Nikon 200-500 white streaks on some pictures

Please post an example image that shows the problem - it will help you get the information that you are seeking.

paulro100 said:

I have had this problem twice when photographing birds in woods. It doesn’t happen all of the time but today was frustrating. I took 5 pics of a great spotted woodpecker and there were white streaks on the result.

I don’t have a uv filter on this lens. Do you think this could be the problem?

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No, adding a filter cannot control this issue. If anything, it could make it slightly worse.

If the sun was shining through the trees, or bright sky was showing between branches, etc., you can easily incur lens flare, especially when your subject is only shade-lit. Sometimes a home-made hood extension may help, but we would need to see an example photo before giving any further detailed suggestions.

I don't think I've ever seen a great spotted woodpecker, so would love to see some of your photos for that reason as well. Here in the Pacific NW, we have the Downy, Hairy, Pileated and Northern Flicker woodpeckers, as well as some sapsuckers.




Pileated woodpecker. Mate has also been spotted - hopefully chicks will appear this year.



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Source credit: Prov 2:6
- Marianne

Your other problem (?) could be if you allow the viewfinder unprotected....allowing sliver of light to enter that way. Not to infuse paranoia, I'd cover the finder even when using the LCD monitor.

Were you shooting through branches? I don't know what that is, but it's not lens flare, or even (I think) a lens issue. It very much looks like something got between the lens and the subject.

From your original description, I thought maybe you had some snow streaks, but this doesn't look like that either.

PHXAZCRAIG said:

It very much looks like something got between the lens and the subject.

Click to expand...

+1

Also the "something" is moving and light toned.

Sure looks like close out-of-focus branches to me.

BTW, the pileated woodpecker is the one that convinced me that birds are the descendents of dinosaurs, especially when they fly...