What's causing this blue cast in my photos?

08/26/2006 02:32:37 AM · #1

Hey there, I just got my new Nikon 18-200mm lens the other day and today was the first time I had a chance to try it out. I took a few shots in a local vineyard. I was looking through some of the photos when I got home and noticed a few of them have this blue cast in shadows and reflections. Is this a defect in my lens? Is this normal? Would a UV filter help this?

Here are a few samples...

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

08/26/2006 02:35:48 AM · #2

any chance you could tell us the settings that you were shooting at?

-dan

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

08/26/2006 02:38:15 AM · #3

I've seen some strange things when using a polarizer and hitting auto-levels in Photoshop.
Are those resized only, straight out of the camera? AWB?

08/26/2006 02:40:28 AM · #4

The first one: 1/50 @ F/9

The 2nd one: 1/80 @ F/5.6

08/26/2006 02:42:04 AM · #5

could you possibly tell us the iso setting, just wondering if it could be somewhat of a noise problem? as that sometime brings out colors in the shadows, although, it would be more noisy with more colors, but just wondering :).. the editing steps would be good too

08/26/2006 02:42:35 AM · #6

They are resized, and I adjusted the levels slightly manually, but the blue was there right out of the camera. AWB. No polarizer on this one.

Originally posted by BradP:

I've seen some strange things when using a polarizer and hitting auto-levels in Photoshop.
Are those resized only, straight out of the camera? AWB?

08/26/2006 02:43:40 AM · #7

ISO 200 on these.

08/26/2006 02:44:02 AM · #8

could be the white balance... seems like the whole image is a little yellow anyway, if you could post the un edited version thatd be great :)

DjFenzl

08/26/2006 02:45:00 AM · #9

different lenses?

08/26/2006 02:50:07 AM · #10

These shots were all with my Nikon 18-200mm.

Here are the unedited originals (except resizing).

Thanks for all your help guys!

DjFenzl

08/26/2006 02:54:24 AM · #11

so do you still notice the problem if you use a different lens?

08/26/2006 02:55:55 AM · #12

hmm.. im stumped, its most likely the lens, but to rule out the camera, take a pic with a different lens and look at it just to make sure. It would be a shame for such a new lens to be off kilter. Seems to me like one of the elements in the lens may be off set, or the coating on one of the layers is off. Its very easy for a company to mess up one of the 16 elements in the lens, especially since they are facotry made.

-Dan

08/26/2006 02:59:53 AM · #13

Originally posted by Megatherian:

so do you still notice the problem if you use a different lens?

I'll give some other lenses a try tomorrow to see how it looks. I don't think it is showing up when using my other lenses. Today was the first day I noticed it and also the first day of using the new lens. I wonder if I should be sending in to Nikon for repair?

Thanks again for the help Mega and Dan.

DjFenzl

08/26/2006 03:02:13 AM · #14

well if the lens is BRAND new (and you find it is in fact the lens) I'd contact the store you bought it from and exchange it (if you got it in the last 30 days). Otherwise, yes send it into Nikon for Warranty service.

08/26/2006 03:42:29 AM · #15

problem witht he exchange is that the lens is on about a couple month waiting list if im not mistaken, it woudl probably save time by sending it in for repairs :/

-Dan

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

08/26/2006 12:06:47 PM · #16

Do you think Circuit City would let me continue to use the "broken" one while the new one is being summoned?

Bugzeye

08/26/2006 12:13:35 PM · #17

The Circuit City I shop at is really good about replacements, Wouldn't hurt to ask them.

Originally posted by jahoward:

Do you think Circuit City would let me continue to use the "broken" one while the new one is being summoned?

hahn23

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

08/26/2006 12:38:06 PM · #18

So, what color was the sky when you captured these images? Was it a blue sky, or were there overcast conditions? I'd guess the former, but would like to hear from the photographer.

In winter, with snow scenery and blue skies, the shadows are indeed blue because the snow (in the shadows) is reflecting the sky color.

I certainly admit the blue in the images shown in this thread is a distracting and unusual looking blue, but it might not be unnatural. The camera may be seeing something we are subconsciously filtering out with our eyes.

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/26/2006 12:40:48 PM · #19

Originally posted by jahoward:

Hey there, I just got my new Nikon 18-200mm lens the other day and today was the first time I had a chance to try it out.

Your white balance on the bottom one is way off. Probably on the grapes one as well, though some shadows do appear blueish in real life.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

08/26/2006 02:04:14 PM · #20

Shadows are usually blue to some extent or another, particularly on days with clear skies. The only light that is reaching them is reflected light from the sky, and that's very blue. This is why your light balance settings include "shade", to compensate for that when shooting images in open shade. If you shoot the scene in RAW, you can change the WB in the RAW converter, note the setting that works best, and use this on similar shoots in the future if you want to work directly with JPG.

R.

08/26/2006 06:18:55 PM · #21

Well, indeed the sky was blue, very blue. Maybe I should have adjusted the WB setting. I did shoot in RAW, so I'll see what changing the WB does to it. These pictures were shot right before sunset, so hence the warm feel to them. I wonder if that would change anything. I would think that cooling them down would make it "bluer" not better.

Thanks for the help Robert, Hahn, and router dude.

Carl Zeiss 35mm ZF f/2.0 Distagon T

08/26/2006 06:19:59 PM · #22

Originally posted by Bugzeye:

The Circuit City I shop at is really good about replacements, Wouldn't hurt to ask them.

Cool, I will definately give it a try. Thanks!

virtuamike

Nikon D2X

08/27/2006 12:20:01 AM · #23

Are you using flash with auto WB? If so it could be throwing your shadows into blue because of mixed color temps from different light sources. I don't think there's anything wrong with the lens though.

Message edited by author 2006-08-27 00:21:19.

Telehubbie

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/27/2006 01:42:48 AM · #24

Looks to me like it was about sunset time, which is a very warm tone. Your camera compensated a bit to adjust for the warm tones, but like Bear mentioned, the shadows are blue. By the camera compensating for the very warm tones from the sunset, the shadows were "cooled" too much.

Try playing with the blue channel in levels or curves, and you should be able to warm up the cool tones in those shots.

Edit: Just saw your later post, that about sums it up.

Message edited by author 2006-08-27 01:46:12.