# Help with camera: Is it broken?



## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

The culprit isn't the camera, but the lens. Do you use a (cheap?) filter in front of your lens? Folks often do that to protect their lens, but it can lead to reflections, especially if a $9.99 non-mc filter is used. It could also be a reflection in the innards of the lens. What lens are you using, and do you have another one to compare against?


----------



## mmccarthy781 (Jul 7, 2011)

I do use a uv filter, I think it is a tiffen. And the lens is just a canon kit lens 18-55. Should I test the camera without the filter?


----------



## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

I would.


----------



## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Yep, test it without the filter, and also zoom back and forth to see how the reflection is changing. It's not a big deal - just hard for the optics to deal with a strong light source that tends to reflect on all glass surfaces. You will encounter the same effect when you take pictures towards the sun (even if the sun isn't included in the image).


----------



## tetra73 (Aug 2, 2011)

You sure that's not a "spirit." :icon_lol: Or what is called orbs.....


----------



## TickleMyElmo (Aug 13, 2009)

It's the filter, guaranteed. Take the filter off, smash it into a million pieces, and don't get a filter ever again. All they do is cause a reduction in image quality, as you can see here. Not just with ghosting, but also degrading image quality. 

No point in buying a nice new camera with a nice new specifically designed lens just to put a crappy piece of flat glass in front of it. I know people say its good for "protection" but in reality, the front glass elements of lenses are much stronger than you think and not likely to break. A lens hood is better protection than any filter.

I have $$$ lenses, and I don't have filters on them.


----------



## Eden Marel (Jan 28, 2010)

It's the filter, UV filters and other 'cheap' filters are notoriously known for ghosting. I too also have Tiffen UV filter, just cuz it was free... but haven't used it.

Only filters you'll ever need supposedly (and depending on the situation) are probably a B+W Kaesemann Circular Polarizing Filter (to get rid of reflections and that's the brand and model that nearly everyone recommends when you ask what cir-pol to get) and a high quality Neutral Density Filter (for dreamy waterfall pics).


----------



## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

Most assuredly it's the filter. And it doesn't really matter whether it's an expensive one or a cheap one. It appears mostly, but not always, in just the situation you have. High contrast shots. Mine started when I was doing moon shots. Kept getting ghosts. Took the filter off and it was gone. 
Most people put a filter on to protect the lens. I've got one on every lens I own for film. For digital I just make sure the lens shade is on. I'll risk breaking a lens shade over hitting the glass.

And it's not that you will break the lens if you hit it. The odds are you'll scratch the coating on the lens.


----------



## mmccarthy781 (Jul 7, 2011)

I took the filter off and it turns out that it was the problem.

thank you everyone


----------

