Lens flare
Also known as: flare, sun flare, veiling glare
Streaks, circles or haze caused by bright light bouncing inside the lens. It can add drama, but often lowers contrast and hides detail in action footage.
Updated
What it means
When a strong light source such as the sun hits the lens, some light reflects between glass surfaces and the protective cover instead of passing straight to the sensor. The result shows up as colored circles, streaks, starbursts or a general milky haze across the frame, which photographers call veiling glare.
Action cameras are especially prone to it because their ultra-wide lenses see a huge part of the sky, so the sun is often in or near the frame. The flat lens cover in front of the lens adds another surface for reflections, and any dirt on it multiplies the effect dramatically.
Some flare looks cinematic, especially at sunrise and sunset. Too much makes footage look washed out and soft.
How it works in practice
A spotless lens is the biggest factor. Fingerprints, sunscreen, salt and dust scatter light and turn a small, clean flare into a large glowing patch. Wipe the cover before every session and check it during the day.
Change the angle slightly. Moving the sun just outside the frame, hiding it behind a rider, a tree or a building, or tilting the camera a few degrees often removes the worst flare while keeping the backlit look.
Shade the lens with a hand or a hat for static shots. On drones, a small change in gimbal angle often solves it, and golden hour flares tend to look warmer and more pleasant than harsh midday ones.
What to watch out for
Flare cannot be removed in editing without a lot of manual work. Contrast and dehaze tools help a little but also affect the rest of the image. Prevention on location is the only real fix.
Cheap replacement lens covers and scratched glass flare far more than original, clean ones. If flare suddenly gets worse, inspect or replace the cover before blaming the light.
Flare also confuses automatic exposure, which may darken the whole scene to handle the bright spot. Lock exposure or adjust compensation when shooting toward the sun, so the rest of the frame stays readable.
How RawClip handles it
RawClip uses your clips as recorded and cannot remove flare. Clean, well-angled shots usually make the cut more often, and the AI picks the strongest moments from everything you upload for your highlight.