Strange Lens Flare (Sigma 35mm + MRC filter)

[jebrady03]

To avoid taking the filter off, indoors, in your own home, because you're fearful of damaging the front element is a bit paranoid, don't you think? Just take it off and retest. This will determine if your (mostly useless and possibly problematic) UV filter (you're using at night) is the problem.

 

[mrsfotografie]

To avoid taking the filter off, indoors, in your own home, because you're fearful of damaging the front element is a bit paranoid, don't you think? Just take it off and retest. This will determine if your (mostly useless and possibly problematic) UV filter (you're using at night) is the problem.

I'm not fearful of damaging the front element in my home. Just lazy enough not to want the hassle of reassembing it all dust-free. In any case, I'm satisfied. There's no way I'm going to use this lens without a filter, so my current test results are good enough. I challenge you to test your copy and see if you can come up with the same results.

 

[slclick]

To avoid taking the filter off, indoors, in your own home, because you're fearful of damaging the front element is a bit paranoid, don't you think? Just take it off and retest. This will determine if your (mostly useless and possibly problematic) UV filter (you're using at night) is the problem.

I'm not fearful of damaging the front element in my home. Just lazy enough not to want the hassle of reassembing it all dust-free. In any case, I'm satisfied. There's no way I'm going to use this lens without a filter, so my current test results are good enough. I challenge you to test your copy and see if you can come up with the same results.

Since I have the same setup, 5D3, Sigma 35 1.4 and B&W MRC clear filter , I tried with a bright light coming from the side in a few different scenes last night.

I had no flare or anything that resembles a light leak. I am familiar with light leaks as I shoot Holgas and older film bodies. Sorry I was no help.

You did rule out the filter so the dust/removal/carefulness issue is moot. Since it's on two bodies it's not a leak imho.

The first course I would take is to update the lens firmware via the USB Sigma dock. If that does nothing send it in.

 

[hksfrank]

To avoid taking the filter off, indoors, in your own home, because you're fearful of damaging the front element is a bit paranoid, don't you think? Just take it off and retest. This will determine if your (mostly useless and possibly problematic) UV filter (you're using at night) is the problem.

I'm not fearful of damaging the front element in my home. Just lazy enough not to want the hassle of reassembing it all dust-free. In any case, I'm satisfied. There's no way I'm going to use this lens without a filter, so my current test results are good enough. I challenge you to test your copy and see if you can come up with the same results.

Since I have the same setup, 5D3, Sigma 35 1.4 and B&W MRC clear filter , I tried with a bright light coming from the side in a few different scenes last night.

I had no flare or anything that resembles a light leak. I am familiar with light leaks as I shoot Holgas and older film bodies. Sorry I was no help.

You did rule out the filter so the dust/removal/carefulness issue is moot. Since it's on two bodies it's not a leak imho.

The first course I would take is to update the lens firmware via the USB Sigma dock. If that does nothing send it in.

i have a 5D3,sigma 35 1.4 art with BW nano XS (forgot full name , only one was coming with nano and XS)

no problem at all (i always use hood too~)

 

[mrsfotografie]

To avoid taking the filter off, indoors, in your own home, because you're fearful of damaging the front element is a bit paranoid, don't you think? Just take it off and retest. This will determine if your (mostly useless and possibly problematic) UV filter (you're using at night) is the problem.

I'm not fearful of damaging the front element in my home. Just lazy enough not to want the hassle of reassembing it all dust-free. In any case, I'm satisfied. There's no way I'm going to use this lens without a filter, so my current test results are good enough. I challenge you to test your copy and see if you can come up with the same results.

Since I have the same setup, 5D3, Sigma 35 1.4 and B&W MRC clear filter , I tried with a bright light coming from the side in a few different scenes last night.

I had no flare or anything that resembles a light leak. I am familiar with light leaks as I shoot Holgas and older film bodies. Sorry I was no help.

You did rule out the filter so the dust/removal/carefulness issue is moot. Since it's on two bodies it's not a leak imho.

The first course I would take is to update the lens firmware via the USB Sigma dock. If that does nothing send it in.

i have a 5D3,sigma 35 1.4 art with BW nano XS (forgot full name , only one was coming with nano and XS)

no problem at all (i always use hood too~)

Well, with the 5D3 I was only able to get a tiny sliver in one or two frames. Not something that would be a problem. That was with the lens fully open and at 1/30 sec. I'm sure it has something to do with the 5D2 but I don't believe it is a light leak. I thought I had an opportunity to do some shooting with the 5D3+35 mm Sigma today but the event (ice sculptures) was so overcrowded, I decided to postpone that one.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The filter seems the obvious candidate, I never use one, even though I have a bunch of them around. I used to use them all the time until I discovered that even the best filters can cause issues.
You can't easily see filter issues by looking at them, but if you can try a different one, that might help to rule it out.

The fact that the lens is new is also a hint, Lenses do have assembly errors and other issues. Still, I'd try a different filter first. Even a cheap $10 one should be able to help rule out or point to a problem with the filter.

 

[mrsfotografie]

The filter seems the obvious candidate, I never use one, even though I have a bunch of them around. I used to use them all the time until I discovered that even the best filters can cause issues.
You can't easily see filter issues by looking at them, but if you can try a different one, that might help to rule it out.

The fact that the lens is new is also a hint, Lenses do have assembly errors and other issues. Still, I'd try a different filter first. Even a cheap $10 one should be able to help rule out or point to a problem with the filter.

