removing lens flare

P

pulpwoody

Well-known member
Okay, so I'm shooting a project that is focuses on overhead lights, so I have to shoot directly into the lights. I get a nice little lens flare around the lights and two little flare under the lights. See pic.

Would a polarizer get ride of those two dots?

ringdale lights.jpg
 
They might make them less noticeable but purely because it would knock some light off.
But I don't believe there is a way to remove it in camera short of trying different lenses.


Someone, correct me if i'm wrong.
 
Do you have a matte box? Perhaps you could flag it, if you tilt the flag down, but before it hits the lens.
 
I don't know if that would work, since I'm shooting directly into the light, and it's not necessarily spill coming in from the side. Might just remove it in post.
 
Try a variety of lenses and focal lengths. They will all handle it differently and can reduce or possibly eliminate it. Many lenses are known for their ability to reduce lens flare, including for objects in frame. I recommend starting with zooms just so you can try all different zoom lengths then moving to primes. Filters can also solve or increase the problem, so try varying it up. There is no hard and fast rule, just better or different lenses.
 
Here's the thing - there is some flaring there, but the two purple squares look to be a reflection. Something either in the lens or on the front of it is bouncing a reflected image of the lights back into the lens.

Do you have any filters on the lens? I've seen UV filters do what you're looking at there.
 
pulpwoody said:
Yes, thanks for that. I do have a UV filter on the front. I'll remove it and see how it works.
Click to expand...

That may work. But lenses are made with multiple elements and as such, each one can potentially 'reflect' forward and backwards, to produce these effects.

Modern lens coatings are intended to minimize this, but pointing a bright, nearly 'point source' light directly into the lens, will override any attempt to minimize. The only 'correction' to eliminate this is to make sure the light does not hit the lens directly, and so the use of long hoods, baffles, flags, etc. is often needed. If the light has to be in the shot, he only way to completely remove the effect is some 'post' work.
 
shooting with a good quality modern lens that uses good coating on the glass is the best way to reduce ghosting
as a general rule vintage lenses will be more prone to ghosts
primes will also be less likely to show them ahead of zooms
... and take off the filter of course !
 
You will need modern cine style, or very new digital slr lenses.

Older lenses like stated above wll ghost, because the light is reflecting off the olpf. Older lenses had no olpf to deal with because film was the sensor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top