Forum: Photography


Subject: Something Wierd to ponder over your coffee...

zhounder opened this issue on Jun 28, 2004 ยท 9 posts


zhounder posted Mon, 28 June 2004 at 6:39 AM

I found this rather odd. I was out trying to catch the moon over the city last night. When I got home and was reviewing the images I found this odd luminescent shape in between the buildings. I took about 18 shots and this only showed on 2. This shape did not show on the shots before or after. The series of 4 shots shown above and below are taken in a total of 1 minute. I did have a UV filter on the lens but nothing else, no dust or particles, bugs or anything else. You will note in the EXIF data below all that changed was the exposure time and the time of the shot. The shots above are the entire image only resized for the web. The next post will be close ups. Your thoughts would be appreciated. (please dont tell me Tedz is invading Philadelphia, we have enough problems! ;-)~) EXIF Data: Image 1 Time: 22:42:08 Focal Length: 62mm Exposure Mode: Auto Metering: Center-Weighted 3.60 sec f/4.5 Exposure Comp: +0.3 ISO: 200 Whit Balance: Auto Image 2 Time: 22:42:42 Focal Length: 62mm Exposure Mode: Auto Metering: Center-Weighted 1.50 sec f/4.5 Exposure Comp: +0.3 ISO: 200 Whit Balance: Auto Image 3 Time: 22:42:49 Focal Length: 62mm Exposure Mode: Auto Metering: Center-Weighted 2.20 sec f/4.5 Exposure Comp: +0.3 ISO: 200 Whit Balance: Auto Image 4 Time: 22:43:08 Focal Length: 62mm Exposure Mode: Auto Metering: Center-Weighted 6 sec f/4.5 Exposure Comp: +0.3 ISO: 200 Whit Balance: Auto Magick Michael

zhounder posted Mon, 28 June 2004 at 6:41 AM

The close ups are at about 95% after resizing. Notice how the "object" moves between shot 1 and 2. I did not re-adjust the camera that I can remember.

Misha883 posted Mon, 28 June 2004 at 8:37 AM

My first thought, honestly, was about Tedz. [Thinking about you, Hon.] The other thing that varies is the position of the moon within the full frame, indicating that the angle of the light from the moon is changing as it hits your lens. Any surface between lens elements can bounce a reflection. That'd be my second guess anyway.


3DGuy posted Mon, 28 June 2004 at 10:35 AM

My guess would be lensflares. You do have quite some reflections there. Look at the // pattern. It's very visible in the 1st one. There's a ghost of it right next to the antenna(?) of the building on the right. The angle in the 4th is different, you can see that in the ghost of the // pattern which has shifted to the point where the building on the right starts tapering to the top. On the other 2 where that pattern isn't visible, you're seeing ghost/reflections of the moon.

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies. - Aristotle
-= Glass Eye Photography =- -= My Rendo Gallery =-


3DGuy posted Mon, 28 June 2004 at 10:38 AM

Added the image to illustrate

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies. - Aristotle
-= Glass Eye Photography =- -= My Rendo Gallery =-


zhounder posted Mon, 28 June 2004 at 10:47 AM

3DGuy, I would agree that it is some type of reflection, but... If you look at your examples they are at about 150 degree and 195 degree angles. The "moon ghost" are at about 125 and 130 respectively. They don't seem to match the others. As to lens flare, never seen a lens flare of this type. I would bet against that one. Some type of ghost image is more likely but I am still not convinced of that either. MM


3DGuy posted Mon, 28 June 2004 at 2:33 PM

Ok, trying to make convincing evidence :) I've tagged the center of the image (+) and mirrored a point that's visible in the ghost of the //. You can see that in the red lines. As you see the ghost of the // pattern is visible in all images (play with your brightness a bit). Now taking the same technique I've managed to find the ghost of the moon in the first picture as well.. Only in the fourth it seems to be absent, but it might just be overpowered by the lighting of the building itself.

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies. - Aristotle
-= Glass Eye Photography =- -= My Rendo Gallery =-


bsteph2069 posted Mon, 28 June 2004 at 3:11 PM

I think it's a lense flare. Yeah probably not the aliens. Bsteph


cynlee posted Mon, 28 June 2004 at 3:35 PM

aliens! or it's the new Gotham City :]