light leak leica M3 (negative images). Need help

adamjohari

adamjohari

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Hi guys,

Initially I thought it was my lens, but apparently it's the Leica M3. I had a long conversation with Peter from CRR Luton (he was very helpful) and he told me that there could be a lot of possibilities where this leak is coming from.

Peter mentioned that the leak could be a really small tiny hole, that might not be visible without a magnifying glass. He also mentioned that it might have taken time for the light leak to appear on the images. I noticed that the images that I took in quick succession didn't have light leaks on 'em. Most of the light leaks appeared on images where there was ample time between shots.

I googled and found out that another user had this exact problem - Mike Cassidy. Sent him a message yesterday 🙂

If anyone out there could help me with this I'd super appreciate it. The Leica M3 is my first experience with a Leica M, it's a shame that it started with this bump on the road 🙁

Thanks

Adam
 

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Always between frames, and always in the same spot? Strange! Could it be a pinhole in the front of the camera, focusing light on that spot? Nahh. Or a missing screw creating a hole? I can't think where that screw would be. It seems to be coming from the front. The film is against the pressure plate with no access for a light beam from behind. You don't by chance have a glass pressure plate? I suppose then there could be a leak from somewhere around the film reminder on the back flap.
 
It's not a glass plate at the back. When I took the pictures I didn't have my cap on. I screwed on a uv filter and that was it. I flashed a light in front of the shutter in a dark room and couldn't see any light coming through it. Maybe it's miroscopic??
 
Rob-F said:
Always between frames, and always in the same spot? Strange! Could it be a pinhole in the front of the camera, focusing light on that spot? Nahh. Or a missing screw creating a hole? I can't think where that screw would be. It seems to be coming from the front. The film is against the pressure plate with no access for a light beam from behind. You don't by chance have a glass pressure plate? I suppose then there could be a leak from somewhere around the film reminder on the back flap.
Click to expand...

If the light is coming from the front wouldn't the frame-mask stop it during exposure? I would look at the area between the frame-mask and the take-up spool where the film passes over the sprockets.

Adam; Have you been trapping the right hand side of the back door under the winder-lever when loading?
 
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Hi Stewart,

I'll look into the area between the frame-mask and take-up spool. Never thought about looking there.

I'd normally just load the film and place on my Zhou half case and start shooting. I don't think it would be during loading, since the light leaks are present in some later images.

Thanks
 
Some people try to wind-on a frame or two before closing the door and it's easy to trap the door under the wind-lever ... I think it would be possible to wear a hole in the the door at that point on the door
 
I do that sometimes. Just one wind-on and then I close the door. But I've never hit the door.... I think I should tape the door next time I shoot. Might be coming from there. Definitely going to go buy some gaffa tape today. The previous owner also used a half case, maybe his was closer to the door and didn't have any gaps of light coming in from behind.
 
The most likely culprit is the seal of the camera back. You are using a half-case which helps. Next roll of film, take the case off and let some bright light hit around the camera back with the film loaded and advanced. Then wind it in the bright light. If the back is leaking, that should produce a spot on the film.

Other possibility: viewfinder?
 
I'll try that Brian. I already went through one roll for diagnostics. The light leak barely registered, maybe cause I had my Zhou case on and I didn't expose it to bright light for a long enough period.

I think I'm just going to ship the camera to CRR Luton with the negatives and have him try to figure it out. I've tried so much and still haven't figured out where the hole is.

Thanks
 
This looks to me like the first curtain has a hole in it near (or at) the right end of the curtain (looking at the camera from the back) where the cloth goes into the metal end. The hole will be about a quarter of the way down from the top (since the image is flipped vertically, and the light leak shows up near the bottom quarter of the negatives).

With the back open, and no film loaded, slowly start winding on to the next frame. Stop when the first curtain is about midway through the frame, and shine a light through the lens. You will probably see that the hole then.

I bought an M3 Double Stroke about 2 months ago that has a very similar light leak, though much much worse than yours. The first curtain is separating from the metal end. The camera is off to DAG now to get repaired.

If the hole is small, you can repair it yourself. There are tips on how to do that elsewhere on the web and I won't repeat them here.
 
I got a message from Mike Cassidy who had the exact problem as I did. He said that it was a small pin hole on the shutter. I think I'll post it tomorrow.

Adam
 
The really neat thing about having a problem like this with a camera is that you learn a lot more about the camera than you would otherwise.


Another thought on narrowing down the source of the leak, if you still have film loaded in the camera. Take four shots this way: keep the camera in a well-lighted area so any leaks will show up; take the first picture, but put the lens cap on before advancing the film; leave the lens cap on and take the second shot, advance the film with the lens cap on, then take the lens cap off and expose the third frame; then with the lens cap off, advance to the next frame and expose it.

When the film is processed, if the light leak is through the shutter, you should not see any leak in the frames where the lens cap was on (the blank frame and the spaces between the blank frame and the two normal pictures at either side of it), but should see the leak between the third and fourth pictures, since the cap was off.

-------

Please keep us informed on whether or not you find the cause.
 
After I discovered the holes in the shutter on my M3, I tried to use the method of putting the lens cap on each time I advanced the film. That lasted exactly one roll before I sent it off for repair. The interruption (and sometimes forgetting to put the cap on) took all of the pleasure out of using my first Leica camera. But when the cap was on, there were no light leaks onto the negatives.
 
I would quickly shoot another film first. I've just developed the third film since having this problem on the M2, and it's the third film with no light leaks. I reckon it was a dodgy cassette light trap or just a badly kept roll of film.
 
OK, an update.

My M3 still has light leaks.

I sent my negatives to CRR Luton and Peter concluded that it isn't coming from the shutter. Which is a huge sigh of relief for me, as I heard that fixing that part might cost a lot.

I went shooting with my M3 and this time I didn't switch lenses, always had a cap on between shots and used my Zhou case whilst shooting... and still the light leaks are there.

However, the light leaks only registered when I shot in very bright day light. In the evening my pics were perfect.

For my next role of film, I'm taping the back door of my M3 with black electrical tape. Once I'm done with this role, if the light leaks are still there I'm going to tape the lugs after that.

If those two scenarios fail then I give up, the camera will be sent to CRR Luton then. This is my first M camera and maybe next time I'll just buy a Zeiss Ikon ZM 😀
 
Can you open the camera, and show us a photo of the open back, meaning looking at shutter, back-plate and open door ? I'm with Stewart, I assume the back is slightly damaged. Happens quite a bit from the wind lever smacking into it when loading film ....
 
Have a look at the condition of the end of the curtains, as suggested above - make sure they are complete, straight and nothing is stuck to one of them.

If it's a pinhole, it should be an easy fix that will last for a few years
 
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