Ghost Cat!

[aggle-rithm]

My wife took a picture of our cat Smudge that turned out very strange...

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_514646be3600db1eb.jpg ('http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=7629')

Normally I would say that this is a double exposure, but I didn't think that was possible with digital cameras. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Other than, of course, that the cat is a ghost.

[aggle-rithm]

Here is the obligatory "lol cat" version:

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/514646be37be06950.jpg

[GT/CS]

It can still be a double exposure if the camera saved 2 pictures on the same place on the the card. Not sure that's really possible but it sounds good.

[Miss Whiplash]

Did the cat move?

Looks like you did not use a flash on that pic. I'd say shutter drag. The shutter closed before the cat was properly exposed. The camera was also moved before the shutter finished closing. You can get partial exposures like this because of the way light registers on the CCD.

[aggle-rithm]

Did the cat move?

Looks like you did not use a flash on that pic. I'd say shutter drag. The shutter closed before the cat was properly exposed. The camera was also moved before the shutter finished closing. You can get partial exposures like this because of the way light registers on the CCD.

...but the couch BEHIND him was properly exposed...? How?

I considered maybe a long exposure, in which the cat moved between the opening and closing of the shutter, but then you would see the cat "smeared" across the picture.

Perhaps this is the legendary Schroedinger's cat...?

[aggle-rithm]

It can still be a double exposure if the camera saved 2 pictures on the same place on the the card. Not sure that's really possible but it sounds good.

I thought of that...but unlike film, when computer memory/storage gets double-exposed, the original data are obliterated.

[Miss Whiplash]

...but the couch BEHIND him was properly exposed...? How?

I considered maybe a long exposure, in which the cat moved between the opening and closing of the shutter, but then you would see the cat "smeared" across the picture.

Perhaps this is the legendary Schroedinger's cat...?

Simple. There was a light source near the couch and it was lighter colored. The object reflecting the most light will register first. A moving cat will not necessarily be "smeared" (ghosting). It depends on the amount of light striking the object. I can change my aperture on my camera, walk in front of the lens and not show up at all.

I can see by this picture the flash did not go off because it has a tungsten light color cast. The furniture is blurred, meaning the camera was moved before the shutter closed.

What type of camera was your wife using? What was the ISO of the shot?

[Miss Whiplash]

I thought of that...but unlike film, when computer memory/storage gets double-exposed, the original data are obliterated.

You can make double exposures on a digital camera but not as easily as with film. Granted the second exposure has to happen before the second shutter curtain closes in a digital. This is an example from my own stack of bad photos.
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_94884542ad05102f6.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2255)

Double exposures and ghosting galore!

[Hauteden]

EXIF

Camera Make: Hewlett-Packard
Camera Model: Photosmart M417
Image Date: 2007:06:05 17:17:15
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 6.3mm
Exposure Time: 2.000 s
Aperture: f/2.9
Focus Distance: 0.46m
ISO equiv: 100
Exposure: program (Auto)

My bet is the Cat moved part way through the exposure. The slow ISO would mean in order for the Cat to show up while moving it would have to be moving sloooooow. Most healthy cats I see can move pretty quick when startled or otherwise.

A double exposure is possible but it would usually be an intentional act with a digital camera. You see Double Exposure in some film shots because there may have been issues with the film advance.

Hauteden

[Pope130]

Darn, there's a normal explanation. I was hoping we were on the verge of developing a transparent cat. It would make reading and watching television so much easier.

Robert

[Alareth]

Do ghost cats leave less hair on the furniture?

[Starthinker]

Do ghost cats leave less hair on the furniture?

Ghost hair is so hard to clean up. You need a ghost vacuum cleaner.

[supercorgi]

It's natural. Cats being the Overlords of the Universe exist on many planes of reality. They only come to our plane to amuse themselves by manipulating us puny humans. You just caught Smudge Your Overlord warping between planes.

[TheAnachronism]

aggle-rithm, most digital cameras allow for changing of the shutter speed (usually only if you have it off of manual mode).

Do you know what your shutter speed is/was set at?

I've made some very cool, similar-looking photos of my cats using slow shutter speeds.

[Alice Shortcake]

I'd love to own a ghost cat. Think of the money you'd save on food and vetinary bills!

[Stellafane]

Years ago I had a cat named Smudge. She looked just like your cat. She got killed by a car.

There can be no other explanation: You cat is the ghost of mine!

[baron]

Smudge indeed.

Actually, it's impossible to get double exposure digitally unless you manually post-process two or more individual files. And you'd likely remember doing that. Digital photos are files with separate header information and cannot accidentally be merged.

As mentioned, it's just the result of a long shutter speed. Most of the cat's body is not actually transparent, indicating that it moved its head and shifted position but didn't actually jump off the chair.

[aggle-rithm]

Do ghost cats leave less hair on the furniture?

Apparently not.

[aggle-rithm]

Years ago I had a cat named Smudge. She looked just like your cat. She got killed by a car.

There can be no other explanation: You cat is the ghost of mine!

How long ago was this? My Smudge is ten years old.

Plus, I also had a black cat named Smudge from my childhood, so it could be that YOUR Smudge was a ghost of MINE!

[aggle-rithm]

It's natural. Cats being the Overlords of the Universe exist on many planes of reality. They only come to our plane to amuse themselves by manipulating us puny humans. You just caught Smudge Your Overlord warping between planes.

"Smudge Your Overlord"? We just call him The Smudgenator (http://www.catster.com/cats/582040).

[CLD]

And here's Ghost Randi to award Ghost Cat a Ghost Million Dollars.

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_1060546bf865631aab.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=7654)

[Stellafane]

How long ago was this? My Smudge is ten years old.

Plus, I also had a black cat named Smudge from my childhood, so it could be that YOUR Smudge was a ghost of MINE!

My Smudge died about 20 years ago, so the continuity's a bit off. Then again, maybe she was elsewhere during the intervening years?

[Hauteden]

Actually, it's impossible to get double exposure digitally unless you manually post-process two or more individual files.

You can still go old school Double exposure with a Digital Camera. All it takes is interrupting incoming light, changing the scene and then allow the light to continue. Think bulb, Attach lens cap*, change scene, remove lens cap, release bulb. Provided the lens cap is "light proof."

That method should work with any camera capable of Bulb or long exposures.

Hauteden