Hexagons
May 8, 2023 08:37:50 #
I occasionally notice hexagonal shapes in some of my photos and the photos of others. I know it to be the play, or interaction, of light on the crystalline structure of the lens as it passes through. I have never tried to remove them which suddenly raised in me two questions: 1) are they removable, and 2) should they be removed (if possible)?
May 8, 2023 08:39:52 #
May 8, 2023 08:41:42 #
May 8, 2023 08:44:50 #
Ruthlessrider wrote:
I occasionally notice hexagonal shapes in some of my photos and the photos of others. I know it to be the play, or interaction, of light on the crystalline structure of the lens as it passes through. I have never tried to remove them which suddenly raised in me two questions: 1) are they removable, and 2) should they be removed (if possible)?
Without an image to judge, I’d have to assume we are discussing lens flare with a lens having 6 aperture blades. (The other choice is bokeh in the bright areas of the out of focus areas.). Flares are quite difficult to remove, as the flares usually have the obvious polygon shape accompanied by a large amount ‘light smearing’. One can usually get rid of the angular shapes, but removing the light beams is roughly impossible. Bokeh shapes also could be removed, but there could be 37 in a single image, so it’s a matter of determination and time.
May 8, 2023 08:48:55 #
May 8, 2023 08:51:16 #
Yes, it is shooting into the light and the ‘flare’ is embedded in the light ray or beam coming through the tree. I’’m not trying to get rid of the beam just the hexagon.
May 8, 2023 09:05:39 #
Ruthlessrider wrote:
I occasionally notice hexagonal shapes in some of my photos and the photos of others. I know it to be the play, or interaction, of light on the crystalline structure of the lens as it passes through. I have never tried to remove them which suddenly raised in me two questions: 1) are they removable, and 2) should they be removed (if possible)?
It is not from an interaction of light with the structure of the lens glass. Glass has no crystal structure to begin with. The "hexagon" or other "polygon" is due to the blades of the Iris (aperture) of the lens. It is rather complex and you can Google it to find out more. As others have pointed out it is virtually impossible to remove. It can with some thought and practice to be used creatively and artistically in a photograph. The star-like effect you get in night photos of light sources is caused by the blades of the iris and the light going through the various glass elements of the complete compound lens. Related too but different from your issue. These effects vary at different F-stops and with different lens designs. If they are bothering you it is easiest or best to avoid them. Just do not aim your lens toward bright light sources, especially the sun. Careful use of a lens hood can help. You may have to reshoot images with flare that annoys you.
Good luck.
May 8, 2023 09:06:40 #
May 8, 2023 11:25:58 #
May 8, 2023 11:41:07 #
Ruthlessrider wrote:
Yes, it is shooting into the light and the ‘flare’ is embedded in the light ray or beam coming through the tree. I’’m not trying to get rid of the beam just the hexagon.
That is why a more rounded aperture is always bragged up as a selling point in marketing materials. Curved iris blades, and more of them is what makes for a rounder aperture.
For decades, SLR lenses had five or six blades to achieve faster auto stop down action, while "classic" (aka Leica) lenses had about twelve slow moving blades. That difference is easily 50% to 90% of the cultish "Leica look".
Modern auto iris lenses usually have more blades than their earlier counterparts (but not universally).
May 8, 2023 12:29:35 #
The OP forgot one important point, do those "shapes" appear in the out-of-focus segment of the image such as so-called "bokeh" or in sharper areas?
If it is in the bokeh, it is simply the shape of the diaphragm blades or interior of the lens barrel if the lens is wide open. If these shapes or patterns occur in sharp focus areas it cod be a flare, or anyone or more of dozens of optical aberrations or other interferences in the light path that can not be determined without seeing the images in question. Lens flare would normally be accompanied by a local or global loss contrast in the image or spectrum-like light hits. Flare is more like to occur with side or backlighting where stray light would be more apt to strike the lens.
If it is in the bokeh, it is simply the shape of the diaphragm blades or interior of the lens barrel if the lens is wide open. If these shapes or patterns occur in sharp focus areas it cod be a flare, or anyone or more of dozens of optical aberrations or other interferences in the light path that can not be determined without seeing the images in question. Lens flare would normally be accompanied by a local or global loss contrast in the image or spectrum-like light hits. Flare is more like to occur with side or backlighting where stray light would be more apt to strike the lens.
May 9, 2023 07:40:58 #
Ruthlessrider wrote:
I occasionally notice hexagonal shapes in some of my photos and the photos of others. I know it to be the play, or interaction, of light on the crystalline structure of the lens as it passes through. I have never tried to remove them which suddenly raised in me two questions: 1) are they removable, and 2) should they be removed (if possible)?
Not removable.
Can be adjusted by shooting at different aperture...though at 6 blades.
Find out when your bokeh looks the best...what aperture gives you the bokeh you like.
Stick to that aperture when you are after the bokeh balls.
May 9, 2023 08:06:55 #
Thank you everyone for you comments. If the photo I am referencing were mine I would post it, but it was not. I was just curious about their creation and whether they were editable.
May 9, 2023 09:46:17 #
Everything can be edited...but it won't look right.
Usually...usually your workhorse lens is not the bokeh monster lens.
It's why folks end up with 30+ lenses...
If you are after bokeh ... look around at some of the vintage stuff.
Can be had on the cheap...compared to modern lenses.
Usually...usually your workhorse lens is not the bokeh monster lens.
It's why folks end up with 30+ lenses...
If you are after bokeh ... look around at some of the vintage stuff.
Can be had on the cheap...compared to modern lenses.
May 9, 2023 10:49:19 #
This image has hexagons. When I edit, especially when cropping into the details, I'm more aware of the background highlights. If they're distracting, I clone them out. The original had a few unacceptable distractions in the wrong places for the crop selected. They were removed. Others left.
Daffodils in Millennium Park by Paul Sager, on Flickr
Daffodils in Millennium Park by Paul Sager, on Flickr
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