Is this caused by my UV filter?

[Keith Reeder]

Evening all,

I've just noticed something with the images I've shot with my Nikon D70 in the last couple of days.

For example, I've attached a picture of a startling I took today - not a great shot, but that's not the point... ;)

If you look at the "background" to the right of the bird, you might notice that it appears to be made up of a series of tightly-packed diagonal lines - I've also attached a crop of that part of the picture which makes them more obvious.

This is new to me, and it seems to correspond precisely with me starting to use a Jacobs/Cokin UV filter on the Sigma 135-400mm lens - it's an effect which has been noticeable on many of the images I've taken since, wherever the background has any "texture" to it.

Now I know that this is something I can easily test for myself, simply by taking the filter off again, but I'm keen to have a filter in place, just to protect the lens: so, is this a known effect of using a UV filter?

Admittedly this filter is at the budget end of the market, but given that it's only there as protection for the lens, I'd rather not have to pay more than the £30 I spent on this one...

Any advice/observations gratefully received.

[Dave Adshead]

If you look at the "background" to the right of the bird, you might notice that it appears to be made up of a series of tightly-packed diagonal lines - I've also attached a crop of that part of the picture which makes them more obvious.

This is new to me, and it seems to correspond precisely with me starting to use a Jacobs/Cokin UV filter on the Sigma 135-400mm lens - it's an effect which has been noticeable on many of the images I've taken since, wherever the background has any "texture" to it.

Keith,
I've had a look and on my monitor I can hardly see the lines.
Have you made a print, are they obvious in the print?. I use a Hoya filter but don't have this problem. If its a new filter I would take it back to Jessops and have it replaced and see if you have the same problem, if its just in a small area it could be just a faulty filter.
Sorry, I'm not much help.
Best wishes
Dave

[Neil]

Now I know that this is something I can easily test for myself, simply by taking the filter off again, but I'm keen to have a filter in place, just to protect the lens: so, is this a known effect of using a UV filter?

I'm not sure what the effect is in the photo but I'm not sure that you need an extra piece of glass in the loop . I find that a lenshood is a much better way of protecting the lens and I've never had a scratched lens in 30 years of photography. Neil.

[RAH]

Perhaps this is digital "noise" and not caused by your filter. Were you using a very high ISO setting? I've never heard of a UV filter causing unwanted visible artifacts in an image.

[maporter68]

Hmmm,

I wouldn't have thought the filter would have caused the problem, but I guess take it off and try again without it, again if it were digital noise you'd expect to see artifacts across the whole of the picture not just around the grey concrete like surface.

A really far out, totally mad suggestion ?

HEAT HAZE

Maybe its not so mad if you think about it, the only area of the picture affected is the concrete just behind the bird. Becuase you used a telephoto he main bulk of the background is nicely out of focus, hence doesn't exhibit the phenomenon.

I'd wager £10 on it.

Regards

Mark

[Yelvertoft]

A really far out, totally mad suggestion ?

HEAT HAZE

Maybe its not so mad if you think about it, the only area of the picture affected is the concrete just behind the bird.


I agree with Mark. The shadow in the pic shows the sun to be quite strong and overhead. Against an exposed surface like this, so close to the ground, you are going to get some "shimmer".

Duncan.