Night Shot Lens Flare

[JAS_Photo]

So, on my latest outing doing night shots, i got quite a bit of flare/fogging from the lights. There were a lot of lights as you could see along with headlights. Putting the photos through topaz Adjust eliminated most of it. Since I use my lens hoods, I am just wondering if it is caused by the UV filters? I have the same kind of flare as well on indoor shots, specifically using the cloudsphere.

[Iguanasan]

We'll have to wait until someone who really knows chimes in but I think if the lights are shining directly into the lens at multiple angles lens flare won't be stopped by a lens hood. That being said, I have no idea how to protect against it.

[Greg_Nuspel]

I have had problems with filters and flare since they tend not to be the same quality of coatings etc. Direct light is always a problem and the wider angle the lens the worse it seems. Just my observations.

[Mad Aussie]

I have definitely had to remove my filters for night shooting at times due to flares from strong light sources.

[Vladimir Naumoff]

I agree with Mad Aussie. Take it off. Make sure your camera using right settings for the night shooting.

[Marko]

If the light hits the lens at the right angle, then even with the filter off u can get flare - but it makes sense to take it off since that might sometimes solve the problem.

[hodaka]

In my night shot here, I definitely got a bit of flare - even though the light was not hitting on much of an angle. I was using a Hoya standard UV on my lense, and have since changed to a Pro 1 digital protector. I am going to try to capture the same scene with different lighting over the winter (it's literally out my back door), we'll see how it goes.

[JAS_Photo]

I have good filters as well, Hodaka. Guess I have to just try with and without.
What do you mean by night settings, Vlad?

If my shots do not involve moving people or cars, or I want to disappear them I use long exposures with a small aperature. If I want them in the photo, I use a faster shutter and larger aperture. Oops! I am thinking maybe more wide open lends itself to more flaring as well? I like the look of slightly ghosted moving people and things in night shots though.

[Vladimir Naumoff]

Play with shutter speed and aperture. On my flicker I have a shot of Niagara Falls. At 40 seconds. Surprisingly it acme out OK. If you have direct light or a some sort of flair, play with these two settings and even 1 degree tilt left or right can make a big difference, especially with flairs.