Always put lens cap on: Question re: light leak

[leicapixie]

When walking, I mostly de-focus my lens to closest distance.
Finding pinhole easy.
Use a small electronic flash from back.
Try cocked and un-cocked.
Use a black liquid rubber sealant.
A tiny drop!
Oh! My Nikon F has a small pinhole in titanium curtain.
I found and sealed it. with my method.

 

[rick oleson]

A little off the subject, but pinholes and burn holes are totally different, unrelated things. Most of the above discussion has been about how to avoid CREATING burn holes (if you really don't think this happens, you obviously have not clicked on the link I posted above. They may be few and far between, but I own one set of them)... not how to avoid letting light get to a hole that's already in the curtain.

Pinholes are not actually holes: they are cracks in the rubber coating of the curtain fabric. Light passing through the cracks gets broken up by the weave of the fabric and looks like separate holes when imaged on the negative. These are most common in shutters from the late 40s and early 50s... pretty common in IIF and IIIF models but I have never encountered them in an M camera.

To repair a burn hole, you can find the hole and patch it. Since pinholes are generally a symptom of an end-of-life problem affecting the entire shutter curtain, patching is at best a temporary fix.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Interesting, thanks.

I had a day out walking around with my camera yesterday and wondered how the sun could get at the blind as the camera was with the lens horizontal 99% of the time and the sun was way up above my head. And putting the camera down it was either horizontal or else tipped forward under the weight of the lens and hood.

As for pin holes, the curtains are rubberised silk or something and before and during the war that would have been pure rubber and not an improved man-made version. So it might be worth pointing out that rubber perishes and light is usually what does it. Nowadays it only happens with elastic bands but I'm sure everyone has seen that happen.

Regards, David

 

[rick oleson]

Hi,

Interesting, thanks.

I had a day out walking around with my camera yesterday and wondered how the sun could get at the blind as the camera was with the lens horizontal 99% of the time and the sun was way up above my head.

Regards, David

Try stopping in at a sidewalk cafe on a sunny day at lunch time, and set your camera on its back on the table while you spend half an hour eating lunch. The other 99% of the time won't count for much that afternoon. The point is not whether or not it can happen, of course it can happen; the fact that you've always taken care not to let it happen is to your credit but it doesn't make it impossible. Continue doing as you have been, and you'll have nothing to worry about.

: ) =

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

In that situation I'd be more worried about the waiter spilling food or drink on to it. And it's more likely to happen...

Regards, David

 

[rick oleson]

I'll just await the results of your experiment then. Good luck!

: ) =

 

[B-9]

Like many others,

I've made a habit of covering the lens with my palm, or holding the camera in my hand pointing towards the ground.

It's not something I think about much, but when I do, I feel silly covering the lens on my M8 with its metal curtains.

 

[Gregm61]

Cloth shutters = problem if you point them at the sun, and it's easily done even just walking around with your camera over the shoulder if it happens to be pointing in the right direction.

I've always been very aware of where the sun is when using/carrying my mechanical Leicas, either the M6 or M4, but I never walk around with the lens cap on. When actively shooting I'll often be pointing the camera down, whether its around my neck via the strap and I am holding the camera in my right hand, or just have the camera strap around my wrist and camera in-hand. I rarely even put the cap on when placing the camera in the bag.

The digital M's solve the whole issue with their metal shutters, latest of which (M262) are very quiet in use, much like the film M's.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Well, I was thinking about it this afternoon, the only people who put cameras out in the sun tilted upwards a little are naughty dealers with those little display stands...

Regards, David