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Weird Light in Video

bkushner

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Can anyone tell me what might be causing the green dot in the video. It's definitely because I'm flying into the sun but I've never seen it before..

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It is called the "green ghost" issue, and being discussed in multiple Mavic 3 user forums right now. Basically if you are flying towards the direction of the sun, you will notice green glare at the center of the frame. It is likely caused by the lens coating of the main camera.

Here is another video you can see for the same problem (6:56):

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Wow not good.wonder how that will be fixed.
Won't be. It's lens flare. Coatings and lens design can reduce it, but it's something you'll get in any camera in the right circumstances.
 
As said ... it's lens flare. Every lens will suffer from it when a strong light source or reflection hit the front lens element. Depending on the lens design, number of internal elements & coating the flare will have slightly different looks & color, some lenses handle this better, others worse. This can not be solved by other means than re-designing the total lens & possibly change coating... or avoid having the lens pointing into the light source ... or use a lens hood.
 
As said ... it's lens flare. Every lens will suffer from it when a strong light source or reflection hit the front lens element. Depending on the lens design, number of internal elements & coating the flare will have slightly different looks & color, some lenses handle this better, others worse. This can not be solved by other means than re-designing the total lens & possibly change coating... or avoid having the lens pointing into the light source ... or use a lens hood.
A lens hood for the drone?
 
Unfortunately a hood won't help with the flare where the sun is right in the frame. A hood can only help block incident light from something like the sun right outside the frame.
Of course ... the hood needs to be able to shield the light source, if it can't it will not make any difference.
 
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These issues with lens flare are part of any photographers knowledge base. It isn’t just pointing into the sun - it is what angle and strength is the light hitting the subject. Getting truly satisfying photo/video results requires considering this. No technology changes this.

Photographers and videographers often choose to shoot during the golden hours which are 0-1 hour after sunrise, and 1-0 hours before sunset. The sun angle and intensity models subjects in interesting ways. The worst time for sun angles is around noon, where the lighting is particularly harsh, modeling shadows being straight down.

For folks pursuing a “cinematic” look, you are far more likely to get one by studying light angles and your subject than fussing over motion blur and ND filters.
 
Of course ... the hood needs to be able to shield the light source, if it can't it will not make any difference.
Yeah. I mention that it won't help because the only references to flare in this thread are from light sources in frame, where a hood isn't going to be a solution.
 
Like other people have said.. you'll have little green lens flares with any camera, even the pro cameras worth thousands of dollars. The remedy is to change your angle slightly. It doesn't take much to get the green flare out of the frame.
 
We already had a thread or two about this.

For all those informing us that all lenses create lens flare, we know. We've seen them hundreds of times and its interesting to see how different cameras create different lens flares. For the most part they are nice, interesting and even beautiful to look at, but I draw the line when a lens flare looks like a cheeky kid is shinning a green laser pointer at your screen.

This is without a doubt the ugliest most attention grabbing unnatural lens flare I have ever seen.


Here is a terrible example of the worlds ugliest green laser pointer lens flare. The joy of having this over your beautiful M3 footage! Those that say don't film the sun. LOL!

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This kind of reminds me of a terrible joke. Man goes to doctor and says my knee hurts when I walk, doctor replies, then don't walk. Ok, thanks Doc!
 
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Hi @Meta4

Its one of the most fascinating things to film I think, when the conditions are right. It often gives very atmospheric imagery imo.

I really don't mean to come across as anti Mavic 3, I love lens flares, its just this one triggers my OCD bigtime lol.

Does it not seem weird to have a camera and the one thing you cant film (with the M3) is any scenes with the sun in the frame? I would only really expect to hear this is if Dracula was involved somehow.

Golden hour is just too good to miss and I'm being as honest as I can when I say that this particular lens flare is just straight up ugly and very different to what I have seen in 3 years of filming with my M2P and unlike most lens flares period.
 
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Does it not seem weird to have a camera and the one thing you cant film (with the M3) is any scenes with the sun in the frame?
You can have the sun in the frame, and if the angle is right you won't get that horrible laser sight dot.
I suspect the green dot is caused more by light bouncing between the layers of the sensor than the lens.
The M3 lens has a fairly pleasing flare pattern, but that's when the sun is falling across the lens rather than staring straight at it.
Try shooting some different angles.
Staring directly at the sun isn't as attractive as many seem to think.
 
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You can have the sun in the frame, and if the angle is right you won't get that horrible laser sight dot.
I suspect the green dot is caused more by light bouncing between the layers of the sensor than the lens.
The M3 lens has a fairly pleasing flare pattern, but that's when the sun is falling across the lens rather than staring straight at it.
Try shooting some different angles.
Staring directly at the sun isn't as attractive as many seem to think.
I will give it a go, but I don't have my Mavic 3 any longer and when shooting with the M2 its just not an issue.

Thanks for your input though, I really appreciate that you always try and help alleviate our worries with extremely sound advice sir.
 

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