Sometimes lens flare can look cool, but their are times when it really looks unintentional. I tried a polarizer but that only seems to reduce it, rather than deflect it. I googled it, but most people's solutions is to remove it in post, where as I would prefer to deflect it on location. On a set, it's easy, but on a real location, like the street, or outdoors in the day, it's difficult. Thanks for the input.
cinematography Getting rid of lens flare.
- Thread starter harmonica44
- Start date
Okay thanks people. I figured out what's causing the lens flare, and it's not the lens, but the UV filter. I kind of need that filter since I am doing shots of running with the camera, on the street, and don't want anything to hit the lens and scratch it. But the filter does cause a lot more flares than compared to the lens itself.
It's always a lightsource that's hitting your lense directly that causes lensflares.
The filter maybe hit easier because it's more to the front.
Lots of movies have lensflares... just try to cause them and then try to avoid them. It will teach you a lot about when it will happen.
The filter maybe hit easier because it's more to the front.
Lots of movies have lensflares... just try to cause them and then try to avoid them. It will teach you a lot about when it will happen.
Okay thanks. I don't mind pretty looking lens flares but the UV filter makes real ugly ones on top of the pretty ones. Can I get a UV filter, or lens protector filter, that does not cause that?
It's a side effect of the UV filter, in many lower light situations it'll pick up some glare that your lens won't see.
Live dangerously, pop it off and get the shot!
Matteboxes still help for this too.
Live dangerously, pop it off and get the shot!
Matteboxes still help for this too.
And that's exactly why I never use UV filters on my DSLR lenses. I never understood buying a lens with expensive, high quality glass with coatings specifically designed to reduce flare and reflections, and then covering it with what is essentially a flat piece of plain glass.
Okay thanks, I will take the filter off, but I hope the lens doesn't get scratched by dust or wind, while outdoors, and while running.
Dust is actually another reason I prefer not to use a UV filter. You go from a single surface you need to keep clean, to three - the front element of the lens, the back of the UV filter, and the front of the UV filter. It's not a huge deal, and it's less of a concern if you never remove the filter, but it's just one more thing to deal with.
But dust and wind isn't really something I'd worry about when running around unless we're talking desert windstorms or something. Dropping the camera while running would certainly be a bigger concern - but most hard plastic still photography lens hoods basically provide a similar or better amount of protection to the lens in a drop on hard flat surfaces like concrete or pavement.
Also - in a drop damaging the front element of the lens may be the least of your worries. I ended up having to send my 24-105mm to canon for service after a 2 foot drop onto concrete even though it came out of it looking entirely undamaged. Something had become misaligned internally resulting in uneven focus across the frame.
But dust and wind isn't really something I'd worry about when running around unless we're talking desert windstorms or something. Dropping the camera while running would certainly be a bigger concern - but most hard plastic still photography lens hoods basically provide a similar or better amount of protection to the lens in a drop on hard flat surfaces like concrete or pavement.
Also - in a drop damaging the front element of the lens may be the least of your worries. I ended up having to send my 24-105mm to canon for service after a 2 foot drop onto concrete even though it came out of it looking entirely undamaged. Something had become misaligned internally resulting in uneven focus across the frame.
@itdonned on me... the neven focus was probably a "back focus" issue after the drop... you can adjust it yourself, but it's a pain in the butt, like aligning the tires on your car.
@H44: Philip Bloom has a picture on his site of a camera with a flag for the sun (black rectangle in a frame above the camera). You can have someone hold a piece of cardboard spray painted flat black between the sun and the lens as well -- just make sure it stays out of the corners/edges of the shot.
@H44: Philip Bloom has a picture on his site of a camera with a flag for the sun (black rectangle in a frame above the camera). You can have someone hold a piece of cardboard spray painted flat black between the sun and the lens as well -- just make sure it stays out of the corners/edges of the shot.
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Interesting, I was under the impression back focus was still consistent across the image. With my lens one side could be in focus while the other side was slightly off and exhibited greater CA than the other side, so I assumed an element had shifted internally off of parallel with the sensor plane.
I know you can just clean the dirt off, but what I mean is, what if the dirt is sharp and it scratches the lens? Sand blows around and sand particles can scratch, especially when running with the lens exposed I am guessing. I am also planning on doing shots, where I strap the camera to a car and drive, and sand will certainly scratch the lens I am guessing.
Are you shooting in a sandstorm? Or on a very windy beach? If not I really wouldn't worry about it. If you're shooting somewhere that the sand is blowing enough to damage your lens it's also going to be pretty uncomfortable for your actors and crew.