Leica IIIF Light Leak - Shutter or elsewhere?

[mgilbuena]

On my Leica IIIF, I recently had the shutter cloth replaced and all seemed well. Unfortunately, during my last outing, these light leaks appeared on my photographs. The person who repaired the shutter suggested that it may be from the seams between the shell and top plate.

Based on the experience of those on this board, from where do you believe these light leaks may be appearing? It is difficult for me check as the back does not come off on this body.

Thanks!

 

[Pioneer]

You might try using a strip of gaffers tape along that top seam to see if you can eliminate it.

 

[Vickko]

They are on the left and top of the film gate. That is where the pivot of the rangefinder arm comes through. I bet it wasn't sealed off properly. Also check if there are any screws missing on the inside top roof of the film chamber. Or missing screws at the lens mount. Or a gap at the body shell where it mates to the top cover.

One idea is to stick a tube into the lens hole, that has the same diameter as the lens opening. Then in a dark room, shine a light around the top deck and look for the light leak inside the film chamber. Maybe you'll see something. You'll have to make sure your eye only looks down the tube and into the dark film chamber.

Or do the reverse, shine the light down the tube, and while in a dark room, see if you see light coming out of the camera (there shouldn't be any). Put aluminum foil at the film gate to increase the reflectivity.

Good luck. Light leaks tend to be tricky to track down.

 

[mgilbuena]

Thank you for the replies. I previously used the camera body with a Leica Summar without issue. For this roll, I used an Industar-22 Russian lens.

The post regarding the rangefinder arm gave me some thought: Are there any possibilities that the light leak can be a result of the lens itself?

 

[Dez]

Very unlikely. It would appear to be coming from the top of the film gate. If the negatives show a dark blotch extending outside of the frame at the top, it is likely to be a gap at the top of the back where it joins the chrome top plate. The black tape experiment will tell for sure. To fix it, you will need to remove the body shell , blacken every bright surface near the leak, and reassemble, making sure there are no gaps anywhere. It's a lot easier than it sounds.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[mgilbuena]

Thanks everyone! I've taken the body shell off, blackened the edges and plugged up a bit of light that I saw coming down from through the viewfinder.

I'll give it a run this weekend and see how it does.