Please help: White specs in pics (w flash)

Hello,

Looking for any advice here... just purchased a nilon DSLR a few months ago... works great; however, it looks like in some pictures i am getting white specs in the pictures, only when flash is on. They are not stationary though (ie I take 3 consecutive pictures and the specs move from one picture to the next, or may even be non-existent from one picture to the next). Below is an imgur link of 3 consecutive pictures taken with the flash on... maybe a few seconds in between each. Is this my lens...? Or does this look like something in the air? Thanks in advance for any help.

Pictures : https://m.imgur.com/a/Skqko
 

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
Welcome aboard. Enjoy the ride.
We look forward to seeing more posts and samples of your work.

Which camera, which lens and which flash?
 
Hi,

I am using a Nikon D3400 with the 18-55mm BE lens that came with it, & just the normal flash!

By normal do you mean the built in flash?

If you fill out your profile and add the camera gear we can better answer any questions that you might have.
You can do that at http://nikonites.com/profile.php?do=editprofile

Under camera just put the model number like D7100; Once you put the first letter like D you will see a list of all the cameras in the database pop up. The more numbers you put in the smaller the list becomes. When you see your camera just click on it, Be sure to click on "Save Changes" in the lower right corner.

Thanks
 
Hi,

Ok I added it... thanks for the tip. Yes, sorry, by normal I meant built in flash. Does it look like dust in the air or maybe something wrong with the lens?
 

Catherder

Senior Member
Since the spots seem to be random from shot to shot, to me it just looks like something in the air reflecting back.
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
The spots are fairly close to the camera since they are very far out of focus in the scenes that are of distant objects. That means they are moving, are close and random in position. I would guess flying insects or something in the air close to you.
A bit of advice, if you are in auto exposure mode the flash will pop up and fire but there is nothing that will be brightened close enough to the flash to reflect light from. The popup flash really is not useful for any subjects further away than about 10-15 feet. If in the Green colored Auto mode, and the subject you are focusing on it further than 15 feet, switch to a non-flash mode(most Nikon cameras have another auto-exposure mode that does not raise the flash. In your case it is Non-Flash Auto on the function wheel, the small symbol next to Green Auto that has a line through the flash symbol: download3400.jpg

If taking photos in events where there is a stage or subjects further than 10-15 feet, use this mode. The small flash will not help and irritates the other guests and performers.
 

aroy

Senior Member
Yes it looks definitely like water drops (rain) or dust, which a flash will just highlight any where on the path. Or they can be flying insects.
 
Hi,

Thanks for the responses... I also thought it was maybe dust, but the only reason k was worried it was something else is because I had the same issue the last time I used it in a different location, but maybe it was dusty there too! It was not raining or snowing during either time.

I agree, I really didn't even need to use the flash. The pictures without the flash came out pretty nice too. The only reason I have it on is because I was using night mode. And honestly I think the pictures come out a little prettier in night mode, so that's why I was using the flash in some of these.
 
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