# A Helpful Lens Flare - Photo of the Moon



## DGMPhotography (Jan 1, 2013)

Hello! So I tried shooting pictures of the moon and stars again, without much success. I think I need a bigger lens. Anyway, I was just going through deleting all my photos when I came across this one and thought hey.... the lens flare looks more like the moon than the moon! Even at fast shutter speeds I could not get the moon to look right (and it was 28 degrees so I didn't stay out long), but the lens flare looks great! It seems to have the features of the moon. Maybe it was reflected into my lens, or maybe it's just a coincidence. Either way, I like it. What do you think?


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## christop (Jan 2, 2013)

What kind of exposure settings are you using?

The moon is a sunlit landscape, so the "sunny 16" rule of thumb is very helpful for pictures of the moon. The sunny 16 rule states that at f/16, the shutter speed should be set to the reciprocal of the ISO. Using ISO 100, for example, the shutter speed should be about 1/100.


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## DGMPhotography (Jan 2, 2013)

True, afterwards I figured I should I have gone faster. Thanks for the tip! I will look into that rule


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## DGMPhotography (Jan 2, 2013)

But what do you think of the lens flare?


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## Sw1tchFX (Jan 2, 2013)

I don't understand pictures of the moon..


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## unpopular (Jan 2, 2013)

DGMPhotography said:


> But what do you think of the lens flare?



I think you need to remove your UV filter.


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## DGMPhotography (Jan 2, 2013)

Yeah, It's not like I love taking pictures of the moon, but it's very trying which lets me practice with all the different settings. UV filter? I have a skylight to protect my lens from scratching. Is that what you're talking about?


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## unpopular (Jan 2, 2013)

yep. skylights are just slightly pink UV filters.

It will cause this kind of flair, and it causes it all the time. You just don't notice it as anything but decreased sharpness.It can make a significant difference.

Much debate has gone on if they protect your lens, but there is evidence that they do more harm in some situations. If the filter breaks, shards of hardened glass come towered your lens capable of scratching the coatings.


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## DGMPhotography (Jan 2, 2013)

Really?? I was wondering why a lot of my images didn't seem sharp. Of course, that could be my own fault, but it could actually be the skylight? Hmm... what do you think about the protection thing?


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## thetrue (Jan 2, 2013)

Since I removed the useless filters from my lenses, I've seen at least a 15% increase in sharpness, even with lower end lenses.


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## DGMPhotography (Jan 2, 2013)

Awesome, I think I may do that. I just read a few threads about it. They say a lens hood is better protection than a filter, unless there's like dust particles and what not flying around. So I suppose now then that maybe I will treat my filter more like a lens cap, and take it off before taking a photo.


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## unpopular (Jan 2, 2013)

DGMPhotography said:


> Really?? I was wondering why a lot of my images didn't seem sharp. Of course, that could be my own fault, but it could actually be the skylight? Hmm... what do you think about the protection thing?



I tend to think that there's a lot of people out there who say that their protective lens saved them, but it's unknown how likely their lens would have been damaged if the filter wasn't there. You have to ask yourself, if you dropped your lens face first onto a pointy rock, how much do you think that thin piece of glass will protect? It'll slow it down some, but enough to deflect the weight of the camera? I kind of doubt it. I believe it is more likely that the filter broke but if it weren't there, typically I think it wouldn't have mattered much. Now if you're somewhere where small hard and relatively light objects come hurling towered you while shooting, then it might be worth it, sandstorm-prone? definitely - and I'd suggest you get a good one with good anti reflective coatings and solid construction.

But for your typical risk of dropping the lens, I doubt it and might do more damage. Get a good plastic or metal lens hood instead.


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## thetrue (Jan 2, 2013)

Do beetles count as small, light, relatively hard objects? Haha


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## unpopular (Jan 2, 2013)

^^ da fuq?

I'm NEVER going to PA. That's ewwwy.


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## thetrue (Jan 2, 2013)

unpopular said:


> ^^ da fuq?
> 
> I'm NEVER going to PA. That's ewwwy.


I'm sorry, but did I hear a loud MEOW in there? :lmao: haha


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## SCraig (Jan 2, 2013)

thetrue said:


> Do beetles count as small, light, relatively hard objects? Haha



Damn sure do when you're on a motorcycle!


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## SamiJoSchwirtz (Jan 2, 2013)

thetrue said:
			
		

> Since I removed the useless filters from my lenses, I've seen at least a 15% increase in sharpness, even with lower end lenses.



Is that with any filter?


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## cgipson1 (Jan 2, 2013)

SamiJoSchwirtz said:


> thetrue said:
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Any high end, expensive multi-coated filter will minimize IQ loss... but any filter has the potential to affect IQ. Inexpensive filters cause much more IQ loss... and those are what the majority of people have (for LENS protection)!

Some filters, like CPL, OR ND / GND.. can affect IQ negatively, but the benefits (creative effects) the filters provide in other ways can far outweigh the minimal IQ loss they cause (of course... again, expensive high quality filters are better than cheap low quality filters)


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## thetrue (Jan 2, 2013)

SamiJoSchwirtz said:


> thetrue said:
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> ...


I started out a total noob that knew nothing, I was talked in to buying the UV filters "for protection". After a few months of chitty, soft images, I thought "hm, this thing only costs $20, is it possible that its making everything look terrible on this Canon brand glass?" So I took it off. And I've never felt more free. Since then, I haven't used any filter that didn't have a creative purpose and I feel like it has unlocked potential in myself that I didn't know was there before. 

Anything that isn't part of the lens is going to decrease IQ, and that in turn hurts your feelings because "why can't I get photos as sharp and colorful as that guy, who uses THE EXACT SAME SETUP?!?!?!"


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## unpopular (Jan 2, 2013)

thetrue said:


> Anything that isn't part of the lens is going to decrease IQ



the only perfect optic is a pinhole whose diameter and focal length is perfectly tuned to a specific ideal wavelength, photographing only monochromatic light within that ideal wavelength (without a filter) and is infinitely thin.

The first criteria are pretty easily reached within a few nanometers, but the infinitely thin part - that's going to be tricky.


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## DGMPhotography (Jan 2, 2013)

How strange.... cgip offering useful input! I'm glad my photo spurred this conversation of filters/lenses. I will certainly use this knowledge


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## cgipson1 (Jan 2, 2013)

DGMPhotography said:


> How strange.... cgip offering useful input! I'm glad my photo spurred this conversation of filters/lenses. I will certainly use this knowledge



You don't get any respect unless you show it.. my name is not cgip!


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## unpopular (Jan 2, 2013)

I like that, chuck.

cgip from now on!


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## Mully (Jan 2, 2013)

unpopular said:


> thetrue said:
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> > Anything that isn't part of the lens is going to decrease IQ
> ...



Can you shoot food with this system ? Maybe I should get one


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## unpopular (Jan 2, 2013)

All optical systems have their idea circumstances, pinholes are no different. If you can stand photographing under a specific wavelength, a fixed working distance and focal length, then sure! Why not?

here's some reading material:

http://idea.uwosh.edu/nick/rayleigh.pdf

and some pinholes

Precision Pinholes | Edmund Optics


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## cgipson1 (Jan 2, 2013)

unpopular said:


> I like that, chuck.
> 
> cgip from now on!



Sure.. UniPooper! If that is what you want!  lol!


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