White Spots

[barnold999]

Ok, a friend asked me where these white spots came from, assuming I would know, I thought I would answer, but I am baffled.

He has a (digital) Fuji Finepix 2400

One image is here:http://www.barnold.net/POTN/J1.jpg
and the other is here: http://www.barnold.net/POTN/J2.jpg

I would assume something on the lens, but the spots aren't in the same place... plus photos that he took in another location didnt have those spots. I would then say lens flare... but flourescents dont do that... or I have never run in to that issue.

The spot on the top right on the second one is what really baffles me.

[stopbath]

The various sizes and locations seems to point to spots on the lens. They seem too organic to be lens flare.

Do they show up on the LCD before taking the shot? Is the front element clean of dust or dirt?

Perhaps, the spots are from floating dust or other objects in the air illuminated by the flash?

[barnold999]

I am tending to beleive it is somethign iluminated by the flash, due to the fact that it only happens on photos in that room... If it was an issue with anything on the lens, it would show up in the same place in every photo, I believe.

And if the spots appeared in other rooms, I would believe that it was on the lens...

My friend is led to believe that they are ghosts (since they are only in that room, and it is in a church)...

But, I am thinking dirt in the air now, but I dont see how the flash would illuminate it as such.

[stopbath]

barnold999 wrote:
I am tending to beleive it is somethign iluminated by the flash, due to the fact that it only happens on photos in that room... If it was an issue with anything on the lens, it would show up in the same place in every photo, I believe.

And if the spots appeared in other rooms, I would believe that it was on the lens...

My friend is led to believe that they are ghosts (since they are only in that room, and it is in a church)...

But, I am thinking dirt in the air now, but I dont see how the flash would illuminate it as such.

Underwater photography flash can illuminate plankton and other microscopic bugs floating in front of the lens (and too close to focus on.) This is called something like flash snow, and is usually cured by off camera flashes.

Perhaps it is dust ghosts? Ashes to ashes, dust to ghosts...

Perhaps the activities kicked up the dust? Perhaps the ventalation system needs cleaning?

[slejhamer]

Brent,

Read the following thread; this is not an uncommon problem:

http://www.betterphoto.com/forms/qnaDetail.asp?threadID=2810&catID=119

What might be happening is that there is some dust in the lens that is being lit by the camera flash.

"Wait!" you say; "the flash is not being fired into the lens!"

True, but look at the images and you will see two areas that are reflecting the flash right back into the lens - in #1 it's the card hanging from the girl's neck, and in #2 it's whatever the clown is holding at the lower right.

The reason your friend hasn't seen it in other settings? Well, better settings.

Hope that helps.

[Ikinaa]

I once had the same thing but I had hundred of white spots on the picture (Digital Ixus 300).
I was in a WWII-Tunnel in North of France, humidity 100 %, about 15Celsius, smell of dust.
I took a photo of the wall with the flash, and the whole picture was covered with hundreds of white spots.
I took the same picture without flash, and it was neat.
I repeated this experience some times, always the same problem.
I guess it must be the dust in the tunnel that reflected the flash.
Perhaps in your room, there was a lot of dust in the air or the air-conditioner wasn't working correctly (pay attention to your health)