Discovery of the Mysterious Light Circle Beyond the Current Optical Theories

[lucktiger2010]

At the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing, mysterious Light Circles were captured by photographers on November 12th, 2009, at memorial ceremony in memory of Mr. Zhao Jinxiang, who originated the Chinese Soaring Crane Qigong.

 

Observing these photos with the Light Circles shot in the daytime, there are some distinguished features of these Light Circles. They can be captured against different backgrounds, in different directions, and across different time. Their sizes seem variable according to the different view of photo shoots. The edge of the Light Circles is clear and distinct. Objects inside look clearer, cleaner and shinier while is dimmer and darker outside.

 

In compare with the sunlight, Buddha’s Light, auroras and laser, it is shown that the Light Circle characterizes with many scientific phenomena which is beyond the current optical theories.

 

It is inferred that the mysterious Light Circle is a kind of new light source and new optical theory will have to be developed and applied on these new characteristics.

 

To let others to undestand this phenomenon, we made a PPT: Discovery of the Mysterious Light Circle Beyond the Current Optical Theories - Video http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4284707/discovery_of_the_mysterious_light_circle_beyond_the_current_optical_theories/

[Turtle]

looks to me like the "light circle" is just formed by an extended lens hood on the camera which clips the full view. :phones: nothing mysterious to a photographer. say cheesy! :)

[lucktiger2010]

Thanks Turtle,

 

Actually, you are not the first person ask this question. But now, what I can answer to you is: we did not use an extended lens hood.

 

I hope if you could upload a photo with an extended lens hood, I think we might find something different.:phones:

[modest]

It's called vignetting.

 

Vignetting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

While a lens hood would be a common cause, it is not the only cause. To see examples of vignetted photos do a google image search for "vignetting".

 

~modest

[lucktiger2010]

I think there should be something different. I upload some original photos on myspace. You could check this photo:

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=526629223&albumID=338021&imageID=1770561

 

Its boundary is thinker than vignetted photos.

[Tormod]

It looks exactly like vignetting, so why assume it is something else?

 

Compare with the example of mechanical vignetting a bit down on this page:

Vignetting

[lucktiger2010]

I have to declare here that we do not use any special lens.

 

Anyway, I will bring more support documents to prove this soon.

[Turtle]

I have to declare here that we do not use any special lens.

 

Anyway, I will bring more support documents to prove this soon.

 

a "special" lens is not necessary for the effect. modest gave a link to an expository article, and i can only presume from your latest post that you have not read it. :doh: so, that's not the way this works here. :rolleyes: in light of your newatude, and at the risk of an over-longish quote, i will put the entire pertinet information here. then, you read it, and then, you explain specifically for each type of cause why your camera is special and not susceptible to the vignetting you have illustrated in your video. that's the way we like it. :evil:

 

Causes

There are several causes of vignetting. Sidney F. Ray[1] distinguishes the following types:

 

Mechanical vignetting

Optical vignetting

Natural vignetting

A fourth cause is unique to digital imaging:

Pixel vignetting

 

Mechanical vignetting

Mechanical vignetting occurs when light beams emanating from object points located off-axis are partially blocked by external objects such as thick or stacked filters, secondary lenses, and improper lens hoods. The corner darkening can be gradual or abrupt, depending on the lens aperture. Complete blackening is possible with mechanical vignetting.

 

Optical vignetting

This type of vignetting is caused by the physical dimensions of a multiple element lens. Rear elements are shaded by elements in front of them, which reduces the effective lens opening for off-axis incident light. The result is a gradual decrease in light intensity towards the image periphery. Optical vignetting is sensitive to the lens aperture and can be completely cured by a reduction in aperture of 2-3 stops. (An increase in the F-number.)

 

Natural vignetting

Unlike the previous types, natural vignetting (also known as natural illumination falloff) is not due to the blocking of light rays. The falloff is approximated by the cos4 or "cosine fourth" law of illumination falloff. Here, the light falloff is proportional to the fourth power of the cosine of the angle at which the light impinges on the film or sensor array. Wideangle rangefinder designs and the lens designs used in compact cameras are particularly prone to natural vignetting. Telephoto lenses, retrofocus wideangle lenses used on SLR cameras, and telecentric designs in general are less troubled by natural vignetting. A gradual grey filter or postprocessing techniques may be used to compensate for natural vignetting, as it cannot be cured by stopping down the lens. Some modern lenses are specifically designed so that the light strikes the imager parallel or nearly so, eliminating or greatly reducing vignetting. Almost all lenses designed for the Four Thirds system are of this type, as telecentricity is a stated design goal.

