odd color / brightness banding on d800 w/ long exposure and ND filter

[zippzopp17]

I finally got a 10 stop ND filter and I shot a bunch of images earlier today at the beach. i got home and noticed that a lot of the images have a weird color and brightness band in the same area of the photo. some are worse than others and I'm not quite sure where the problem came from. i had the ND filter on top of the UV filter on the lens..could stacking 2 filters have something to do with it? i've attached a few unprocessed images

i shot with a 10 stop ND filter on a 24-70. lens hood was attached and exposures were 30 seconds. any ideas what would cause this and how to keep it from happening again? it almost looks like it could be caused by some sort of flare or reflection but i'm not totally sure.

 

[spbStan]

They both are in the same orientation and character so there is a good chance there is a filter or interaction between filter, problem. I was using a cheapie CPL on my D800 and noticed similar problems and switched to another brand, which costs 3 times as much and in all ways it was worth the change.

An easy way to prove it is to simple rotate the filters or stack 45 degrees and see if the band rotates.
--
Stan
St Petersburg Russia

 

[zippzopp17]

thanks, I'll try that.....also, maybe it was an issue with having a UV on and then the ND on top of that. I'll try again with just the ND filter on. The ND filter I used is a B+W.

 

[Leonard Shepherd]

The "band" is not parallel to the frame (most obvious in the second image) so the camera shutter is unlikely to be involved.

There is no point in using a UV with a 10 stop grad - so my advice is try again without the UV.

Also try a different memory card as there is a remote chance the card could be corrupted - though the issue looks more like a reflection problem than a card problem.

 

[Guidenet]

I definately agree with Leonard. That flare is not even with the frame.

Take that goofy UV filter off and toss it in the trash and try it with that excellent B+W ND filter and see if that doesn't work. Your camera does not need UV protection. It has a UV filter on the sensor. It won't protect your lens from anything steaking in through the front element. Salt air can come right through the zoom or focus ring areas if it wants to. That camera and lens is too good to degrade it with a UV filter.

Even so, you want to avoid stacking filters as much as possible, especially useless ones. Even stacking useful filters is something best avoided if possible. Every added filter regardless of need detracts something. Letting them interact is even worse. Use a hood for impact protection and the glass naked like it was designed in most cases.
--
Cheers, Craig

Follow me on Twitter @craighardingsr : Equipment in Profile

 

[exposure]

Hi,

Cover the window on the lens, its a known problem with light leak and see if that helps

Andrew
--
http://www.andrewatkinsonphotography.co.uk
http://andrewatkinson.aminus3.com/

 

[67GP]

I agree w/ previous poster. I have this issue w/ my 24-70 and I lay my op/tech strap over the window. Try covering window and if that doesn't help it could be crappy filter.

 

[Patco]

Hi,

Cover the window on the lens, its a known problem with light leak and see if that helps

Yep:
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-10053-10796

--
Patco
A photograph is more than a bunch of pixels

 

[Nick 2004]

This is a problem if you don't close the viewfinder curtain. I had the same issue, simply solved by closing the curtain during long exposures. The distance scale issue may also be a factor, but in my experience using the 16-35 f4, as well as the 24-70, the main issue is light coming in through the viewfinder, particularly if the sun or moon is somewhat (or completely) behind you.

 

[zippzopp17]

thanks everyone for the useful advice. i'll be sure to put it all to use next time I do some long exposures!

 

[Maji]

I agree with Leonard too on this matter. It is probably internal reflections between the outer surface of the UV and the inside surface of the ND. Give it a try without the UV and see if it works.

 

[Marianne Oelund]

This is a problem if you don't close the viewfinder curtain. I had the same issue, simply solved by closing the curtain during long exposures.

Bingo!

Lens-window light leakage will not produce the straight-line banding across the entire image, but viewfinder port leakage does.

Moral: Use that little lever next to the viewport.

 

[zippzopp17]

i just got back from testing it all out. i closed the rear curtain on the viewfinder and removed the UV filter....banding is gone. i was shooting in a darker area though with less direct sunlight, but it seems to be resolved. thanks everyone!