What am I lokining at here?

[Alex]

I took a couple of pics of a fountain couple of nights ago. Please see attachment.

The attachment contains a flash shot and one with ambient light only. I was dissapointed that the ambient shot had such big "halos" around the 2 lights in the shot. The only possible explanation I have is that the camera went from an air conditioned house to the humid outdoors - giving possible condensation on the lens - but a flash shot of the same scene was. unaffected.

Questions: are such halos normal? Is this a lens defect or a function of digital sensor? i've never seen this in film photography

TIA,

Alex

[padlex]

Ambient lighting has more effect when you take picture without flash. That is why the circles appeared around the things that are lit in the picture. And, maybe, yes, condensation on the lens might have played some part why the balls of light appeared. When you use flash for taking pictures, the effect of ambient light is not as much. Therefore, if you like prevent the effect of ambient lighting from exhibiting their effect onthe picture you are taking, you must use flash for taking the picture. Otherwise if you like to have the ambient light to be more pronounced, then do not use flash. But in the images you posted, I think condensation has played a great deal why the spheres of light appeared.

[Alex]

I guess I just need to reshoot with a warm lens and see if it is still there.

Thanks, Lex.