What causes this haze, 600mm f4 lens? Went out to try and learn the new 600mm lens. It is an overcast day some light snow. What is causing the white haze in the first two photos. It...

Photolady2014 Loc: Southwest Colorado

Went out to try and learn the new 600mm lens. It is an overcast day some light snow. What is causing the white haze in the first two photos. It only happens sometimes. The lens was not fogged. My eyes do not see this "fog". I have not done anything but export as a JPEG.

Next two photos taken in same area no fog. Again just exported as JPEG

Robin not too bad after dehaze, could not pull the Stellar's Jay out of the haze!

Also open to tips with this lens! I'm still having exposure, focus and sharpness issues. Seems slow to acquire focus. I was on a monopod. A couple of these are not bad. Many more were bad...

Haze/fog

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Haze/fog
Haze/fog...

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No haze/fog
No haze/fog...

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Processed
Processed...

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A bunch of dehaze and it is not bad

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JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

Just a guess, but is it possible that as you are pressing the shutter you are also exhaling and the visible vapor from you exhale is 'clouding' the front element of your lens?

Possible test. Take some shots indoors looking out through a window where exhaled breath is not an issue. If no fogging in these images, then maybe you have a solution.

Photolady2014 Loc: Southwest Colorado

JFCoupe wrote:

Just a guess, but is it possible that as you are pressing the shutter you are also exhaling and the visible vapor from you exhale is 'clouding' the front element of your lens?

Possible test. Take some shots indoors looking out through a window where exhaled breath is not an issue. If no fogging in these images, then maybe you have a solution.

It could be, but the lens is so far out in front I don't think my breath would reach that far! I keep telling the husband I don't like photos of me.... but see how far out front it is!

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

I had a 150-600mm lens that did not like any filter on it be it UV or CPL. The filters slowed focus and gave haze. Were these shot with a filter on the lens? Fog from breathing and just from going from inside to outside can be a problem too. Not just surface fog but internal fog especially if you live in a humid environment. All I can suggest is shoot, test and check.

Quixdraw Loc: x

Looks like it is brisk where you are in CO. Were the haze shots the first you took? I would also go along with condensation - whether the camera cooling down to ambient temp or breath could be determined by order of haze in the sequence. When I took photos in cold places I often thought about something to redirect my exhalations - maybe a cut down skin diving snorkel? ;-)

CPR Loc: Nature Coast of Florida

The lens is capturing light from quite a ways away. You can't visibly see particles in that space but when the lens pulls those together you get a haze.

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

Photolady2014 wrote:

Went out to try and learn the new 600mm lens. It ... (show quote)

Im also voting for condensation. Although I have had cigarette smoke cloud a pic or two. I think condensation.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I really only see "haze" on the first 2. The rest seem fine.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

CPR wrote:

The lens is capturing light from quite a ways away. You can't visibly see particles in that space but when the lens pulls those together you get a haze.

I agree. Try using the lens on a sunny day and see if the haze problem goes away.

Alphabravo2020

Maybe need slower temperature acclamation. The objective could be cooling down faster than the air in the lens causing condensation.

Photolady2014 Loc: Southwest Colorado

PHRubin wrote:

I really only see "haze" on the first 2. The rest seem fine.

Yes, those were the 2 examples. I showed the other 2 to show that no haze depending on where I was aiming.

Photolady2014 Loc: Southwest Colorado

ORpilot wrote:

I had a 150-600mm lens that did not like any filter on it be it UV or CPL. The filters slowed focus and gave haze. Were these shot with a filter on the lens? Fog from breathing and just from going from inside to outside can be a problem too. Not just surface fog but internal fog especially if you live in a humid environment. All I can suggest is shoot, test and check.

No Filters. I'm in a very dry area, no humidity and I checked for fog. I also don't thin the fog would come and go. It just was random. Sometimes there was the haze sometimes not.

Photolady2014 Loc: Southwest Colorado

CPR wrote:

The lens is capturing light from quite a ways away. You can't visibly see particles in that space but when the lens pulls those together you get a haze.

I think you are probably right. Just the right angle was catching atmospheric conditions.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

Photolady2014 wrote:

Yes, those were the 2 examples. I showed the other 2 to show that no haze depending on where I was aiming.

I guess that is your answer. If there is overcast, rather than flare you might get haze if the "sunlight" hits the front element.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Photolady2014 wrote:

Went out to try and learn the new 600mm lens. It ... (show quote)

Excellent catches ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