10D - Reflected image artifacts - nightshot problems

[Ashoka]

Re: Reflected (inverted) image artifacts in low light / night shots containing bright light sources.

Lens used: Canon EF 70-200mm f4L (among others)

Why is my camera creating these mirror image artifacts? :( It only happens when shooting at night, with sharp bright objects in the frame. It has happened with other lenses as well. The reflection is always a faint inverted version of the main shot. I don't believe that there is anything defective with the camera. But I feel it is a defect in camera design. Somehow the image must be bouncing off the sensor, reflecting off the rear lens element and back onto the sensor. I processed this image in PhotoShop adjusting fade correction and brightness/ contrast. You definitely can see brighter parts of the ship duplicated in the upper part of the image, mirrored and flipped.

here is a link to my image with affected areas highlighted.
http://photos.photosig.com/photos/49/16/1261649-7a4a7ff9e7170e90.jpg

Somebody HELP :(

[RichardtheSane]

do you use filters?

[drisley]

That definately looks like ghosting/internal reflections from an uncoated filter.
Even some multi coated filters will cause this sometimes.

I am one of the few who never uses uv filters on any of my lenses.
I just always use the hoods, and I'm very careful.

[Guillermo Freige]

It´s better not to use filters with DSLRs. I've used filters in all my film cameras, but removed them now. Why?. Because the sensor surface (glass) is much more reflective than film, so a bright image in a dark frame reflects from it to the filter and generates a ghost in the flat surface of the filter. Not good. Coated filter, or better yet, meniscus filters can eliminate the problem, or at least reduce it in the case of coated ones.

[Jim_T]

I use UV filters on all my lenses and I always take them off when shooting at night.. They DO cause reflections with points of light.. I only use cheapie Hoya filters.. Perhaps the more expensive multicoated ones might work better...

I've shot at night with many lenses.. L and non L.. I've never seen this problem....

[EdViesturs]

I use UV filters on all my lenses and I always take them off when shooting at night.. They DO cause reflections with points of light.. I only use cheapie Hoya filters.. Perhaps the more expensive multicoated ones might work better...

I've shot at night with many lenses.. L and non L.. I've never seen this problem....

Excellent tip... I tried to take photos of the moon with my 300D and was dissapointed with my filter/lens combo.

[Tom W]

I agree WRT the filter - the ghost is internal lens reflection. I have experienced it with film as well, though on a less-capable lens.

One other thing - watch the exposure - those bright parts are highly exposed, perhaps too much so. This is a difficult shot because of the wide difference between dark and light, but you can improve your chances by shooting at dusk/dawn when there is a little bit of bluish light left in the sky (but not when the sun is already up).

Note that the filter's effect is also present during daylight shots, but the brighter image generally overpowers the ghost image. This is the perfect example as to why good filters should be used.