Is this due to light leak?

[fixbones]

Noticed this in about 4-5 frames out of the whole roll from my recently purchased M4. The sun was behind me in these shots here.

Light leak??

Also, the backdoor of the camera has a definite 'creaks' and gives a little when pushed inwards.

 

[fixbones]

This is from my 2nd roll of film.
The first roll did not show any such problem......

 

[fixbones]

Sorry for bumping this but.... a little help??

 

[Finder]

Do you see the band between the frames?

 

[fixbones]

Both the shots above are consecutive shots.
In fact the 3rd shot after that has the same looking band too.
... is that what you'd like to know?

 

[Nokton48]

I just had a nasty intermittent lightleak in my M4-2. Turns out the interior lightshields (inside you can't see them) needed replacing, and the curtains needed reglueing, they were too far apart. It's possible your problem could be similar.

 

[Finder]

No. I was wondering about the clear space between the frames on the film strip.

 

[fixbones]

Finder: Yes!! I think i can see the line going through the clear strips and they look like one continuous line...... diagnosis??

 

[Finder]

Light leaks. I am not experienced enough with the M Leicas to point point the problem directly, but Nokton 48 may have given you the answer. I suspect it is something to do with the shutter or shutter assembly has there is no door on the back of a Leica that I am aware of. But I would imaging it can be fixed.

 

[fixbones]

........can't see these bands on the negatives from the FIRST roll....

 

[wpb]

I'd check the curtains for a pin hole. Check the curtains with the shutter ready to fire and then again after you fire but before you wind the film. use a bright light from the lens side while checking from the film side. My gut reaction is a pin hole in the second curtain.

 

[Finder]

........can't see these bands on the negatives from the FIRST roll....

It can be a directional problem--the way the camera was held and the direction of the light. Usually in processing, the mark runs the entire length of the film, but this does not look like a processing issue.

 

[Steve M.]

I don't think it's pin holes in the shutter. They leave roundish or star shaped spots and are usually quite bright (I've owned Fed cameras and have seen a lot of those). I doubt it's the shutter at all, as it travels horizontally, so any bands would run from top to bottom. The line shown is curved also. I suspect it's a development problem. Put a roll of c41 in it and pop on down to walgreens and let them develop it only and see what happens.

 

[fixbones]

wpb: thanks for the advice. Will do that once i finish this current test roll that i just loaded earlier today to try diagnose the problem

 

[fixbones]

To make things clear, the band seems to run in a continuous wavy pattern almost through the entire length (there are sections where they seem to disappear) of the negative including the clear strip separating the frames where they appear as a light grey band.

I developed this roll and another in a paterson tank.
The other roll was shot with my other camera and shows no such problem.
Never had this problem with my processing before.

SteveM: Will try your suggestion.

 

[alaric]

I am not sure what it is but in my opinion, it is definitely not a light leak. Light leaks would most likely show up on the sides of the frames. My best bet would be a development or film problem. It is unlikely that your camera is defective since other rolls does not show this weird banding. You should try shooting another roll then check if this banding would still occur.

 

[Chris101]

I don't think that we can say what caused the horizontal band from these two frames an your report that it also appears between frames, alone. You will need to do some further testing: Try to reproduce the same conditions. Shoot some film, use bright lights to illuminate the camera for some of the frames. Shine the lights directly on the camera. Shoot some white and some black stuff. The banding may be easier to figure in one of those instances. Skip a frame or two by leaving the lens cap on with illumination. Then turn the lights off, and shoot the same scenes with no lishts shining on the camera.

After shooting your test roll, try to develop it in EXACTLY the same way. When you scan the film, try to include the space around the frame as well, including the part of the film between frames.

Good luck! Hopefully the problem will just disappear and you will never see it again.

 

[fixbones]

Well, developed my test roll today. Shot with and without lens, with and without half case.
Not looking good.

 

[wpb]

Did you shoot the blank frames with a body cap on the camera or just without a lens?

 

[MartinP]

Has that film ever been x-rayed ?