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How to Fix Light Leaks in Long Exposure • Landscape Photography

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BY KEVIN CHOI | 42 COMMENTS
LAST UPDATED ON AUGUST 2, 2023 • Post-Processing
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If you have experimented with long exposure photography, you may have seen
light leakage issues in your images. For the uninitiated – your camera is a light
tight body that is intended to allow light from one end only, and that’s the front of Make Every Hour
the lens. Light only enters when you press the shutter release. Normally, your
camera wouldn’t allow light to enter through any other opening in the camera.
Golden Hour
However, unless you have a badly manufactured camera, there is typically only
one source that could potentially harm your images, and that’s your camera’s
viewfinder. Let’s talk about what you can do to mitigate light leaks during those
long exposures.

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Table of Contents
1. The Source of the Problem PHOTOGRAPHY LANDSCAPE
2. Light Leaks in Images BASICS PHOTOGRAPHY

3. Why Light Leaks Affect Long Exposures More Than Normal Exposures
4. How to Eliminate Light Leaks

The Source of the Problem

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As I have pointed out, the chief culprit is the viewfinder. Being essentially a small
optical path that receives light bounced off the prism and mirror inside the
camera, it often does the reverse of its job too. Light enters through the
viewfinder and bounces off the prism and mirror and then goes onto the sensor.
Normally, you wouldn’t see this as a problem, but when you are taking long COMPOSITION & BLACK & WHITE
CREATIVITY PHOTOGRAPHY
exposures, it can create major issues. This is not unique to digital cameras only,
film camera have this issue too. However, compact cameras and those without
an optical viewfinder do not suffer from this particular problem.

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Some photographers find it hard to identify the source of the problem. Many If you like our content, you can subscribe to our
complain that it is their ND filter that caused weird light streaks in images. If you newsletter to receive weekly email updates using
the link below:
have been thinking the same, perhaps it is time to revisit this topic again – you
might find your ND filter to be perfectly fine! The problem in that case most likely
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lies somewhere else, specifically in the viewfinder.

Light Leaks in Images

Weird bands of color will appear in the image. They are also referred to as ‘light
streaks’ because that’s what they look like – weird random bands of light. They
could be horizontal as well as vertical. They are particularly exasperating for a
landscape photographer, who may have had set his camera to shoot a slow
shutter speed time-lapse and after several hours of shooting gets thousands of
photos with light streaks on them. A truly annoying and frustrating experience!

NIKON D700 + 16-28mm f/2.8 @ 16mm, ISO 100, 30/1, f/22.0

Why Light Leaks Affect Long Exposures More Than Normal

Exposures
When you make long exposures, there is that much more time for even a small
amount of light leak to create strong streaks in the image. Normal exposures
lasting for only a fraction of a second wouldn’t be enough for light leakage to
really affect an image.

Since photographers normally shoot long exposure images using ND filters,

these filters, or sometimes even lenses are usually blamed for this problem (yes,
some lenses can potentially create light leaks as well, but that’s rare and typically
happens on very long exposures).

How to Eliminate Light Leaks

There is a lengthy and complicated process to fix light leakage using Photoshop
or other photo editing tools, but the results may not be very convincing and it is
often too much work to even bother trying to fix such leaks in post. If you have a
lot of images to edit, it is far easier to shoot them all over again, than going
through that nonsensical post-processing workflow. It is easier to prevent them
from happening in the first place, rather than try to overcome them afterwards.

The prevention is rather simple. Either compose your shot through the
viewfinder, then cover it before starting the exposure, or cover the viewfinder up
first and use Live View on the LCD of your camera to compose your shots (I
prefer the latter method to avoid going back and forth). To cover the viewfinder
you can use a piece of black Gaffer tape. It stops light from spilling into the
camera. Remember how photographers back in the day used to cover the
camera and themselves with black cloth to prevent light from leaking into the
camera? The idea is the same. For those of you who have cameras with a built-in
viewfinder shutter or a cap, it is a much easier process. If you are a Nikon user,
most of the pro bodies would have that viewfinder shutter. For cheaper entry
level DSLRs, however, the only good solution is to use Gaffer tape to seal off the
viewfinder.

