Any Light Leak Detectives?

[Sjixxxy]

I've been getting occasional light leaks across frames that I've shot with my M6. Hopeing someone can look at the pattern and figure out where they're coming from.

These happen anywhere from 0-3 times on a 36 exposure roll.
They always are positioned on the same place over a single frame.
I've seen it happen with different lenses.

1. With an Ultron 28/2

2. With an Elmar 135/4

3. Ultron 28/2, blank frame.

Anyone have a good guess where it might be coming from?

 

[David Murphy]

I think this is caused by leaking light baffles inside the camera. At least that's the case on the M2 as I recall.

 

[ChrisN]

The top one is typical of the usual leak when changing lenses, and inadvertantly facing the camera to a strong light source.

 

[Never Satisfied]

I would say that you have pin holes in your curtains. Open the back, hold up to a strong light without a lens attached and look for the leak, don't forget to check when the shutter is coocked on the 2nd curtain. It is exactly the same as mine. Andrew.

 

[leica M2 fan]

I don't see any evidence of pin holes in the curtain only leaks from lens changing as Chris N says above.

 

[Never Satisfied]

Is that right?? How does the light get past the curtains onto the film??
My M6 had a tiny hole in the leading edge of the 2nd curtain and would leave the same streaks across the film as the shutter was cocked. In the cocked position the hole was hidden by the appature or film gate.

 

[ChrisN]

The shutter curtain rides in a channel, which has flexible light trap material. This wears over time, and allows strong light hitting the base of the shutter curtain to leak under the curtain and up onto the film. This is why it usually appears on top of the image - the bottom of the negative in the camera (I mean the sunlight falls most easily onto the bottom of the curtain).

More discussion at:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73251&highlight=shutter+leak

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16364&highlight=shutter+leak

Mind you, pinholes are certainly a possibility too.

 

[fidget]

I've seen something similar on a couple of my curtained cameras. The problem was intermittent too.
I finally traced it to a gap between the curtain laths opening up as the curtains were cocked. When this is done the laths are pulled across the film gate. If there is strong light here at that time it can get through to the film, so it doesn't always happen.
Could try cocking with a spotlight/torch behind the curtains whilst viewing in a darkened room?
Dave.

 

[Sjixxxy]

Could try cocking with a spotlight/torch behind the curtains whilst viewing in a darkened room?
Dave.

Definetly what I'll do. Just need to find a time when there isn't film in the thing.

 

[fidget]

Oh, if there's a film in now, could try a small test. Put a cap on the lens and wind on to a new frame. Toast the camera in good light (all round if you can), then wind on to the next frame and do it again. Keep the cap on.

If you can do this over say three frames you may check that the leak is getting in through the lens and not through the body somewhere. Three frames because one will have similar exposures on each side of it, and if it's leaking at one side of the film gate, you've caught it.

Dave

 

[nobbylon]

There is the light shield which sits in the front of the camera and on the back of this are horizontal felt strips which back up against the shutter curtains top and bottom. The core does have to be removed from the shell to replace them though. It looks like the bottom one is worse ie top of photo. Light leaking from front = blue on photos, from back = orange with colour film. Good pics of the lightshield here in the second but last photo,

http://jumboprawn.net/jesse/cams/gear-profiles/leica-m2-overhaul/leica-m2-overhaul.html