Flare in a J-12

[DeeCee3]

I finally had an opportunity to check out my "new" Jupiter 12 with my M2. All in all, I'm more than pleased with its performance...it IS a great lens for the price, perhaps. I shot 26 frames under all sorts of lighting conditions. On two of those negatives, widely spaced from each other, is flare. I'm attaching the two bad shots to give you an idea of what's bugging me. On the interior shot, nothing has been done except to re-size the image.

What can I do to prevent this in the future? The obvious answer is a hood, of course, but where can I find a 40.5mm hood for a wide-angle lens?

I await your advice! (Jupiter 12, Leica M2 body, Fuji Superia 200 film)

dc3

 

[Limpovitj]

That looks like a light leak to me, and not flare.

 

[MartinP]

I'd agree, it looks as though maybe there is a problem round the back door somewhere ? Or at least some other horizontal leak on the camera . . .

 

[DeeCee3]

If So, Then Why...?

If So, Then Why...?

Around the door's about the only place an M2 could have a light leak, I suppose. But what puzzles me is WHY it occurred on ONLY those two frames, and they quite distant from each other on the roll of film. If it were a light leak it seems it would show up along the whole roll...wouldn't it?

dc3

 

[Limpovitj]

Depends. The two frames didn't happen to be the first taken after a longer period without firing (that is, film just sitting there), would they? With a tiny light leak it could take some time to build up to what you're getting in these two frames, and if you shot several frames rapidly there be nothing.

I also think it's in the back of the camera. I'd guess the colour of the leak is from the light reaching the emulsion through the back of the film.

Compare a negative with this problem to the film gate with the back open (remeber, the image is upside down in camera, obvious, but easy to forget) and have a look at, say, the felt straps that keep the back door light tight, or anything else that good cause a leak.

 

[OldNick]

That looks to me like a horizontal light leak. If they were close together on the roll, I would suspect that the cartridge light trap was the culprit. Like others have said, check the back light seals. I use a J-12 frequently on a Leica IIIf, which, of course, has no back door, and I have never used a hood and never have seen this problem.

Jim N.

 

[SteveM(PA)]

that's a light leak. Here's what j12 flare looks like (it actually looks like jupiter) shooting into the sun, no hood:

 

[Limpovitj]

That looks to me like a horizontal light leak. If they were close together on the roll, I would suspect that the cartridge light trap was the culprit.

Could still be, maybe. If the first is at the beginning of the roll, and the second after a turn of the roll (in the cartridge), that is, under the first, with light going through the first to the second. Long shot, but...

Anyhow, do a test roll, and in the middle of the roll expose the camera to as much light as possible (out in the sun if there is any where you are, these days), turn it around to makes sure you cover all angles and directions. Make a note of what this frame was, as the light leak may not be at the frame at the film gate/shutter. If the leak is somewhere else in the camera (say, at the take up spool, then it would be 2-3 frames beyond the one at the shutter), you can get a good idea of where this way.

Still, in an M2, the leak would most likely be somewhere around the door. The felt straps is an easy fix.

Best of luck!

 

[Dogman]

Fedka sells 40.5 lens hoods. Here's a link to one that looks like it might work on a 35mm lens:

http://www.fedka.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=516

I say it might work because it looks a lot like the Leica hoods I use on my 35mm and 50mm Summicron lenses. But not nearly as expensive as the Leitz hoods.

But I have to agree with the others that this looks like a light leak, not flare.

 

[Santafecino]

If you check eBy's listings under lens shades (or hoods) and enter 40.5mm, you will see listings of wide angle 40.5mm lens shades. They are cheap. The J-12 is a good lens and can benefit from a shade.

 

[OldNick]

If they were close together on the roll, I would suspect that the cartridge light trap was the culprit.
Jim N.

In looking at the images again, and looking at what I wrote, I find that I am completely wrong. The lines are 90 degrees from one that would be produced by a bad light trap on the cartridge.

MY BAD!

Jim N.

 

[DeeCee3]

Frames 4 and 13

Frames 4 and 13

I appreciate all the ideas on the source of the "strange lavender glow" on my roll of Fuji Superia shot with the M2 and the J-12.

