Hi,

I took some pictures at night during my business trip last month using Canon 850IS. No matter what setting i used (scene mode, auto, manual with ISO from 80 up to 1600), i found out my picture have some white big spots. May i know what is the problem. What setting i need to use at night ? It only happen when i take night photo. For your info, my camera lens is clean, so it can not be contamination. Pls help as i'm a beginner in photography

This post has been edited by kb2005: Dec 29 2006, 10:04 PM


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Dirt... dust... alot of them! o_O

It is not dust. As i mentioned, the lens is clean and free from any contam.

Hmmm, another possibility is ambient lights from all around your environment when you're taking the shot. Just a wild guess though

Anymore idea what's going on ?

its cold in CHINA rite now correct? did u shoot outside, then bring in ur camera into the hotel, shoot again... then go outside and shoot again?
if tht is the case i think there might be...... water inside ur camera de...

jus a wild guess

i think it is just dust....no on your camera lens. is on the sensor kua.. i guess

should be condensation on the lens. before you shoot, just wipe the lens.

it looks like some dried water spots on your lens. when light shines on it, u can see them reflecting.

What is condensation?
When it is cold outside, the water vapour in the air is rapidly cooled and turns to droplets of water. Condensation occurs when the camera is suddenly taken from the cold air into a warm room.

To prevent condensation
When taking the camera suddenly from a cold to a warm place, place it in a plastic bag and make the bag as airtight as possible. Leave the camera for approximately one hour until the camera adjusts to the temperature difference.

http://www.olympus.co.uk/consumer/208_1052.htm

if u took the shot with flash, tat is a reflection from the dust around u. Nv shoot with flash if u are shooting public road....

double check any dirt or liquid on ur lens? i oso kena this before when i take pic in BUKIT JALIL event. i wiped it and its back to normal d.

It loks like an outbreak of BlurFO. Go to here to check it out:
http://www.rense.com/general49/blurfo.htm

I only see this problem when i tried to take night scene photo. Day time photo do not face the problem. Is it because of condensation ?

now still have? or only when in foreign country?

lens flare?

Yes, i tried a just now (5 mins ago) at home, the white spot still there. I don't think it is contamination or dirty lens as the location of the spot is in random position every time i take the night scene pic. I can see more white spot if i'm using ISO 800 and 1600. Can you try to take night scene pic using manual mode with ISO setting 800 or 1600 ? I hope it is not camera defect as i just took close too 250pics in Gurney Plaza using manual and indoor mode without problem.

LanEvoX is right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orb_%28paranormal%29

Flash orb is caused by light relecting off dust/pollen/droplet nearby the flash and lens.

Fyi, flash orb can happen during bright outdoors too. However, they are not so obvious. My colleague manage to point out some flash orbs in my daylight photos.

Flash orb occurs more frequently for small point and shoot cameras. It is because the flash unit is too near the lens. For a dLSR with a external flash unit, flash orb does not happen frequently.

How to avoid it?
Make sure it is not misty or raining
Shot many photos.
Move to a less dusty position.

Turn off the flash for night landscape photography (the flash is of no use here)

This post has been edited by donnyyeo: Dec 30 2006, 09:30 PM

i just tried with my lumix, also got orb wor, so confirmed it is Flash orb, not defect.


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What was your setting ? The spot was less in your photo. I think you will get more with higher ISO and with flash on. Can you confirm again ? Thanks for your support

I almost 100% agree with the article. I start to believe it is orb that causing the problem. I just snapped another 2 photos with and without flash and i didn't see the spot without flash. So, it is confirmed the spot onlt present with flash. I just curious why nobody discussed this effect in photograpy section before!

that was ISO 1600, i shoot again in ISO 1600, number of orbs still not that many, may be it is not that dusty over here.


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cuz no body uses flash while taking night scenes ???

yea, if without flash, not orb.


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Thanks. I think i need to clean my camera lens before experimenting another night shot Any recommendation on how to clean the lens ? Can i just bring my camera to any photo shop and ask them to clean ? thanks.

Thanks again for your kindness in helping me to clear my doubt on camera defect I really appreciate it

no prob.

clean the lens for what? your camera is still brand new, clean/service only after 1 or 2 yrs.

Wohohohoo .. no reason to panic there my friend, it's common!
Those are floating dust particles deflecting flash light back into your camera, suspicious ppl calls them 'orbs', little 'ghosts' that got caught into your camera when they take flight. Anyway, it's no reason to be afraid, sometimes you get them, sometimes you dun (the dust particles I mean). Chill

This post has been edited by ac98: Dec 30 2006, 10:01 PM

I'm interested to see if Sony, Olympus or Kodak camera owners can post their pic using high ISO and with flash as well. Just want to compare how bad is the pic quality with diff camera models

What ASA u are shooting at that moment, it is at ASA 400 and above, it can be noise in higher mode when shooting night scene, the compact CCD is small compare with the SLR, that's why u got white dots

Is it everytime u should at night scene the white dot appeared at the same spot, if is the same then I recomend u to send to Canon to clean the CCD, if it is stilll under warrenty, the service is free, sometime they can clean it for u on the spot, don't try to clean your CCD yourself, is very sensitive, if u scratch it is consider as gone

Try this, shoot some pictures in various ASA on the sky, if there is blue sky then it will be much easier, then download your pictures in your computer, view the images at 100%. If you can see the spot, then definately is the dust at your CCD

This is from my experience

i had this problem before..only it was completly blurr with alot of white spots.. few questions, was it very cold in china ? coz cold weather can affect the picture quality. like gold3knight said, it's cause by condensation at the lens. juz use a camera lens cloth and gently wipe it. should be clear.. worse to worse juz bring the camera back and have the seller take a look at it.

I don't think it is a condensation because i get the same problem when i'm shooting during hot weather in Malaysia.

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Added on February 1, 2007, 9:47 pmIt is not appeared at the same spot. So, i don't think it is contamination on the CCD.

This post has been edited by kb2005: Feb 1 2007, 09:47 PM