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FILED UNDER: PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES

TAGGED WITH: LONG EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY, PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS, TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

About Kevin Choi

Kevin Choi is a freelance photographer who has a love for
landscape and wildlife, and the founder of CaptureTheMoment.
He has been carrying Nikon with him since 2008. Kevin is a man who never
stops dreaming and would wish the same to you.

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42 COMMENTS Newest

Bob Koure
April 2, 2018 10:28 am

The Nikon DK-5 works fine on their rectangular-eyepiece cameras. It’s a small part and is
very easy to lose, especially if you’re often switching between bags/packs – which I am. I
don’t keep neckstraps on my cameras because of what happens in the wind when on a
tripod. I have found a good place to clip my current DK-5 – the wire to my remote release. If
I’m using one, I’ll probably need the other.

0 Reply

fullcircle
March 30, 2017 9:39 am

Really Awesome Blog for photography tips and ideas !! For best Nature and Portrait
Photography thanks for sharing all this beautiful blog list with us .

0 Reply

Simon Pannell
April 26, 2016 5:22 am

I’ve been trying LE photography recently using a canon 700d+sigma 10-20 + a 16 stop
square nd filter. I’ve had some great result using an exposure time of between 4-12 min,
however every photo I’ve taken has a light spot roughly in the middle of photo (but not
exactly in the centre). It looks circular but is actually multi-sided (like a hexagon or similar).It
seems to vary in size possibly related to the aperture used at the time. I’ve used the
eyepiece thingy and also covered the whole camera in black cloth covering everything from
the edge of the filter holder all the way back to cover the whole back of the camera. I’ve
managed to photoshop it out on most of the photos but it is most frustrating. Can anyone out
there help, i’m desperate. Simon P

0 Reply

Kevin
Reply to Simon Pannell April 26, 2016 6:20 am

Do you cover the lens too? Sometimes light leak happen on the lens.

0 Reply

Simon Pannell
Reply to Kevin April 27, 2016 4:26 pm

Yes, I cover everything. The only part of the whole body/lens setup exposed to the
outside world is the front surface of the nd filter. Even the edges of the filter
holder is covered. I cant see anywhere that stray light could possibly be getting in.
The spot is quite large, in a landscape shot using the 10-20 zoom at 10mm its
about twice the size of what the full moon would look like. Any ideas.?

0 Reply

Shanky
Reply to Simon Pannell August 17, 2016 5:31 am

Did you try covering the ports (where you plug your remote release cable)?

0 Reply

Simon Pannell
Reply to Shanky August 17, 2016 5:54 pm

I’ve actually fixed the problem. As it turned out, it was a fault in the
filter. I contacted Formatt-Hitech in England and they told me they
had a problem with a batch of filters. I sent it back to where I bought it
and got a new one within a week. No problems since. :)

0 Reply

Paul Grace
August 24, 2015 4:23 pm

On the front of the d800 there is a small white blob near the flash bracket button. This
appears to leak light. Try this. with lens cap on and read blind shut on view finder. take a long
exposure and shine a torch at the white blob. Then check your exposure.

0 Reply

wallace
April 24, 2015 1:52 am

Try using a flattened out blob of Blu-Tak over the eye piece, much cleaner and more reusable
than tape.

0 Reply

Mike Banks
Reply to wallace April 24, 2015 6:37 am

Wallace, not familiar with this product. What is it and where does one get it? What is it
actually used for?

0 Reply

Spy Black
April 20, 2015 12:06 pm

So what am I missing here? Mirror flips up and closes the path from the viewfinder. I’ve taken
up to 2-4 minute exposures with my D600 & D5100 bodies and have never experienced this.

0 Reply

Pete A
Reply to Spy Black April 21, 2015 9:43 am

The mirror on AF SLRs is not fully silvered in order to allow light to pass through to the
AF sub-mirror and sensor. I assume this is the source of the problem that some people
experience.

The only problem I’ve had is light entering the finder interfering with the exposure meter.
which doesn’t matter in manual exposure mode, but can mess up the exposure on auto
modes when using a tripod and remote release. An eyepiece shutter is handy for
stopping this problem, when I actually remember to use it!

