How do I avoid "stars" around street lights?

[weixing]

Hi,
    This star spikes effect is cause by diffraction of your lens aperture blades when stop down... the more aperture blades the lens had, the more spikes it created.

    Usually, you won't get any spikes if you shoot wide open or may be using lens with circular blades (I don't have any lens with circular blades, so can't confirm it).

   Have a nice day.

[bdunbar79]

Like this??   

[Policar]

As this problem is solved I have another riddle: how to avoid such phenomenons?



Shot @F4, 24mm, ISO 3200, 1/30s.
Hint: it's guessable by looking at the picture

Don't shoot through a windshield.

Yes, that's a correct answer!

As a reward you can choose one of:
1. 1dx
2. 5d3
3. EF 400 F2.8
4. d800

You have 5 seconds to make a decision...

sorry, time is over

What I really wanted was a D800E, anyway (and a 1DC!).

I think the correlation between aperture blades and sunstars is that if there's an even number of blades you get that many rays, if there's an odd number of blades you get twice as many and that the sharpness of the angle dictates the brilliance of the rays.  Maybe?

I think Tree of Life was shot on Master Primes, which have rounded blades, but it still had beautiful sun stars.

[marekjoz]

As this problem is solved I have another riddle: how to avoid such phenomenons?


Shot @F4, 24mm, ISO 3200, 1/30s.
Hint: it's guessable by looking at the picture

Don't shoot through a windshield.

LOL! +1, totally a windshield.

Are we in the US in this photo??? Why can I not see a McDonald's in the distance?

It's Warsaw, Poland actually. And it's funny, because McDonald's was just on the right side of the car

[Hillsilly]

Go small F number meaning large apertures. I shoot F16 when i want to make the sun starburst thru the trees which is the opposite of what you want. Also i believe the number of star points is related to how many aperture blades are in the lens as well.
first one is a 5d with 35L second a 5d and 15mm Fisheye.

I've never consciously thought of doing this on purpose.  Something new to think about and experiment with!

[Tcapp]

Or just slap a filter on your lens and you'll get all sorts of starbursts.

[RLPhoto]

Use a worse lens with less aperture blades. or just open up a bit more.

[Dylan777]

As this problem is solved I have another riddle: how to avoid such phenomenons?


Warsaw by marekjoz, on Flickr

Shot @F4, 24mm, ISO 3200, 1/30s.
Hint: it's guessable by looking at the picture

Take your car to carwash 

[joshmurrah]

Great advice on using a narrow aperture!

[marekjoz]

As this problem is solved I have another riddle: how to avoid such phenomenons?


Warsaw by marekjoz, on Flickr

Shot @F4, 24mm, ISO 3200, 1/30s.
Hint: it's guessable by looking at the picture

Take your car to carwash 

Haha. Now you check for new posts to have a chance for an award No more awards in this thread
Seriously it's not dirty but this glass was scratched by the wiper.

[fotoray]

I like your original shot with the star bursts.  It is much harder to get nice-looking star-bursts than to eliminate them by opening up the aperture.     

My picture is a sunrise when there wasn't much light, but I saw the opportunity to get a star burst of the rising sun AND its reflection in the lake.   Shot with 7D and 17-85 at 59mm at ISO 100 at f/32 and 1/20 sec. 

[@!ex]

Yup, it's all about aperture, the lower the less burst and the higher the more.  Shot this a few summers ago with a sigma 100-300mm at 300mm on an aps-c so 450mm equivalent at f7 for 30 seconds.  This was the very last of the light from sunset, and in this case the starburst off the lighthouse really makes the shot for me, so using this knowledge to your advantage can really help you make or break a shot...


Beacon by @!ex, on Flickr

[tron]

As this problem is solved I have another riddle: how to avoid such phenomenons?



Shot @F4, 24mm, ISO 3200, 1/30s.
Hint: it's guessable by looking at the picture

Don't shoot through a windshield.

Yes, that's a correct answer!

As a reward you can choose one of:
1. 1dx
2. 5d3
3. EF 400 F2.8
4. d800

You have 5 seconds to make a decision...

1dx ... no! an EF 400 F2.8 ... damn time is over!