Lens flare or scratched lens?

[Dozza88]

When shooting at low light, at a slight angle from the sun, I get these really intrusive markings showing up in the bottom corner. Not sure if I've somehow managed to scratch the lens or if it's just normal behaviour for the mini 3. I can only compare it to the mini 2 I had before which, didn't suffer from lens flare as much as this, and certainly didn't display the streaks of light in the corners that completely ruin a photo.
I should add that I've noticed this since i first bought it. Or at least since the second flight as the first time I took it out was on an overcast day. No amount of cleaning has made the slightest bit of difference.

 

[vindibona1]

If you didn't know, there is a lens "cover"/window (filter that does nothing) that clips onto the front. When installing an ND filter you first remove this cover than the ND filter replaces it. If you haven't removed it, the chances of a scratched lens is highly unlikely, and it is likely caused by this lens cover. Try taking it off and see if the flare issue goes away. If you have an ND filter instead of the lens window, the same thing applies. Try removing it and testing. When doing this you should also check to make sure the lens itself is clean and free of scratches. But the circular flare does not look like a lens scratch to me.

Also... Depending on your need to stay under 250g, you can also attach a lens hood. You would no longer be able to tilt the gimbal up all the way and may not be able to switch into vertical mode (which I would never do anyway) with the lens hood installed. But it would provide some protection from flare and face-first collisions.

 

[RogerDH]

It's an internal reflection -- light bouncing off the sensor back into the lens is then reflecting off some part of the lens back into the sensor. (These generally appear opposite the center of the lens from the light source.) I'd also guess the lens cover is the culprit.

 

[Dozza88]

It's an internal reflection -- light bouncing off the sensor back into the lens is then reflecting off some part of the lens back into the sensor. (These generally appear opposite the center of the lens from the light source.) I'd also guess the lens cover is the culprit.

I see. I'm just surprised how much worse it is than the mini 2 which didn't seem to suffer from this effect at all. So long as it's not dust or a scratch then I guess i'll just have to put up with it.
Also I've tried without the lens cover and using nd filters and it doesn't change anything unfortunately.

 

[Dozza88]

If you didn't know, there is a lens "cover"/window (filter that does nothing) that clips onto the front. When installing an ND filter you first remove this cover than the ND filter replaces it. If you haven't removed it, the chances of a scratched lens is highly unlikely, and it is likely caused by this lens cover. Try taking it off and see if the flare issue goes away. If you have an ND filter instead of the lens window, the same thing applies. Try removing it and testing. When doing this you should also check to make sure the lens itself is clean and free of scratches. But the circular flare does not look like a lens scratch to me.

Also... Depending on your need to stay under 250g, you can also attach a lens hood. You would no longer be able to tilt the gimbal up all the way and may not be able to switch into vertical mode (which I would never do anyway) with the lens hood installed. But it would provide some protection from flare and face-first collisions.

View attachment 155057

Thanks. I tried with nd filters but the problem didn't go away. From the sounds of it it's just internal reflections and not dust or a scratch on the lens. I actually bought that lens hood in the hope it would help but alas it made no difference and worse it was visible in the top of the frame for most of the flight!

 

[vindibona1]

Thanks. I tried with nd filters but the problem didn't go away. From the sounds of it it's just internal reflections and not dust or a scratch on the lens. I actually bought that lens hood in the hope it would help but alas it made no difference and worse it was visible in the top of the frame for most of the flight!

Perhaps you should contact DJI and ask for a replacement under warranty. I have never seen anything like it with any of my drones including the mini 3.

 

[Dozza88]

Perhaps you should contact DJI and ask for a replacement under warranty. I have never seen anything like it with any of my drones including the mini 3.

It's something I'm considering certainly. Maybe mine is part of a bad batch as I haven't seen anyone else mention this problem. I found this video on YouTube from someone else with a mini 3 that suffers the same issue. If you look at .38 seconds and again at 1.04 you can see the effect in the bottom right corner.

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[FLDave]

Your YouTube example seems obvious to be direct sunrise view. Even before that the diffuse light on the trees shows the light coming from the distant sunrise.

 

[Meta4]

Thanks. I tried with nd filters but the problem didn't go away.

It's a normal lens flare.
Shoot away from the sun and you will never see it.
It's cause by the sun reflecting off the lens elements (not the sensor).

ND filters can't make it go away because all they do is make the whole scene darker.

 

[Dale D]

It's an internal reflection -- light bouncing off the sensor back into the lens is then reflecting off some part of the lens back into the sensor. (These generally appear opposite the center of the lens from the light source.) I'd also guess the lens cover is the culprit.

I was just about the say the same thing and you already beat me to it. I believe it is an internal reflection which you can get from shooting into the sun. I try never to shoot directly into a bright sun. I don't get these with softer suns such as sunsets.

