Not lensflares but bright object reflections on lens???

[virtualcomposer]

I'm doing a scene where there is 5 rockets firing fairly close to the camera. My question is, I believe that really bright object light like fire or rocket blast don't make lens flares but actually create an offset dim reflection on the lens. I would love to do this since I'm using a "handcam" type feel and want to make this look as though I shot it for real at night. I simulated this a few years ago doing a clone thing in Final Cut Pro. It brought a lot of realism to the table. :):) Let me know what your thoughts are.

[JeffrySG]

I would suggest really looking over footage with similar lighting situations on the camera you want to simulate. Every camera/lens system will create different internal reflections. Once you see how the camera reacts you can do your best to try to simulate it. Something like Knoll Light Factory (http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/products/all/knoll-light-factory-pro/) might be a good way to go and add the effect in post so you don't have to re-render the 3d each time you want to adjust the effects.

If you didn't want to buy anything new, you could also render the flares in LW on a black background and composite them in after as well.

[virtualcomposer]

Hey thanks JeffrySG, I'll give that website a try. I guess I'm just a realism type animator when it comes to lights, lenses, and camera movement. I've notice that can also hide allot of things that just say loudly "hey, I'm not real, I'm an animation". I've noticed that when the correct reflections off the camera lens are applied, people who watch tend to believe it more. I also never use the default settings for the lens flares since it's pretty predictable.

[JeffrySG]

Concerning the point about some objects not creating a 'flare', keep in mind that the lens doesn't care what the object is. If it's bright enough it will create internal reflections and artifacts that are visible in the image. The size and shape of the light source will probably effect the shape of those reflections (as well as the lens, and aperature, etc) - but in the end they are all just artifacts created in the lens system of the cameras. That's why it's important to just see how the specific camera you want to emulate will react to the specific situation.

ps. this is a video on Knoll Light Factory.
http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/_assets/uploads/file/community-tutorial/knoll_gettingstarted.zip

[virtualcomposer]

I really appreciate your advice. It's very fascinating what you said about different lenses. That's what makes this field so exciting is that there is always something more to learn. It never gets old.

[JeffrySG]

Also, if you're trying to simulate a CCD camera, they will often times have other 'digital' flare type of artifacts. I believe Knoll LFP will let you simulate those as well.

No problem! Hope this can help a bit! :)

[JeffrySG]

This image shows a typical artifact of CCD camera when they have an extremely bright light source in frame. That greenish perfectly vertical line. That's an effect created by the CCD not the lens system - that's why it looks so perfectly vertical and... well digital.

65203

[virtualcomposer]

WOW! I think I'm hooked!

[virtualcomposer]

I'd use this in FCP. Is it Mac compatible? Oooops never mind. It is.

[JeffrySG]

If you're looking to buy LFP I would just go through some of the videos and tutorials - and then I think they have a demo version you can try to make sure it's something you want.

http://redgiantemail.com/download_form.cfm?ID=6