mirror image on film. how did it happen?

[lic4]

Hi everyone,

Shot this at night with a Zeiss Biogon ZM 35/2, UV filter, Leica M6 (1/15 sec), 400asa
D76 1:0

How did the mirror image of the tower occur?
I've never had this happen before.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/190/485885828_6979f31d7e.jpg

[dazedgonebye]

Ummm...scanned it wrong side up?

[lic4]

nope, it's on the film.

[jano]

You unlock this door with the key of imagination, beyond it is another dimension.

A dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind.

You're moving in a land of both shadow and substance of things and ideas.

You've just crossed over into..

The Twilight Zone.

[lZr]

Reflection on clouds seems to me

[aad]

..or in the lens.

[lic4]

It is a new lens.. kind of troubling that this would happen, although the effect is kind of cool. Or maybe it was the strange lights flying overhead and the bright beam of light that fell on me?

[lic4]

i wonder if any other zm biogon users have seen this..

[George Bonanno]

It's most likely a reflection on the inner surface of the UV filter. However the light values and angle of reflectance don't add up. I'm not so sure you're telling us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Prove me wrong.

George

BTW: Jano... whatever you're smoking... I want some of it.

[nikon_sam]

It's most likely a reflection on the inner surface of the UV filter. However the light values and angle of reflectance don't add up. I'm not so sure you're telling us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Prove me wrong.

George

BTW: Jano... whatever you're smoking... I want some of it.


I vote for this answer...

[adep]

Happened to me, too, yesterday. Hadn't ever noticed it before.

Nikon D2Hs, 80-200/2.8, UV filter. Sorry about the quality, I didn't do my usual photoshop stuff on it. My guess? Filter reflection.

[NB23]

its the filter.

[sienarot]

Good call on the UV filter. I had the same thing happen to me when I bought a lens with a cheapo UV filter included.

[planetjoe]

How did the mirror image of the tower occur?


Definitely internal reflections off the UV filter. Here's (http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0005ED) a pnet thread describing this in pretty good detail.

I've had this happen to me, coincidentally only with my dSLR. Nevertheless, the usual explanation holds for both digital of film: fairly bright subjects on a high-contrast field will reflect off the film/sensor surface, reflect again off the second surface of the UV filter, and come right back to the focal plane. The location and orientation of your "ghost" image fits that situation pretty well.

Please allow me to compliment you on your choice of subject - the Met Life Tower is pretty compelling at night. When I lived in NYC I used to shoot the Madison Square skyline from the roof of my apartment on Third Avenue...I must have dozens of images of that scene. The best part was capturing the different colors of the Empire State.

To complete my digression, allow me to suggest the less-commonly photographed, and much shorter, "North building (http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GRP/GRP019A.htm)" (rather than the campanile, as in your photo). A Wiley Corbett design, with a great texture and detail on its facade. And in the right light, at the right time of day, the setting sun reflected in its windows as seen from the general vicinity of University Place makes it look as if the building is ablaze. Simply stunning.

Ah, NYC. Okay, I'm done; thanks for your forbearance.


Cheers,
--joe.

[payasam]

Filters do the worst things at the worst times.

[Kin Lau]

It's the UV filter.

[lic4]

Interesting--that must be it. I never started using a filter until I got this lens (a filter came with it--and I'm not using a hood, hence the filter). Thanks for the suggestions, Joe; I'm moving out of this neighborhood in September, so I want to explore it at night with a camera as much as possible. (Brooklyn, here i come)

By the way, filter is B+W, made in Germany--I don't think it's a cheapo one?

[sienarot]

By the way, filter is B+W, made in Germany--I don't think it's a cheapo one?

Maybe it's a B+W filter made in Germany made in China? :D Haha! We silly Chinese will knock off anything ;)

[Bryce]

I wouldn't be so quick to condemn the filter. I have had reflections show up like this, both on digital and film, with one of my slr lenses. It happens only in extremely contrasty situations like the one shown, and it happens with or without a filter.
The lens is a Pentax 200mm F/2.5.
You can test by setting up a similar scene and taking frames with and without the filter. The best way is to place a ground glass on the filter rails so you can see when the reflection is present. For instance, the 'problem' lens of mine only leaves a mirrored reflection when the bright object is very close to the center of the frame, but I know that from looking through it.

[Stephanie Brim]

Regardless of the fact that it wasn't intentional, it IS a rather neat photo. ;)

[varjag]

Made in Germany, China, or on the Moon, it still can't defeat the laws of physics :) You can't have a filter with zero reflectivity/transmission.

[planetjoe]

...it still can't defeat the laws of physics :)

Excellent, that. I suddenly had a flashback to "Scotty" from Star Trek, may his ashes rest in space. This (http://www.ericweisstein.com/fun/startrek/TheNakedTime.html) page offers the following brilliant quote (form a great episode, IMO):

"Ya can't change the laws of physics! I've got to have thirty minutes!" [emphasis added]

lic4: enjoy Brooklyn - it seems to be the place to go these days.


Cheers,
--joe.