 

[vindibona1]

It's a normal lens flare.
Shoot away from the sun and you will never see it.
It's cause by the sun reflecting off the lens elements (not the sensor).

ND filters can't make it go away because all they do is make the whole scene darker.

While yes, it is lens flare, the "rings" are atypical. I've owned a Mini 1, Mini 2 a Mini 3 and a Mavic 2 Pro, and while I've seen all sorts of lens flare shooting into the sun, I have never seen delineated rings in the middle of the flare and haven't seen this on anyone else's footage or stills.

 

[Dozza88]

While yes, it is lens flare, the "rings" are atypical. I've owned a Mini 1, Mini 2 a Mini 3 and a Mavic 2 Pro, and while I've seen all sorts of lens flare shooting into the sun, I have never seen delineated rings in the middle of the flare and haven't seen this on anyone else's footage or stills.

Did you see the video I posted above by Tom photoix it also shows the same ring effect in the corners. Apart from him I haven't seen anyone else reporting this problem so I do wonder if it's just a bad batch. I think I'll contact dji next week see what they have to say.

 

[Arnold LeVine]

If it was a scratch, it would always appear in the same position on the screen, regardless of the orientation of the sun. Study "lens flare" for understanding, and you will be able to eliminate/minimize it. It all has to do with the angle of the sun to your lens. Also, polarizing ND filter can help alot sometimes.

 

[SkiProiii]

A CPL ND filter will really help, as does turning down the Exposure Value (EV) 2-3 settings on bright days. That said, your reflections seems excessive in these shots.

One advantage on the M3Pro is the interchangeability of the lense vs. mini 2 which doesn’t have the option, however seems a known issue is the increased lense flair (lots of comments on YouTube) and speculations it’s the design of this very feature as main cause (more reflection).

 

[Lazerbrains]

I have the same flare in one of my videos - starting at .34 through to .52:

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I have been a photographer for decades, and have never seen a lens that doesn't flare if you put the sun in the corner of the scene. In the video I linked, I actually did that on purpose to convey the end-of-summer feel of the footage.

 

[Nickyb65]

When shooting at low light, at a slight angle from the sun, I get these really intrusive markings showing up in the bottom corner. Not sure if I've somehow managed to scratch the lens or if it's just normal behaviour for the mini 3. I can only compare it to the mini 2 I had before which, didn't suffer from lens flare as much as this, and certainly didn't display the streaks of light in the corners that completely ruin a photo.
I should add that I've noticed this since i first bought it. Or at least since the second flight as the first time I took it out was on an overcast day. No amount of cleaning has made the slightest bit of difference.

View attachment 155056View attachment 155055View attachment 155053

This looks like lens flare to me, reflections coming from the multiple optics in thee glass. Even though the lens is multicoated and works very well I doubt its as good as a larger DSLR lens.

 

[Dozza88]

I have the same flare in one of my videos - starting at .34 through to .52:

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I have been a photographer for decades, and have never seen a lens that doesn't flare if you put the sun in the corner of the scene. In the video I linked, I actually did that on purpose to convey the end-of-summer feel of the footage.

I mean I expected flaring of course, just not the rather ugly delineated rings in the corner I'm experiencing. I can see the rings on your video though they don't seem to stand out quite as much as on mine. Then I have other members saying they've never experienced it on theirs and it's atypical for this drone so i'm not sure if I should contact dji or not

 

[Meta4]

Then I have other members saying they've never experienced it on theirs and it's atypical for this drone so i'm not sure if I should contact dji or not

Different lenses have different flare patterns since they have different arrangements of lens elements.
What you've got is completely normal.
If you don't like it, don't point your camera at the sun.

 

[Lazerbrains]

Different lenses have different flare patterns since they have different arrangements of lens elements.
What you've got is completely normal.
If you don't like it, don't point your camera at the sun.

Especially putting the sun in the corners of the frame - a well-known way to induce flare in even the finest lenses. Even my Hasselblad lenses will do this.

 

[Lazerbrains]

I mean I expected flaring of course, just not the rather ugly delineated rings in the corner I'm experiencing. I can see the rings on your video though they don't seem to stand out quite as much as on mine. Then I have other members saying they've never experienced it on theirs and it's atypical for this drone so i'm not sure if I should contact dji or not

In the first photo, you can clearly see the lens stack in the flare (lower left corner). Looks like a semi-apo design. This is what happens when you put the sun in the extreme corners of the frame - it lights up the edges of the lens stack and you get a reverse image of the lens edges in the opposite corner. Put the sun in a more central part of the frame and you will have no flare. This is the same for any lens. I just went outside and shot this pic with my phone. Does the same thing because I put the sun in the upper corner. Try it with any camera, including the mini 2.