Diagnose R3 light leak

[sooner]

Hi All,

I shot a couple of rolls of slide film with a new/used camera, and most but not all the pictures came back with a particular light leak, per the attached picture. Sometimes it's more pronounced than other times. Any idea where the light leak came from? I'm stumped. Thanks!

 

[p.giannakis]

What camera is it? Does it have a cloth shutter? Do they overlap when advancing the film?

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

I suspect the door hinge; have seen this. Light leak door hinge onto the film on the take-up spool. Look for a secondary leak next layer down. Intensity depends on how long between shots, how much light.

See this RFF thread.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

"Doctor, I have this scratch"
"You are dying"
"How come?"
"I just diagnosed you".

Do you want diagnose to be this accurate?
Sure.
Your camera has hole in it.

Didn't like it?
Sure.
Your camera is lomography edition.

Still don't like it? Then list the camera details and show entire film, not only exposed part of it.

 

[Rob-F]

Door hinge sounds like a good possibility. I think I would load a roll and tape over the hinge, and shoot a test roll.
I think a missing screw in the camera, probably in the bottom, might be a possibility as well.

 

[charjohncarter]

If it has a film window, tape that too. But give us more to work with: camera, scan that includes sprocket holes, and as this is color I've heard that you can tell by the color if it is from the front of the film or behind.

 

[retinax]

Someone pointed out here in a recent, similar thread that yellow or reddish light leak patterns likely are tinted by the film's orange mask, i.e. from the back of the camera (incl. door hinge).

 

[sooner]

It’s a Leica R3. I’m curious how about the fact that all the pics have about the same intensity no matter the subject. That is, this pic was at night but looks about the same as pics taken in bright daylight.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I think it is probably from either end of the camera back or a canister window if it has one. When I ran a test film through a Leica R4 recently it produced some very similar looking fogging. In that case the foam around the film window was rather crusty (and in hindsight, obviously so) but the door seals could use replacing, too.

Some cameras are much more particular about back light seal condition than others. Eg. I have never bothered to replace the ones in any of my SRT-101s because I read that they are not critical and indeed, zero problems to date. Classic German cameras can be hard to beat because they frequently did not depend on felt or foam pieces to exclude light entry around the film gate area. You have not told us what the camera in question is but my guess is it is Japanese or late(ish) German and that serviceable back seals are fairly vital to effective light exclusion.
Cheers
Brett

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

It’s a Leica R3. I’m curious how about the fact that all the pics have about the same intensity no matter the subject. That is, this pic was at night but looks about the same as pics taken in bright daylight.

Beat me by a minute. See my reply above.

 

[sooner]

It’s also a band across the entire frame at the same spot. Only minor variations in width and intensity.

 

[nukecoke]

Door hinge. If the leak is from shutter, it won't be reddish.

 

[sooner]

Thanks all. I checked the door hinge and the foam is brittle and mostly gone. So that’s my next project. Anyone have a recommended kit for the R3 Mot?

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Here's my find the leak method:
- Click off four blank frames
- Leave camera in the light for a day or so. Expose one frame normally.
- Then click off four more blank frames.
- Develop, and find the leak.

 

[wjlapier]

Thanks all. I checked the door hinge and the foam is brittle and mostly gone. So that’s my next project. Anyone have a recommended kit for the R3 Mot?

Check Jon Goodman. I've bought many light seals from him and all have been great material with instructions too.