Macro lens problem, any ideas?

[EOTS]

Hi,

I've tried two macro shots on 4x5" with the Nikkor 120mm AM,
and have a strange issue (see pictures)
(please forgive the quality of the flower images, just quickly snapped via pocket camera)

It was an overcast day.

Observation: it scales with the image ratio.

Possible explanations:
1) The lens has some scratches in the coating, can this cause the issue? (had no problems with the watch shot though)
2) It was a rainy day, perhaps a drop of water on the lens which was side lighted?

Have you got any other ideas or ever had a similar experience?

Best regards and thanks,
Martin

[Steve M Hostetter]

I'm gonna stick my neck out and say that it looks like a lens flare since it goes in the same direction with both vertical and horizontal configuration you show here..

[blueribbontea]

Hi Martin: The flare in the first 2 goes into the dark border area of the film, hidden, one would think by the film holder, thus maybe not lens flare. Again, the first 2 images are on a different film than the watch photo, which has no flare. I would suspect the film except that the direction of the main flare stays constant when you switch from horizontal to vertical. Except for that exposure in the border areas at th bottom of the negs I would think that the bellows has a very small hole that only opened when you racked them out for the macro shot. I'm wondering if what appears to be flare in the borders is really an artifact of your snaps with your pocket camera.

Bill

[Brian C. Miller]

... I would think that the bellows has a very small hole that only opened when you racked them out for the macro shot.

+1, it looks like a light leak. Martin, rack out your bellows, and check for pin holes.

[Francisco J. Fernández]

You may be a small hole in the bellows.


But there is a mismatch, the two pictures of flowers are made at different scales (very different scale)

That requires very different lengths bellows.

To make a hole flare as two different lengths bellows should have several holes in different places ... that's not logical (that have happened many more times).

I think it is:
Drop of water on the outside of the lens that produces a flare internal refraction
O
An internal condensation for temperature and humidity changes inside of the camera or lens (inside between the lenses, or the inner surface of the lens).

This hypothesis would be acceptable, if no holes in the bellows.

[Francisco J. Fernández]

it can also be a spot of some liquid during drying of the plates ... that milky tone is usually very typical defects in processing color film


or it may be a small break in the developing tank causing a small flare

[onnect17]

A couple of things to check.
-Any reflection from the front part of the camera entering in the lens.
-Any problem in one of the blades in shutter like sticky or bended.

[Francisco J. Fernández]

Hi,

I've tried two macro shots on 4x5" with the Nikkor 120mm AM,
and have a strange issue (see pictures)
(please forgive the quality of the flower images, just quickly snapped via pocket camera)

It was an overcast day.

Observation: it scales with the image ratio.

Possible explanations:
1) The lens has some scratches in the coating, can this cause the issue? (had no problems with the watch shot though)
2) It was a rainy day, perhaps a drop of water on the lens which was side lighted?

Have you got any other ideas or ever had a similar experience?

Best regards and thanks,
Martin

The image scale of the first flower and the image scale of the clock are very similar.

in both photographs the bellows extension will be almost identical (because they've used the same lens) so if there was a hole in the bellows flare would occur in the two photos.

all matches a diffraction in a drop of water, either on the outside of the lens or the internal humidity condensation

[EOTS]

Thank you all for your answers, appreciate it!

First I will test the bellows for leaks,
and try it with another camera on tomorrows trip.

Best regards,
Martin

[Francisco J. Fernández]

Hello, what is your camera ... I have several spare bellows do not use, if any good is what you gift.