Help identifying problem please!

[ajmiller]

Can anyone please help identify the problem at the top third of this picture, especially noticeable at the top of the tree on the left hand side, sort of where the tree trunk goes lighter. I'm using my Mamiya c330s with a standard 80mm lens. It only happens on certain images, is noticeable on the negative and has happened with both lab processed and my own processing.
Could it be flare, as it's only on certain photos and not others?
Could it be a light leak?

Any help appreciated.

thanks

[Rick A]

Most likely flare. I think if it were a light leak it would be consistant on all exposures.

Rick

[MikeSeb]

Agree with Rick. Looks like flare.

[ajmiller]

Thanks for the speedy replies.
Weird how I've never had the problem before.
Thanks again.

Tony

[Joachim_I]

Certainly flare. If you use a filter, better remove it. Otherwise there is not much you can do about it if you shoot against some bright light.

[ajmiller]

I have a lens hood for the 80mm, but as I never had the problem before I've never used it. I'll start using it, see if it improves things. Thanks

[Bruce Watson]

Oddly enough, that looks like a kind of flare I've seen in scanning. It comes from all the surfaces in the light path not being really clean. A bit of humidity haze can do it, as can a thin and perfectly smooth coating of oil (like a finger print that's been smeared with a microfiber lens cleaning cloth). This can certainly come from filters (UV haze filter used to protect the lens, warming filters, etc.). And of course it can come from an under performing lens coating as well, and there are myriad other sources too numerous to mention. I'm just sayin' my bet is that something in the light path isn't perfectly clean.

[bdial]

Looks like flare to me too, it's a little odd that it is separated that much from the sun, which looks like it was pretty diffuse.
It could be a reflection from something in the bellows or around the film gate. You might want to take a look in the camera to see if there is anything that doesn't belong.
From what you've posted, it doesn't look like any density extends beyond the film gate, correct?

[RalphLambrecht]

Certainly flare. If you use a filter, better remove it. Otherwise there is not much you can do about it if you shoot against some bright light.

I agree. Check your filter! Does it need a cleaning?

[Mike1234]

Could be condensation on the lens or filter too.