0 Reply

Spy Black
Reply to Pete A April 21, 2015 12:34 pm

I suppose I may have been under dark enough conditions where the light was
insufficient, for I’ve yet to see any fogging.

0 Reply

Eric
April 20, 2015 9:27 am

“If you are a Nikon user, most of the pro bodies would have that viewfinder shutter.”… The
sole reason I didn’t get a D750 !

0 Reply

Jason Waltman
Reply to Eric April 20, 2015 10:29 am

Of all the minor differences between the D750 and D800/810 this is really the only one
that I wish my D750 had. I’ve seen a few suggestions online on how to change the
viewfinder cap on the non-pro bodies to a circle-shaped cap–but the circle shaped cap
they’re using doesn’t have the viewfinder shutter which is the thing I really want. If
Nikon, or a third party, would develop a viewfinder cap for my D750 with a shutter I’d buy
it in a heartbeat!

0 Reply

Mike Banks
Reply to Jason Waltman April 20, 2015 1:20 pm

Jason, not a problem. I usually wear a hat and use that. I’ve even used my thumb
very carefully. Not really an issue. OH and a small piece of gaffers tape works also.
Really, there is no such thing as a “pro body”. Just bells and whistles on a piece of
equipment. The “pro” is the person behind the camera making the tool work for
him/her/themselves.

0 Reply

Patrick O'Connor
Reply to Mike Banks April 22, 2015 11:58 pm

I would think a body, preferred by most pros, would qualify as a pro body.
Some of the features on such cameras would probably appear to be bells
and whistles for those individuals who don’t need or use them, be they pros
or not. Sturdier construction, of course, would also be preferred by
professionals who use their cameras more often and for longer periods than
the average user.
I understand your point but it’s misplaced here.

0 Reply

Mike Banks
Reply to Patrick O'Connor April 23, 2015 7:18 am

Patrick, I always enjoy our exchanges; and I don’t disagree with your
statement. I don’t think the point is misplaced and here is why I say
that. Recently, two pro friends of mine, very prominent in fashion
photography, have switched from the D800-D810’s to the D750. They
both felt that this camera worked better for their work than the pro
models I’ve mentioned. Plus, just recently, Nikon Magazine had an
article written by Vincent Versace who states that he too has switched
from the D4s-D810 combo to the D750. I agree with construction
issues but that really depends upon how the equipment is used or
misused by the owner. Knowing that the D750 is not weather sealed
like the D4 or D8xx I always carry a full rain coat just in case. (Think
Tank Hydrophobia). Since obtaining my D750’s I have not taken the
D800e’s out of the studio for much shooting. Patrick, what I was really
getting at with that comment of mine was, any equipment in the
hands of a professional photographer becomes a pro body for
assignments delivered to a client. Clients never question the
equipment used by the hired hand. They only want the finished
product. Bells and whistles are nice and I think Nikon could have
included a few I would have liked to see with the D750; but it is what it
is.

0 Reply

Patrick O'Connor
Reply to Mike Banks April 23, 2015 7:36 am

I understood your point and you understood mine. In most blogs

that’s the most you can hope for. :-)

0 Reply

Mike Banks
Reply to Patrick O'Connor April 23, 2015 9:33 am

Amen!!!

0 Reply

Charles Edelson
April 20, 2015 7:51 am

While this can happen at night, it is more likely when using strong neutral density filters
during the day. Then even a small leak of strong light through the viewfinder can interfere
with faint light coming through the intended way.

0 Reply

Kevin Choi
Reply to Charles Edelson April 20, 2015 9:24 am

yes you get the point. Also, when stacking two slot in filter may give you light leakage
too.

0 Reply

--
April 20, 2015 7:02 am

My D810 has a switch beside of the eye cup to close a leaf shutter on the viewfinder.

Just get a D810. Problem solved.

0 Reply

Kevin Choi
Reply to -- April 20, 2015 9:25 am

my D700 also have the eye cup.

0 Reply

jstevez
Reply to Kevin Choi April 20, 2015 11:04 am

Remember; the Nikon engineers who gave us the D3/D300 and D700 most likely
retired. Marketing now runs Nikon.

0 Reply

Woody
April 20, 2015 4:20 am

Buy a Sony slt a58 with lcd viewfinder

0 Reply

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