D80 night shots problem

[puurthomas]

Hi there,

I've a really strange problem with my D80. The camera is wonderfull, but when I shoot night images, most of my pictures show strange dots and mirrored ghostlike parts of the objects I tried to capture (sorry for my probably bad english).

The dot's could be 'hot pixels' i guess, but I'm not sure. The other problem looks more like an in camera processing problem. For example, I just photographed the moon. There was only 1 moon, but on my picture you can see it twice. The second moon is mirrored and less visible, but it is there. I have had this problem with different lensen, so i guess it's a in-camera processing problem. Can someone tell me if the experienced the same problem, or if i'm doing something wrong. Please help me with this!

I've posted some shots at a flickr account which I set up for this thread:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/d80problempics/

Thanks in advance for you reaction.
Thomas Boelaars

 

[Royalty]

Do you have a filter on the end of your lens?

Were you using your lens hood?

The problem appears to be "ghosting" not a problem with the digital camera but more often than not a problem with the optics.

What lens were you using because this is a problem more often than not common with zooms, and older zooms if I am not mistaken.

My general rule is to remove all filters in night time photography.

 

[puurthomas]

Thanks for your reply!! The pictures were made with an 'old' 75-240 mm nikkor and with an 50 mm 1.8 nikkor, both with an uv-filter on it.

I've also an the 18-70 mm dx lens. I will try to take some pictures right away with that lens, to see if this 'new' lens doesn't have that problem.

Thomas Boelaars

 

[C. Lewis]

What lens and are you using a filter?

Looks like a lens reflection to me. You may try it again with the filter removed to see if the "ghosts" disappear. But since the unwanted images are reversed from the main object, I'd say it was reflections being mirrored from the lens. I can't imagine how an in camera process could produce such an artifact unless it also happened with normal daylight pictures too.

Good luck.
--
Craig

 

[Royalty]

Try the DX lens. I doubt you'll have that ghosting with your DX lens. I've got a sneaking suspicion after reading your reply that the issue is with your lenses used for those particular shots.

I'e never had any ghosting with my 50mm 1.8. Is your UV filter multicoated? Try an NC Filter instead if you insist on a lens filter for protection purposes... today's digital sensors don't need UV filtering. I don't use any filters on my 50mm 1.8. The damn filters are worth more than the lens itself. lol

Cheers

 

[DigitalMaven]

DSLRs have a reflectance problem that film SLRs do not have.
The surface of the sensor/filter assembly in a DSLR is highly refective,
unlike the emulsion side of film which is usually dull. This can cause
reflections to occur within the mirror box which can show up a spots
and/or ghost images on your pictures. Lenses designed for digital
cameras have additional ant-reflective coatings on their rear elements
to address this problem. Older lenses designed for film cameras do
not have these coatings. This may be the source of your problem

--
When a hammer is your only tool, all problems begin to look like nails.

 

[puurthomas]

I'm not an expert on filters, so I can't tell you if it's multicoated. But I'll gues your right that it isn't a camera issue.

I use the UV filter for dust protection actually.

Thank you so much for your response, I was worrying a little bit since I bought myself a japanese version of this cam (at a local store though) but I was not keen on sending it back.

Cheers!

 

[puurthomas]

Thanks for your response. In the mean time I shot some pictures with my DX lens, out of my window, and it didn't show me any strange dots of reflections anymore. You're probably right that there was some reflection going on. I'll experiment some more, later.

Cheers, Thomas

 

[morris]

due to over exposure of bright objects.

Morris
--



http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/~morris/POD

 

[puurthomas]

I thought after reading the other reply's, it probably had something to do with a reflection from the lens on the UV-filter. But according to you it could also be a reflection from the sensor on the lens. Allright, i've learned a lot tonight. I'll definitely wil make some test shots of the same building/moon to find out which 'problem' it is in my case.

But for now, thanks for your reaction! I'll have to go to bed, it's late overhere. But I guess you already could tell, by the moon shot ;-)

Cheers!