Rolleiflex Possible Problem

[jpa66]

I just developed two rolls of film last night, and one of the rolls had a 3 separate shots that had straight lines of light streaked across each one. The strange thing is that they are frames 10, 11 and 12, and with each frame the line gets smaller.

My thoughts are that it's a camera ( or camera-user ) malfunction, as the strips of light go across the entire frame to the edge of the film. Does anyone have any idea what may have caused this? I'm stumped...

Jan

 

[MISH]

I am no expert but my thoughts would be maybe the back came unlatched

 

[jpa66]

Doh! Hadn't thought of that. Yes, that's what it appears to be. The back latch must have somehow gotten loose. I'll have to check it out. Thanks.

 

[coelacanth]

I'm no expert neither, but (assuming there is no mishap in developing) maybe light leak from top or bottom of the back cover of the camera?

TLR has lens shutter so it shouldn't look like that if the problem is in the shutter mechanism. Notice on side of the leak is sharp line and the other side is fuzzy? If the leak happened when the frame was in on the pressure plate, the shape shouldn't look like that. The leak happened when the area was on the take up spool or the film roll, and when you exposed that edge to strong light (e.g. Sunny outside)?

Maybe you can place a roll and see where the leaks can be located?

 

[Steve M.]

I think you're OK. I had the same problem w/ a Rolleiflex, and it turned out that when I took the exposed film out of the camera I had let the roll go loose and light shot under there onto the last 2 frames. This is why it's only on the last frames. Looked exactly like your examples. I'd be willing to bet that if you shot another roll and carefully removed the film in a shaded area w/o letting it go slack, you wouldn't get this.

Here's what mine looked like.

 

[Careyon]

Jan, are you sure that the negatives are completely fixed? If not you can go back and refix and wash them. Ron

 

[mfogiel]

I am of the same opinion - you have not secured the film tight enough when removing it from the camera, and there has been some light let in. Remember to unload the camera in the shade, and take care not to let the film on the spool go loose.

 

[marcr1230]

Jan - looks like France, you'll have to go again to redo the shots 🙂

 

[jpa66]

Maybe I did let the film get loose on the spool. I'm usually very careful about that, but it could have happened. I do always change film in the shadiest spot possible, though. I'll check out both possibilities ( film spool loosening and latch opening ).

 

[jpa66]

Jan - looks like France, you'll have to go again to redo the shots 🙂

Yes - I'd never have left if I had my way.