You're right, the filter looks to be the thing that catches the light first (and draws it in) so it is suspect. I think this is my only MRC filter, but I can change it out for a normal filter to see if it helps. I'm not in the mood to test this now, but will most definitely give it a go if the flare remains a problem.

 

[fish_shooter]

This reminds me of light leaks I got with faulty Hasselblad dark slide light traps. The closet thing that has happened to me in Canonland is a faulty shutter (but turned 90 degrees, different shape to the leak). Try shooting verticals with the body oriented the other way as well - two shots per set-up - and see what happens.
Tom

 

[mrsfotografie]

This reminds me of light leaks I got with faulty Hasselblad dark slide light traps. The closet thing that has happened to me in Canonland is a faulty shutter (but turned 90 degrees, different shape to the leak). Try shooting verticals with the body oriented the other way as well - two shots per set-up - and see what happens.
Tom

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your advice, but I tested this already and the phenomenon occurs only with the top of the (5D Mk II) camera facing right

 

[photonius]

This reminds me of light leaks I got with faulty Hasselblad dark slide light traps. The closet thing that has happened to me in Canonland is a faulty shutter (but turned 90 degrees, different shape to the leak). Try shooting verticals with the body oriented the other way as well - two shots per set-up - and see what happens.
Tom

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your advice, but I tested this already and the phenomenon occurs only with the top of the (5D Mk II) camera facing right

well, then cover the whole camera and lens (except the front of course) with a black cloth and try again, to see if there is any leak. I recall the 5d III? had a manufacturing defect that leaked the self-timer light (?) into the body.
So, light leaks are not totally impossible, perhaps if an internal seal fails. At least with this test you know if it is the through the lens, or somewhere else it comes from.

 

[mrsfotografie]

Guess what, it's not the lens that causes the effect. Here's some test shots I just took with my 5D Mark II and Sigma 50 mm f/1.4 all at 1/30 sec and f/1.4-f/1.6:

The flare occurs with the top of the body facing left (first 2 shots), and is gone when the body is turned 180 degrees (second 2 shots). I covered parts of the body with my hands while I was taking the test shots and there's no difference to the flare produced. Increasing the shutter speed to 1/125 sec made no difference. Anyone want to try this out with their 5D Mk II?

 

[Sporgon]

Strange. You've now changed to a different lens but get the same result on the same body.

Long shot; you haven't done a wet clean on the 5DII sensor yourself and inadvertently left a fluid smear ?

 

[mrsfotografie]

Strange. You've now changed to a different lens but get the same result on the same body.

Long shot; you haven't done a wet clean on the 5DII sensor yourself and inadvertently left a fluid smear ?

I have wet cleaned the sensor about three times since I have this body, but cleaning involves swiping the sensor lengthwise. These flares are at 90 degrees to that direction The sensor really is clean by the way. No fuss

 

[Cinto]

Sigma 35mm on Canon5D2. I've noticed this effect a few times with this lens. With the Canon 35mmL never saw it. I have used the Sigma 30 1.4, sigma 10-20 4.5-5.6, and the 150 macro as well and all seemed to have disturbing flare. the 10-20 being the worst the 150 being the best. No filter, with hood camera turned top left.

 

[mrsfotografie]

Sigma 35mm on Canon5D2. I've noticed this effect a few times with this lens. With the Canon 35mmL never saw it. I have used the Sigma 30 1.4, sigma 10-20 4.5-5.6, and the 150 macro as well and all seemed to have disturbing flare. the 10-20 being the worst the 150 being the best. No filter, with hood camera turned top left.

Wow, thanks for posting! There you go, there must be a real technical reason behind this flare, and it's related to the 5D MkII and a few Sigma lenses as we know so far. Holding the camera by the grip (with the top of the camera facing left) can produce the flare with light sources just outside the right hand side of the frame.

I'm pretty sure there is an internal reflection occurring in the camera body. Not sure what causes it though (underside of the mirror assembly??), and whether the same can occur with Canon lenses (perhaps the Sigma's rear lens elements protrude further and scatter more light in the body)?

 

[Loswr]

The presence/absence with 180° rotation is a puzzler, though. Could there be asymmetry in the lenses?

 

[mrsfotografie]

Solved!!!, check out this link:

Canon 5D mark II - Mirror Box Reflections Issue

http://www.terajunk.com/5d2/

 

[mrsfotografie]

The presence/absence with 180° rotation is a puzzler, though. Could there be asymmetry in the lenses?

It could happen the other way 'round but the light source would then have to be on the left; it's because of a reflective back side of the mirror flap.

At least the issue seems to be resolved/mitigated in the 5D Mark III as I found by testing the 35mm on that body.

 

[Sporgon]

How strange. I have never seen anything like that with my 5DII and mine is a very early one from 2009 _ serial member begins with 0.

 

[mrsfotografie]

How strange. I have never seen anything like that with my 5DII and mine is a very early one from 2009 _ serial member begins with 0.

It took me 32000 shutter actuations on the 5D MkII before I took notice of the issue. It also took 32000 shutter actuations before my MkII met the Sigma 35 f/1.4 and gave me the impulse to do more handheld night shooting and the issue became apparent with this fantastic night-street photography lens. I bought my 5D2 new in january 2010.

Now that I look back in my photo collection I can find some older pictures that do actually display the flare, but I have always overlooked it or thought it was just lens flare.

Apparently the 5D classic is also affected.