Issue with odd Halo or flaring with photos

[kng916]

Do you have a clear case on your pixel? Sometime the light source reflected of the rim around the camera lens that cause effect.

 

[Go0gle]

My night shot with the crazy flare was made by the flash on my camera, not the light source I was shooting at. Please stop trolling these posts. You've already made it blatantly apparent that this phone can do no wrong by you and your input is no longer necessary.

You realize when your flash bounces off that shiny white aluminium(?) roofing, you create a huge, extremely bright, light source that you are shooting directly into, right? That reflected light enters the lens just like any other.

I give up haha. Facts and objective data are being met with incredibly inaccurate, completely irrelevant comparisons. I then showed the exact same flare (except much worse) occurring in less extreme scenarios on a $2,000 camera lens specifically designed to reduce said flare. I've been a professional photographer/teacher for over 10 years and I assure you there is nothing wrong with your phones.

Can you make this lens (or any lens) flare? Yes. Are certain types of flare more intrusive than others in the world of photography? Yes, depending on precise conditions and how those conditions interact with the lens design. Is it a defect, problem, or issue with the phone? NO. No lens is designed to perform at it's best when shooting directly into extremely bright light sources, or with a bright light source barely outside the frame - that is a torture test for any lens, and something people go to great lengths to try and avoid.

To be clear I am not suggesting the lens doesn't flare in extreme scenarios (because every lens does), but to the people who think this is some sort of unique defect or problem with their phone, that is not the case.

 

[anon(596177)]

You realize when your flash bounces off that shiny white aluminium(?) roofing, you create a huge, extremely bright, light source that you are shooting directly into, right? That reflected light enters the lens just like any other.

I give up haha. Facts and objective data are being met with incredibly inaccurate, completely irrelevant comparisons. I then showed the exact same flare (except much worse) occurring in less extreme scenarios on a $2,000 camera lens specifically designed to reduce said flare. I've been a professional photographer/teacher for over 10 years and I assure you there is nothing wrong with your phones.

Can you make this lens (or any lens) flare? Yes. Are certain types of flare more intrusive than others in the world of photography? Yes, depending on precise conditions and how those conditions interact with the lens design. Is it a defect, problem, or issue with the phone? NO. No lens is designed to perform at it's best when shooting directly into extremely bright light sources, or with a bright light source barely outside the frame - that is a torture test for any lens, and something people go to great lengths to try and avoid.

To be clear I am not suggesting the lens doesn't flare in extreme scenarios (because every lens does), but to the people who think this is some sort of unique defect or problem with their phone, that is not the case.

Yes, I realize and assumed you had at least some experience in photography from your well detailed posts. And I'm not trying to say that you are wrong and that there is something wrong with the phones camera. I'm trying to say that compared to other smartphone cameras on the market today, the pixel is much more susceptible to lens flares than the others. That is the only point I'm trying to make.

I may not be a professional photographer, but I know enough about testing and troubleshooting from my time in IT to attempt to replicate what I'm seeing on the pixel with other phone cameras. With the light sources that I have personally used in my photos, I can't replicate any of the types of flare I see on the pixel with the 6p, which seems would be the best phone to compare it to considering it has the same sensor, regardless of my positioning and angle. Again, I'm not suggesting there's a problem with the camera per say, but maybe a flaw in the design that makes the phone more prone to the flares.

 

[Preach2k]

Question: Is Google aware of the issue? Have they said anything about it?

 

[CHILLYWILL_95831]

Question: Is Google aware of the issue? Have they said anything about it?

Yes! No! LOL!

 

[qnet]

I just took a picture purposely at the sky above a building were the sun was shining and I have some flare. It's not enough to bother me since I never take photos that way. I will have to see how it behaves around other types of light.

 

[dsignori]

So .. some good news of sorts. It turns out Google is aware of this issue, and will issue a software fix . Isaac Reynolds, a member of Google's camera team, posted the following in the Pixel user community forum:

"Hi, all!

First, for some background -- flare is a property of ALL camera lenses. It comes in a ton of different shapes and sizes and can even be used for creative effect -- good and bad . The shape, color, amount, etc. of flare is related to dozens of different parameters of the lens structure and inclement light.

