Funny flare using Minolta lens with A100

[vivientan]

I notice this funny flare at the right side of the photos when I use my Minolta 28-85 lens with A100. Initially I thought it could be due to the way I bounce my flash. Tried different angles but the flare is still there. It happens on and off, not all the time though.

Is this due to some compatibility issues with A100, equipment malfunctioning, or simply the way I shoot?

Think I shd dig out some of those photos and post them here for advice.

 

[Rashkae]

Yup... not much we can do without a sample pic.

 

[nsalman]

How funny?

 

[vivientan]

Notice there is this soft glow on the right side of the photos, which I'm not sure what it's caused by.

 

[Dominum]

wow what's that?? i'm interested to know too.

 

[Rashkae]

You might want to check for fingerprints or even fungus in the lens. Or meet up with some of the experienced Sony people on here, we can take a look for you.

 

[Rashkae]

Does this only happen when you use flash? Are you using a lens hood? it could be veiling flare from the flash itself.

 

[dormy]

looks like ghosting or haze, or maybe even water vapour

 

[mahojazz]

try stopping down the fstop.

 

[sulhan]

A few possibilities:

- Rear or inner element foggy (check for smear or fungus)
- Smear on front element - grease??
- Flash over power (used in manual)

Take a shot of a plain colored wall - with and without flash - see if any difference.

 

[TME]

Should be able to rule out fungus or grease or whatever permanent thing on the lens itself since she mentioned that it occurs on and off...

My totally uneducated guess is that it's due to stray light from the flash and probably no lens hood... the highlights are quite obviously blown on the left... so I wonder if the flash was set to fire towards the right of the camera to bounce off the right wall or ceiling, leading to this white haze on the right?

 

[VisionTechnik]

Both pics whites appears to be blown, I suspect you to have over power your flash and using high ISO at the same time. Since this is an indoor pic, your background 'seems' to be quite well lit (due to high ISO with flash) too. This is just my guess, maybe you want to share your settings.

 

[Evilchaosz]

Both pics whites appears to be blown, I suspect you to have over power your flash and using high ISO at the same time. Since this is an indoor pic, your background 'seems' to be quite well lit (due to high ISO with flash) too. This is just my guess, maybe you want to share your settings.

Notice that the "blur and bright" part is only at the right side of the picture. The left side of the second picture has a fine exposure while the first picture and is slightly overexposed at the left, but both were blur and bright at the right side for both pictures. It's more like some kind of fogging rather than overexposure.

And, if there were fungus in the lens, it would make the right side of the picture darker rather than brighter, since the presence of fungus blocks light from entering.

 

[vivientan]

Both pics whites appears to be blown, I suspect you to have over power your flash and using high ISO at the same time. Since this is an indoor pic, your background 'seems' to be quite well lit (due to high ISO with flash) too. This is just my guess, maybe you want to share your settings.

Here are my settings:

1st pic : 1/30, f4, ISO 400
2nd pic : 1/60, f4, ISO 400

The majority of my indoor pics are taken with the 2 settings above. Except for a few pics, the rest turned out ok without the flare.

Grateful if you guys can shed some light on this.

 

[vivientan]

Should be able to rule out fungus or grease or whatever permanent thing on the lens itself since she mentioned that it occurs on and off...

My totally uneducated guess is that it's due to stray light from the flash and probably no lens hood... the highlights are quite obviously blown on the left... so I wonder if the flash was set to fire towards the right of the camera to bounce off the right wall or ceiling, leading to this white haze on the right?

The flash was bounced off the ceiling. I can't remember if I have the lens hood on, I probably did. I'm actually quite used to shooting with this lens without the hood on, but have not experienced this problem until recently. Been using it for the past 5-6 years. :dunno:

I sometimes experience this problem in situations of sunlight coming thru the window, causing a flare. But this is indoor, no sunlight though.

 

[sulhan]

Okay...how about take with th same settings, a set of new shots. In your home. This will allow apples to apples comparison to see if there is actually a hardware (cam,lens etc) problem or an environment influenced issue........or operator issue.

 

[Gunjack]

Probably due to the mirror on the side of the wall plus overpowered flash.

 

[vivientan]

Okay...how about take with th same settings, a set of new shots. In your home. This will allow apples to apples comparison to see if there is actually a hardware (cam,lens etc) problem or an environment influenced issue........or operator issue.

I recently took some photos in my home with the same settings ie 1/60, F4 which turned out fine. Anyway, will do a test shoot again over the next few days just to be sure.

 

[vivientan]

Probably due to the mirror on the side of the wall plus overpowered flash.

Noted that most of you commented that overpowered flash could be the culprit. I usually set my flash compensation to abt +0.5 to +1EV. Is this advisable? Cos my pics usually turn out underexposed if I leave the settings at 0EV.

In situations whereby there's a mirror on the side walls, should I then use a faster shutter speed & step down flash compensation to ensure that overall photo is correctly exposed?

 

[Rashkae]

Noted that most of you commented that overpowered flash could be the culprit. I usually set my flash compensation to abt +0.5 to +1EV. Is this advisable? Cos my pics usually turn out underexposed if I leave the settings at 0EV.

In situations whereby there's a mirror on the side walls, should I then use a faster shutter speed & step down flash compensation to ensure that overall photo is correctly exposed?

A lens hood will help too.