Is it a condensation spot?

[geogphotos]

This image was unusable - but I had a similar. The soft area appears in many images though the effect is variable. I managed to overcome the problem on the other images it appears by cropping and in some cases by using the sharpening tool.  I am grateful to those on the other thread who suggested other solutions - I did try but failed with them through my lack of Photoshop savvy. 

 

When I've seen this sort of thing before it has cleared up on its own when the camera has been able to dry out.

 

I'm wondering what other cause there may be?

 

Bottom of the monument on this vertical image

 

 

At 200% on my Mac

 

 

 

I would be grateful for any thoughts on what it could be and how to get rid of it. 

 

Thanks

 

Edited April 29 by geogphotos

[M.Chapman]

I struggled to see the fault in my browser rendering of this image. So I downloaded a copy of the 200% crop and opened in PS and viewed at 200% on my iMac. Now I can see a large circular or oval area where the contrast is reduced slightly. Is that the fault you mean? The blacks aren't as black in that area. It looks like some sort of lens flare or fogginess?

 

If that's the fault you mean, it's quite easy to fix in PS.

• Select the Elliptical Marquee tool (top left tool in palette)
• Set some feathering of 20 - 50 pixels (menu bar across top of screen)
• Also check anti-aliased is ticked and style is normal 
• Click and drag on the image to create an oval or circular selection almost enclosing the problem area
• Now bring up the Levels tool (Cmd+L)
• Click and drag the left hand slider triangle (the one touching bottom left corner of histogram) to the right whilst watching the change on screen to darken the blacks in that area only, until the defect is gone.

You may need to try a couple of times to get the selected area and feathering right.

 

Here's my improved version.

 

 

Hope that helps.

 

Mark 

 

 

Edited April 29 by M.Chapman

[geogphotos]

Thanks Mark. 

 

I have now worked through all these images and found 'work-arounds'. As I say this is the only one that I did not use at all. 

 

What I am trying to figure out is what has caused it.  I don't think that it is lens flare.

 

What causes 'fogginess'? 

 

It is always in that same part of the frame.

Edited April 29 by geogphotos

[IKuzmin]

34 minutes ago, geogphotos said:

It is always in that same part of the frame.

If the same lens I would think of fungus inside or just a fingerprint/smear on the back element?

 

[Harry Harrison]

It is quite crucial to know if it is only with the same lens and if so whether it is affected by the aperture that you are using, or the focal length if it's a zoom and I imagine it is. On the other hand if it happens across different lenses then it is likely to be either the sensor or some kind of weird reflection inside the camera.

Edited April 29 by Harry Harrison

[geogphotos]

I only use the one lens when out and about. I never go anywhere near the sensor.

24-105 Canon L lens.

 

Will have a careful look to see if there are any smudges or finger marks on the back element.

 

The 'splodge' shows at all focal lengths, have not checked aperature.

 

These are all pics from a recent trip to Albania. I thought 'condensation' because it was so wet.

 

I'll take some fresh pics tomorrow and see if the problem persists.

 

Maybe there is a test or two to help isolate the issue?

 

 

[Martin L]

Moving camera from cold atmosphere to warm, damp atmosphere?

[geogphotos]

11 minutes ago, Martin L said:

Moving camera from cold atmosphere to warm, damp atmosphere?

 

Yes repeatedly. It was  very wet and humid during the days. Obviously cooler at night in hotel room.

 

But I am surprised that it continued over 8 days in the same part of the frame.

 

Edited April 29 by geogphotos

[Harry Harrison]

I would imagine that the nature and size of the 'splodge' would differ according to the focal length and aperture used, but if it only happens when it's wet then it could be condensation I suppose. Mobile phone LED torches are very good at showing up problems with lenses (and sensors).

Edited April 29 by Harry Harrison

[geogphotos]

Thanks for all the help.

 

Will see what tomorrow brings.

[Martin L]

In the tropics I was on a boat that had air con, taking a camera from that onto the deck and you couldn't use it for about an hour until it acclimatised and the condensation had dissipated. I eventually just left it out in the open air to prevent any more probs

[geogphotos]

10 hours ago, Martin L said:

In the tropics I was on a boat that had air con, taking a camera from that onto the deck and you couldn't use it for about an hour until it acclimatised and the condensation had dissipated. I eventually just left it out in the open air to prevent any more probs

 

Yes, I have lived in the tropics so know about humidity/silica gel etc.

 

I took a snap this morning of a black shed, and also looked at a couple of recent UK pics taken since returning, and all seems to be okay.

 

So fingers crossed that this was just down to condensation and that I need to be more careful with camera care and checking. 

 

Thanks again for all the helpful suggestions.

Edited April 30 by geogphotos

[Betty LaRue]

I used to put my camera with lens attached in a tightly sealed plastic bag in the winter, when I went from a warm house out in the cold. I’d leave the camera outdoors for 15-30 minutes before removing from bag & all was well.

This was after I saw the fogging the first time before doing this. Rather like one’s eyeglasses fogging up… it would work in reverse also, going from cool/dry to warm/moist.