 

Pixel vignetting

Pixel vignetting only affects digital cameras and is caused by angle-dependence of the digital sensors. Light incident on the sensor at a right angle produces a stronger signal than light hitting it at an oblique angle. This is due to the non-square dimensions of the individual photodetectors. Most digital cameras use built-in image processing to compensate for optical vignetting and pixel vignetting when converting raw sensor data to standard image formats such as JPEG or TIFF. The use of microlenses over the image sensor can also reduce the effect of pixel vignetting. ...

 

full article: (you will find additional links there that provide more technical details) >>Vignetting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[lucktiger2010]

From vignetting phenomena, we can find that it is clear and bright in the center and then fade off at edges. That means it become darker when nearer to the edges. From the following photo, it is obvious that A is brighter than B, B is brighter than C, C is brighter than D. I think it is true since there is less beam captured by the camera when nearer the edges.

 

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=526629223&albumID=338021&imageID=2745869

 

Then if you check the following photo, you could find the brightness of A is as same as B. That means it does not fade off inside the circle.

 

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=526629223&albumID=338021&imageID=2745856

 

There is another difference is that the edges(borders) of the circle. The edges of circle in vignetting phenomena are a little illegible and thin. But from B, C and D in our photo, you could find that the edge is very clear and thick. Who can explain this?

[Turtle]

Then if you check the following photo, you could find the brightness of A is as same as B. That means it does not fade off inside the circle.

 

There is another difference is that the edges(borders) of the circle. The edges of circle in vignetting phenomena are a little illegible and thin. But from B, C and D in our photo, you could find that the edge is very clear and thick. Who can explain this?

 

your images don't work for me. it doesn't matter. your continued insistance that this is anything but a well-understood phenomena is unfounded. you asked what it was; we told you what it was. drag yourself out of the superstitious dark ages and get with the reality program. this is a science site & the program is science. anything else we throw under the bus; get the picture? :rant: (you're gonna need a bright sense of humor & all the luck you can muster to talk with the turtle tiger. :cat: )

[lucktiger2010]

Hi Turtle,

 

I respected your points and studied the vignetting phenomena last night, then I posted my opinions here.

 

I do not understand that what I am wong? have you readed them carefully?

 

I updated the links of pictures, I hope this time it should be okay.

[Tormod]

Either this is a bad lens, or a really bad joke. I see that it is also being posted at many forums by the same nickname, so maybe it's just bad spam.

[lucktiger2010]

yes, I also posted it in other 4 or 5 forums. I hope more people could study this phenomenon. we captured this occasionally.

[Tormod]

Yeah. A lot of people do. They just call it "vignetting" rather than something more esoteric.

[Turtle]

Hi Turtle,

 

I respected your points and studied the vignetting phenomena last night, then I posted my opinions here.

 

I do not understand that what I am wong? have you readed them carefully?

 

I updated the links of pictures, I hope this time it should be okay.

 

pictures working now. i have read your writing & viewed the video. what you are doing wrong is assuming this is mystical; no doubt because the vignetting occured on a photo of a revered spiritual person's memorial display. nonetheless, this is not valid scientific reasoning.

 

you earlier asked for examples of a similar effect and as i suspect you aren't yourself actively looking for some, i again have done it for you. :cat: i am posting just one example, but there are more at the page i link to.

 

one final thing; exactly what model/type of camera was used, and what lenses and/or attachments? this is necessary info for narrowing down the exact cause of your example(s). . . .

 

Examples of Vignetting,vignetting,test photos,focal length,minolta dimage

 

i found that source by this web search; you may follow up on any of the other several hundred thousand results if you still need more info. :rant:

 

Google: "Vignetting examples"

[jedaisoul]

There is another difference is that the edges(borders) of the circle. The edges of circle in vignetting phenomena are a little illegible and thin. But from B, C and D in our photo, you could find that the edge is very clear and thick. Who can explain this?

This effect can be caused by holding a board with a hole in it in front of the camera, close enough to be out of focus. Now if there was such a board in front of the camera, that might suggest that the effect was deliberate. I.e. That this is a scam. :coffee_n_pc:

 

You asked who can explain this. I just did.

 

On second thoughts, I'd suggest you are better off with the vignetting explanation. At least that is explainable by poor technique, or a cheap camera, rather than deliberate fraud!

 

Seriously though, many years ago I had a very cheap camera that had a slide switch which changed the lens from "normal" to "wide angle". Every shot taken in the "wide angle" setting was vignetted. I binned the camera when I could afford a better one!