this more likely caused by residue from cleaning?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
6
Looks like flare caused by some kind of oily residue on the lens. I wouldn't say you have permanently damaged it, although that may be a remote possibility if you scratched it or maybe etched away any of the multicoating.
I would find some photographic lens cleaning solution and a nice microfiber cloth, a soft camel hair brush or a LensPen, and try to clean it better. Use the brush to dust off any particulate first. You don't want any particulate of any kind on the lens before cleaning it, just in case any of it is harder than the lens and capable of scratching it. Use the microfiber cloth and cleaning solution to clean the lens and hopefully get rid of any residue that may be on it.
On photographic lenses, you might be amazed at how even the oil from a fingerprint can affect flare, and how well that same finger oil will stick to the lens like glue. You can only really get rid of it with at the very least a microfiber cloth or tissue...and when that doesn't work, an appropriate solvent that won't damage the lens.
Originally by user124. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user124
14y ago
0
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This is most likely flare from residue on the front of the lens, not permanent damage. A thin film of oil, moisture, or cleaning residue can make bright point light sources bloom and streak, especially at night. Even something as small as a fingerprint can noticeably increase flare.
Try cleaning the lens carefully with proper lens-cleaning supplies:
- first remove dust with a soft brush or similar tool
- then use lens cleaning solution and a clean microfiber cloth or lens pen
- avoid rubbing grit across the glass, which could scratch it
Permanent damage is possible only if the lens was scratched or its coating was harmed, but based on the symptoms, residue is the more likely cause. If the streaks improve after a careful cleaning, that confirms it was contamination rather than optical damage.
A mild starburst around lights can be normal, but a sudden increase after cleaning strongly points to something left on the lens surface.
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