The culprits are frames 4 and 13 of a nominal 24-frame roll. The film was in the camera about a week from the time the first several frames (1-3) were shot and the first offending one (4) was exposed. But note, the level of light was quite low. In fact, the first frame (4) was shot at f2.8 @ 15th.

Quite the contrary with frame 13, though, as it was shot under a brilliant sun. However, not a single other frame after it, to the end of the spool, shows any sign of a light leak.

I'm baffled! And a bit gun shy.

Thanks to all.

dc3

 

[OldNick]

I'm baffled! And a bit gun shy.

dc3

There is one approach that I have seen suggested by others. I have not tried it, since my primary Leica is a IIIf. The approach is to load the camera in the normal manner, then, with a black tape that can be readily removed without damage, tape all of the "joints" on the camera back and ends that could possibly leak light. Shoot the film in your normal manner and see if the problem resurfaces. If not, then you could replace all of the seals, or, try again with selective taping until the offending area is located.

Good Luck.

Jim N.

 

[payasam]

The front element of the J-12 is so deeply recessed that a hood should be unnecessary. Certainly a hood meant for a normal lens should not be used. That the unwanted exposure is horizontal, and its location far from top and bottom edges, is puzzling.

 

[Kim Coxon]

A couple of thoughts. The colour would suggest that if it is a light leak, it is from the front, not the back. That would tend to rule out the door on the M2. I wonder if it might be an internal reflection rather than flare. Bearing in mind it is a J12, I would have a close look at the rear element and especially the paint around the outside. If this has been chipped, it is easily replaced.

Kim

 

[VinceC]

Looks very much like a light leak.

Usually this happens if the frames in question were the first images shot after the camera had not taken pictures for awhile.
Here's what happens:
You have advanced the frame, and it's sitting there waiting to be exposed. Then you carry the camera around in sunlight, or just in daylight or bright room light. Maybe its exposed for a long time to low light , or for a short time to bright light (changing a lens in sunlight can be a culprit. The light leak fogs the film as it sits there waiting to be exposed. Then you see your decisive moment, snap the shutter and advance the film.

One way to reduce this problem is to keep the aperture closed down to f/22 when carrying the camera around, then set the aperture when ready to shoot.

 

[DeeCee3]

Eureka!!

Eureka!!

A couple of thoughts. The colour would suggest that if it is a light leak, it is from the front, not the back. That would tend to rule out the door on the M2. I wonder if it might be an internal reflection rather than flare. Bearing in mind it is a J12, I would have a close look at the rear element and especially the paint around the outside. If this has been chipped, it is easily replaced.

Kim

"By George! I think she's got it!", so said the Colonel in "My Fair Lady"...and I think you are absolutely correct, Kim. I noticed when I mounted the Jupiter that the "throat" of the lens has a hairline strip along almost the entire diameter of the base where the paint has apparently been worn away by careless screwing/unscrewing when it was used on a Zorki, or whatever.

Now how do I correct that? I could always send the lens back to the seller for replacement but I'm not eager to do that since...in all other respects...it seems to be a very good sample of the breed.

dc3

 

[VinceC]

Still not clear how a round lens element would make flat, straight-lined, straight-edged flare.

All the flare I've ever seen is circular or in some way rounded.

 

[VinceC]

My 49-year-old Nikon S3 has a modest light leak that makes a nearly identical pattern to your example, though somewhat further down on the film plane (ie., higher up in the film chamber). It does this with various lenses. It's not bad enough that I've replaced the shutter or curtains. Rather, I'm aware of it, keep the f/stops at 16 or 22, and minimize exposure to direct sunlight.

 

[Kim Coxon]

Use some flat black paint from a hobby store. If it cures the problem, I am right and everyone else is wrong and I can "crow". If not I have made a fool of myself again but that is not unususl.

Kim

"By George! I think she's got it!", so said the Colonel in "My Fair Lady"...and I think you are absolutely correct, Kim. I noticed when I mounted the Jupiter that the "throat" of the lens has a hairline strip along almost the entire diameter of the base where the paint has apparently been worn away by careless screwing/unscrewing when it was used on a Zorki, or whatever.

Now how do I correct that? I could always send the lens back to the seller for replacement but I'm not eager to do that since...in all other respects...it seems to be a very good sample of the breed.

dc3