Brad Bireley
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Iskra light leak help?
- Thread starter Brad Bireley
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Xmas
Veteran
Brad
Looks sky colour so one might hazard from the front of the film, e.g. bellows hole, perhaps dark room with torch in camera or look from inside camera, it need only be a pin hole and fabric paint might be enough?
Do you open camera take photo and close it again?
Noel
Looks sky colour so one might hazard from the front of the film, e.g. bellows hole, perhaps dark room with torch in camera or look from inside camera, it need only be a pin hole and fabric paint might be enough?
Do you open camera take photo and close it again?
Noel
Last edited:
JonP
Established
From the look of the light mark on the left edge I'd say there is a hole in the bellows on the right, about half way down the edge. from the central mark it would suggest a reflection - off the lens? - which would mean the hole would be on one of the pleates that face you . I hazard a guess that the sun wasbehind you on your right.
Only rason for this is my Iskra had a hole on the other side of the pleat that gave a sharp cut off edge to the leak and no reflection mark
Try Black 3D fabric paint (Tulip brand) for a temporary fix. I'm just leak testing mine now.
JonP
Only rason for this is my Iskra had a hole on the other side of the pleat that gave a sharp cut off edge to the leak and no reflection mark
Try Black 3D fabric paint (Tulip brand) for a temporary fix. I'm just leak testing mine now.
JonP
Xmas
Veteran
Brad
if you do try paint try several coats and then leave the bellows undisturbed for a looooooong time.
Noel
if you do try paint try several coats and then leave the bellows undisturbed for a looooooong time.
Noel
JonP
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Brad Bireley
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I just painted the bellows with fabric paint. I hope it works because I want to use the camera on Sunday. I'll probably send it to Jurgen to get new bellows.
optikhit
Photo gear player
Are that light leak or just flare? I also have some kind of problems like this in my Iskra.
Xmas
Veteran
optikhit
It could be flare but if you use a hood you should only see flare with sun in picture.
Flare would normally bs an image of sun or more general exposure, the image after reflection and refraction through the lens elements and periphery bright areas.
Bellows holes are like pin hole camera images of sun, but as the camera is moved from unfolding through exposure to refolding, the image will be a 'line'.
You need light source (bulb) and dark room, the leak need only be a pin hole. A patch like the fabric paint might be enough, new bellows real expensive even in UK... One needs to only paint the hole and let it dry in open condition, at least 24 hours as G-man suggests, and then hope this is a complete repair.
It it is not a complete cure a really small fabric patch and glue... not easy.
Good luck
Noel
It could be flare but if you use a hood you should only see flare with sun in picture.
Flare would normally bs an image of sun or more general exposure, the image after reflection and refraction through the lens elements and periphery bright areas.
Bellows holes are like pin hole camera images of sun, but as the camera is moved from unfolding through exposure to refolding, the image will be a 'line'.
You need light source (bulb) and dark room, the leak need only be a pin hole. A patch like the fabric paint might be enough, new bellows real expensive even in UK... One needs to only paint the hole and let it dry in open condition, at least 24 hours as G-man suggests, and then hope this is a complete repair.
It it is not a complete cure a really small fabric patch and glue... not easy.
Good luck
Noel
Tarzak
Well-known
fidget
Lemon magnet
A good way to start to eliminate the source of leaks is to allow a couple of frames to be taken whilst the lens is covered, so that you can be confident that what you get is a real leak from elsewhere. On any new (old) camera I shoot at least three frames like this. This allows for leaks from outside the film aperture to be registered on an empty frame whilst sitting on the spool etc.
If you have access to a darkroom and are looking for bellows leaks, put pieces of B&W paper inside against each side of the bellows, one up against the back of the lens, one right across the film aperture and spools. Toast in bright light for a while then develop. See what you caught. Good luck...
If you have access to a darkroom and are looking for bellows leaks, put pieces of B&W paper inside against each side of the bellows, one up against the back of the lens, one right across the film aperture and spools. Toast in bright light for a while then develop. See what you caught. Good luck...
Xmas
Veteran
Tarzack
Yes, but maybe not, the top of the bellows is more 'exposed' in that it is not protected by the baseplate at all, the bottom of the bellows is shielded by the baseplate, and not exposed to direct sunlight in a 6x6 folder where the camera is used horizontally.
If the day was cloudy or the sun was shielded by your body and there was a top of bellows hole then the non desired image is a pinhole photo of the sky, it might be restricted in area by the pleats of the bellows, as your sample seems to be.
Fidget's (Dave's) diagnostics may help you to localise or dark room and light may be used. If you do the tests (a bask in sun with lens cap on for shutter release) on a tripod then the image may be more easy recognised
If it was lens flare I would have expected it to be more general (i.e.extended), but I'd always use the camera with a deep lens hood anyway, independent of faults like this. My FSU lenses give more extensive flare, when stress tested, even with the deep hoods I use. A large camera shop normally has a cardboard box full of old lens hoods, sometimes cheap.
You can do a flare test in a darkened room, it is easy for a lens with foggy interior optics to flare.
If it is a hood pinhole you may find several pinholes if you look carefully, if there is one there probably is several. Greyhound or FrankS says to leave the bellows for 48 hours after spotting the bellows holes with black fabric paint, I'd err on side of caution.
Noel
Yes, but maybe not, the top of the bellows is more 'exposed' in that it is not protected by the baseplate at all, the bottom of the bellows is shielded by the baseplate, and not exposed to direct sunlight in a 6x6 folder where the camera is used horizontally.
If the day was cloudy or the sun was shielded by your body and there was a top of bellows hole then the non desired image is a pinhole photo of the sky, it might be restricted in area by the pleats of the bellows, as your sample seems to be.
Fidget's (Dave's) diagnostics may help you to localise or dark room and light may be used. If you do the tests (a bask in sun with lens cap on for shutter release) on a tripod then the image may be more easy recognised
If it was lens flare I would have expected it to be more general (i.e.extended), but I'd always use the camera with a deep lens hood anyway, independent of faults like this. My FSU lenses give more extensive flare, when stress tested, even with the deep hoods I use. A large camera shop normally has a cardboard box full of old lens hoods, sometimes cheap.
You can do a flare test in a darkened room, it is easy for a lens with foggy interior optics to flare.
If it is a hood pinhole you may find several pinholes if you look carefully, if there is one there probably is several. Greyhound or FrankS says to leave the bellows for 48 hours after spotting the bellows holes with black fabric paint, I'd err on side of caution.
Noel
Tarzak
Well-known
Noel and Dave, thanks for your advice.
No access to darkroom, so that test is not an option.
I will do the darkened room with a bright light test.
It should not be lens flare as the sun was not falling on to the lens and the shape of the undesired 'image' is constant with other shots (see pics). Therefore not clouds - I did like that idea though.
No access to darkroom, so that test is not an option.
I will do the darkened room with a bright light test.
It should not be lens flare as the sun was not falling on to the lens and the shape of the undesired 'image' is constant with other shots (see pics). Therefore not clouds - I did like that idea though.