However, we have noticed Pixel has a little too much of the "halo/arc" type flare. This is the specific kind of flare that appears as a bright/low-contrast arc in the corners of the frame.
You can expect a software update in the next few weeks that will improve the effects of this issue. We're working on some algorithms that recognize the halo/arc flare, characterize it mathematically, and then subtract it from the image. You will need to use HDR+ to see the benefits of this software.
Also, there is no point getting your device replaced thanks to this issue. The Pixel camera's lens structure is very highly controlled -- this means that all Pixels take high-quality images, but it also means all Pixels have the same flare characteristics.
I wrote a post a while ago about how by doing things in software, we are able to make Pixel's camera even better over time. This is one of those ways.

Isaac"
https://productforums.google.com/forum/m/#!msg/phone-by-google/rROqMaXHqHg/V8Ue-0gvCAAJ


So yes. This is an actual, real problem. And there will be some attempted software fix. Yay!!!!

 

[SteelGator]

So .. some good news of sorts.

It turns out Google is aware of this issue, and will issue a software fix . [FONT=&]Isaac Reynolds, a member of Google's camera team, posted the following in the Pixel user community forum:[/FONT]

.....

So yes. This is an actual, real problem. And there will be some attempted software fix. Yay!!!![/FONT][/COLOR]

I will be interested to see what the fix looks like. Having spent hours and hours in Photoshop creating and deleting flare (yes, sometimes you want it), automating the process will be a unique challenge. I hope they are not too heavy handed reducing a lens artifact.

 

[dsignori]

I am just thrilled it's finally being acknowledged.

 

[dobo84]

It is clear to me that there is something up with the lens structure or positioning that makes the camera more susceptible to flare than it ought to be.

Folks should shoot as many pictures as they can when they first get the camera in lighting they typically use to be sure it will not be a limiter for them. This is not an issue I see being fixed with software.

I will say, the flare shows in the viewer for me, so I have been able to limit/eliminate by reframing so far. I really need to test more though.

Sucks you have to do that. Primary reason I don't bring my DSLR the convenience of point and shoot. But I have been able to adjust my angle to prevent it.

 

[SteelGator]

Sucks you have to do that. Primary reason I don't bring my DSLR the convenience of point and shoot. But I have been able to adjust my angle to prevent it.

To be fair, I have been framing photos to get the flare so I could understand how it reacts in the view finder. If I can see it in the view finder, reframing is easy. If it were not visible until after the photo, that would be a pita. In my brief experience, I see the flare in the view finder.

To date, I have not personally had a flare issue on any picture unless it was intentional. I don't shoot directly into light much, as I don't like the result. I will get my DSLR if I am trying to create a back lit scene, lol.

 

[hectorbribiesca]

Google responded...

 

[dsignori]

Google responded...

Yup. See a few posts up. Good news indeed.

 

[CHILLYWILL_95831]

I am just thrilled it's finally being acknowledged.

Say hello to the Google ecosystem. They're not about to leave us hanging after saying they have the iPhone antidote. This is one of the reasons why I purchased the Pixel. Not only do I expect to level support, but Google is prepared to give it.

 

[Preach2k]

Google acknowledges lens flare on Pixel camera, expect a fix “in the next few weeks"


http://m.gsmarena.com/google_acknow...ct_a_fix_in_the_next_few_weeks-news-21295.php

 

[mwboost]

I reckon the lens mifgt just need an edge or lip of some kind. Though mines not bad.

 

[mikef91]

Just took this photo now. Lens flare is pretty bad. Not sure how software is going to fix this. I took the same picture with my LG V20 and no flare at all. This is hardware related. I also have a case on my device covering the glass on the back.

 

[mikef91]

Just took this photo now. Lens flare is pretty bad. Not sure how software is going to fix this. I took the same picture with my LG V20 and no flare at all. This is hardware related. I also have a case on my device covering the glass on the back.

Same photo from V20.

 

[dsignori]

Google acknowledges lens flare on Pixel camera, expect a fix “in the next few weeks"


Google acknowledges lens flare on Pixel camera, expect a fix “in the next few weeks" - GSMArena.com news

Yup, thanks. That's been noted up in this thread a few times. Maybe I'll update the OP with it as well.

 

[mrslind]

There is no way in hell this is acceptable and a software bandaid won't help.