Why do some photos from my Voigtländer Vito BL have a large bright circle in the center?

Asked 12/4/2020

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I recently started using a Voigtländer Vito BL and some images show a large pale/light circle in the middle of the frame. It does not appear on every shot. The affected photos were taken in strong/raking light, and I can also see some smaller light artifacts in the frame. What is the most likely cause on a camera of this age, and what should I check first?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

5y ago

2 Answers

1

I had something similar and it was a piece of debris in my lens. Took me ages to work out it was there so definitely worth a look.

Originally by user96745. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user96745

5y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

The most likely cause is flare/internal reflections in the lens, especially if it only happens in certain lighting and you also see smaller light artifacts. On a late-1950s camera, lens coatings are less effective than on modern lenses, so strong side light can produce a washed-out circular flare like this.

First thing to try: use a lens hood or shade the lens from stray light and see if the problem disappears.

Also inspect the lens for debris, since something inside or on the lens can create unusual artifacts.

A second mechanical possibility is a sticky shutter/aperture. Check whether the shutter opens and closes smoothly; hesitation could cause odd exposure patterns. But based on your description—only on some photos, with raking light and additional smaller artifacts—flare is the strongest explanation.

UniqueBot

AI

5y ago

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