How light tight is good enough?

[KenD]

Hi RRF'ers,

What thoughts do people have as to how light tight is "good enough" on vintage cameras. I've got a few oldies that have persisting light leaks after servicing (and re-servicing). They show pronounced leaks after an hour's light bathing in full sun. They are OK with 15 minutes in diffuse heavy overcast.

Any ideas as to what constitutes a "reasonable" test of light tightness? Am I expecting too much in thinking light tight means 100% light tight even on old FSU's?

Ken

 

[MRohlfing]

Am I expecting too much in thinking light tight means 100% light tight even on old FSU's?

100% - unless you put the camera on a shelf and do not take pictures with it - or you want the "unique vintage light leak look"

If you want to make a camera light tight, you could contact kameradoktor@aol.com (http://www.kameradoktor.de/)
The website is in German, but if you write him an email, he might be able to respond in English. He produces and sells light sealing kits for most cameras at a very reasonable price.

Michael

 

[PhotoJim]

The damage will depend on the ISO, too. Acceptable leakage with ISO 50 film might be unacceptable with ISO 400 or 800.

I agree that a properly functioning camera should not leak light at all. I have a lot of cameras (23) but 22 of them have no leaking. (My Kiev 4A does leak and it's going off for repair soon.)

 

[Gumby]

Totally light tight is a reasonable and necessary expectation. If a camera isn't, either it has damage (like a warped door) or the workmanship/materials of the seal replacement job was not up to par.

 

[sauerwald]

I would say that it also depends on the type of camera. Light tight requirements would be a lot tighter for a 35mm roll film camera which could reasonably expect to be protecting a roll of film from light for several days, than for a view camera which is not used to hold film in it for much time beyond what it takes for the exposure.

 

[Gumby]

This Leicaflex fell 8000 meters into the California desert.

That camera looks pretty good for falling that far. I dropped a Nikon down a narrow mine shaft - only about 100 ft - and it looked much worse. Of course, it was bouncing off of a metal ladder and the rock wall all the way down.

 

[FallisPhoto]

Hi RRF'ers,

What thoughts do people have as to how light tight is "good enough" on vintage cameras. I've got a few oldies that have persisting light leaks after servicing (and re-servicing). They show pronounced leaks after an hour's light bathing in full sun. They are OK with 15 minutes in diffuse heavy overcast.

Any ideas as to what constitutes a "reasonable" test of light tightness? Am I expecting too much in thinking light tight means 100% light tight even on old FSU's?

Ken

If the people who have been servicing it have returned it without the light leaks being fixed, then you need to take it somewhere else, because they are no good at all at it.