Bessa R Light Leak. Any Ideas?

[Steve M.]

My beater Bessa R has a light leak. I suspected the seal around the window over the film cartridge, but when I put a roll of film in the camera, hold the shutter open on B, and shine a light through the film window in the back I see nada.

Come to think of it, since the neg has the streak on the left side, wouldn't it be on the opposite side if it was the film window? The seals look shot on the door/body, so maybe that's it, but it's such a prominent light leak, I wonder. Any ideas?

 

[rog]

all negs?

all negs?

did it happen to the whole role or just these two?

 

[Steve M.]

It happened pretty much through the whole roll. I'm also wondering if possibly the lab somehow messed up? May be no alternative but to shoot another roll of film. Heres's another one.

 

[mike-s]

The uniform nature of the streaks would seem to indicate a processing problem. If the door hinge seal is leaking you would expect to get varying density in the leaks, unless you are absolutely meticulous in always winding-on immediately after (or before) exposures. The shutter closes to the right, looking into the back, so it's unlikely to be a shutter fault. As you say there isn't much alternative but to try another test roll.

 

[Warren T.]

My beater Bessa R has a light leak. I suspected the seal around the window over the film cartridge, but when I put a roll of film in the camera, hold the shutter open on B, and shine a light through the film window in the back I see nada.

Come to think of it, since the neg has the streak on the left side, wouldn't it be on the opposite side if it was the film window? The seals look shot on the door/body, so maybe that's it, but it's such a prominent light leak, I wonder. Any ideas?

My Bessa R had a leak from the film window, and the problem appeared on the opposite side on a picture.

I'm not sure what's causing your leak.

--Warren

 

[Steve M.]

Thanks Mike, but the shutter runs vertically in the Bessas. But you may be onto something, a developing issue is where I'm leaning.

Warren, that comment about your film door is a big help, and what I suspected. If the film window were leaking light, you would think it would show up on the opposite side, as yours did. I better run that roll now and see what's up. Thanks guys.

 

[rog]

yes

yes

try an other role, it is most likely that it happened during processing the film.

Or maybe you had bad luck and had a bad canister which leaked a little.