Light bleed issue on Nikon D800 - help & suggestions welcome!

psybear

psybear

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I was doing some long exposures at the weekend and some of my images suffered from what appears to a light bleed issue (see pic).

Set-up was Nikon D800, 24-70mm lens, Lee 15 stop and 0.9 soft grad filters, exposure time was 70 seconds at f/9. Conditions were overcast with no direct sunlight. The rear eyepiece cover was closed.

When I noticed the flare in an exposure I used black low-tack tape to wrap around the filters and filter holder (something I don't normally have to do in overcast conditions). The problem persisted. I then removed the filter holder and replaced it to check it was secure, no difference. I then turned it upside down (reversing the 0.9 grad), still no difference. I then altered tripod position and composition slightly - and the issue disappeared!

(If there is a more appropriate forum that this one, please advise!).

Thanks.

Anyone got any ideas? This happened to me once previously in a similar set-up, _BPM6446.jpg albeit on a brighter day - I had actually forgotten all about it until it happened again.
 
Did you have a torch? Did you close the viewfinder blind?

Sorry, just read it properly, and you did have the eyepiece covered. As you were. ;)

With no bright light source, as I thought maybe through the viewfinder from behind the camera, I don't have any other ideas. :(
 
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redhed17 said:
Do any of your filters have any scratches on them?
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Just the usual light stuff around the edges. I've checked the clear part of the grad filter very carefully, no flaws to be seen. Turning the whole thing upside down rules out any flaw in the 10 stop, as the flare appeared in the same position. The lens glass is also clear of any scratches or flaws.
 
psybear said:
Just the usual light stuff around the edges. I've checked the clear part of the grad filter very carefully, no flaws to be seen. Turning the whole thing upside down rules out any flaw in the 10 stop, as the flare appeared in the same position. The lens glass is also clear of any scratches or flaws.
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I know you have probably already done it, but have you checked the tear of the lens?

With so little light, and such a bright light problem it looks like like something is catching light somewhere. :thinking:
 
It is possible that the light was hitting the exposed rear part of the grad and reflecting back causing this aberration. I usually shield the filters from light (I sometimes use a baseball cap on the lens with the peak resting on the top of the filter). Guesswork mind you ...

I know you said the eyepiece cover was in place but that is also symptomatic of the issue here.
 
redhed17 said:
I know you have probably already done it, but have you checked the tear of the lens?

With so little light, and such a bright light problem it looks like like something is catching light somewhere. :thinking:
Click to expand...

Yep I checked that this evening before posting here.
 
PaulButler said:
It is possible that the light was hitting the exposed rear part of the grad and reflecting back causing this aberration. I usually shield the filters from light (I sometimes use a baseball cap on the lens with the peak resting on the top of the filter). Guesswork mind you ...
Click to expand...
Now that's a possibility I suppose, although surprising given how overcast it was....

PaulButler said:
I know you said the eyepiece cover was in place but that is also symptomatic of the issue here.
Click to expand...

Eyepiece was fully covered with the built-in blind. Although anytime I have suffered from eyepiece light bleed it manifests as a pink/purple soft tinge across the frame, not like this flare issue.
 
Does the lens have a focus distance window that could be taped over? I recall reading about this as a problem
 
psybear said:
Eyepiece was fully covered with the built-in blind. Although anytime I have suffered from eyepiece light bleed it manifests as a pink/purple soft tinge across the frame, not like this flare issue.
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Agreed but sometimes it looks like this too ;)
Filter_Lens_Fault_D810-1212 by Paul, on Flickr
Note the white "flash" through the image as well as the pink/purple colouration - again in overcast conditions but this was after forgetting to close the eyepiece blind on my camera ... (a D810 if it matters). Also with a 15 stop nd (can't remember of there was a grad too, probably was as I was testing filters at the time).
 
Jim_Tod said:
Does the lens have a focus distance window that could be taped over? I recall reading about this as a problem
Click to expand...
You may be onto something Jim, mine was also using a 24-70 and I too vaguely remember something about the focus distance window ...
 
Jim_Tod said:
Does the lens have a focus distance window that could be taped over? I recall reading about this as a problem
Click to expand...

Really? Hadn't heard of this before - worth a go! Also been advised by a friend on FB that the light could be getting in around the wired remote connection - yet another spot to try taping up!
 
It's a light leak for sure, and you're using a 15 stop filter that reduces the light by 32,000x :eek: Basically the tiniest chink of light that would normally go unnoticed even using a ten-stopper may register.

Yes, light can get in through the remote connection sockets, the battery compartment etc etc. I would check that the eypiece blind is actually 100% light tight (I'd be surprised if it was TBH) and all other possible entry routes. Set the camera on B and shine a bright torch around those places.

Having said that, the most obvious culprit I'm guessing is the filter holder. Some of them have frankly poor light sealing and bearing in mind that 32,000x filter factor you would need to seal it with black tape very carefully and thoroughly.

BTW do you really need a 15-stopper?!
 
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Thanks for this - and for all the other replies .

I'll try the leakage check when I have time.

As for do I really need the 15 stopper - absolutely I do. Probably overkill in the conditions encounterd that day but some of my best long exposure images have been taken with it in very bright conditions when the 10 stopper just wasn't effective. I used to stack filters before getting it, now I don't have to.
 
psybear said:
Thanks for this - and for all the other replies .

I'll try the leakage check when I have time.

As for do I really need the 15 stopper - absolutely I do. Probably overkill in the conditions encounterd that day but some of my best long exposure images have been taken with it in very bright conditions when the 10 stopper just wasn't effective. I used to stack filters before getting it, now I don't have to.
Click to expand...

:thumbs:

I just worked out that with a 15-stopper in place, that effectively means a chink of light just 1 x 1mm in area becomes equivalent to to a huge hole 179 x 179mm - about 7ins square!
 
So I'm looking for a very very tiny leak point!
 
Do you have a rain cover for your camera? Pull it on which should seal everything except the filter holder end and see what happens. If it’s a see through one then invest in a black one. You can wrap camera inside with a cloth if necessary and then put the rain cover on.

Assuming you are using a remote release. As it’s a 15 stop filter then the extra time for set up after you have focussed, composed and sorted out exposure will be irrelevant, not as though you’re in a rush with a 15 stop.
 
I had the same thing last year ! It was the lee filter holder ..... the bits that screw on the front ..... I’d put one side on the other way around and the sponge wasn’t being squashed to the back carrier ! I take it the stopper was in the rear carriage closest to the front lens element
 
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