Hasselblad Light Leaks? Help!

[jacobtaylor]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a new Hasselblad owner, I got it a week ago, and I just got my first roll scanned. Most of the photos came out great, but the last two on the roll has what look like light leaks. I'm curious if anyone can diagnose whether this is a dark slide issue or maybe a lens seal issue. Everything I bought is in Ex+ or mint condition and is all meant to have been CLA'd in the last 6 months.

This is a 503CW with both a 150mm & 120mm Macro.

Thank you in advance for you help!

Jacob

 

[mfogiel]

These look a bit strange - have you kept the unexposed shots for a while in camera without the dark slide inserted? If yes, it could be a lateral light leak through the seals, but it would not make sense if you took them one after another quickly. Another chance could be flare caused by lateral sun reflection, particularly if these were taken with the 120 MP without the hood. That lens is well known for poor flare control.

 

[jacobtaylor]

These were taken the same day and the second photo was taken just before the camera was unloaded. These were taken with the 120mm Macro without a hood, although I didn't notice any flaring when looking through the prism.

 

[Swift1]

Looks like a dark slide slot leak to me.
My Hasselblad is doing something similar

 

[crosseyed-cricket]

Looks like the leak I had in in the seal for the dark slide. In my case, the seals were fine, but the dark slide was a little bent which was holding the seals slightly open in some cases. A new flat dark slide fixed it for me.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I agree with previous comments. Change the light seals in the magazine and inspect dark slide. Whilst the location and pattern of the fogging is atypical for faulty seals, clearly the light rays are coming in from the direction of the slot. Should be an easy fix. Seals are available cheaply via Eg eBay, and usually come with fitting instructions if needed.
Cheers
Brett

 

[Rob-F]

Beside the dark slide seal, another thing that can cause a light leak on the right side of the film back (left side of the picture) is a misalignment of the winding coupling mechanism, which is a sort of gear in a slot in the film back. If it's wrong, the back gets kicked away from the camera body--only slightly, but enough to cause a leak. It happened to me, and I sent the back in for a CLA, which fixed it.

 

[Richard G]

I have couple of frames early in the recent roll of Velvia that have light leaks. I don't understand much about Hasselblad light leaks. For instance, why is a light seal problem in the dark slide slot supposed to cause a problem on the left side of the image... If indeed that is the case. Mine is on the right side of the image. It is in the much newer back, with serial number over one million. That back sits tight but with a very slight wobble but no gap between body and back. I always use my thumb to attach the backs. My much older 100,000 plus serial number back is very tight on the camera.

Could this be the lens? I Presume I used the hood for the Distagon 60 as I always do. Another shot looking in the opposite direction has a less intense leak. In this direction the light is coming from the right and the dark slide slot is in shadow.

Could this be the dark slide not quite being in for a time after loading the camera? That sharp cut-of of the densest light mark should have some explanation.



Velvia 100 Hasselblad 500CM Distagon 60 3.5 by Richard, on Flickr

 

[Guest]

I check the light seals on my backs every couple of years. About twenty five years ago I went back to the UK and ruined a bunch of films because of bad light seals.
To be honest it is better in my opinion to store the film backs

ON THE CAMERA WITHOUT THE DARK SLIDE INSERTED.

This allows the sponge part to be expanded, when the slide is in, it squashes it down and after time the sponge can stay squashed for a longer time than you want.
Not much you can do about the spare backs, unless they are empty of course.

Anyhow, those light marks look just like mine did. It’s an easy job replacing the seals.