Leica MP / Lightleak?

[johnny.moped]

Hi,

I got these strange streaks on my images
Especially visible when shooting in portrait format and underexposing a bit.

I think development can be ruled out as the streaks are always on the same position (throughout various films) and the films are developed hanging in large tanks (don't know the english word for this).

First I thought that the scanner might be the problem, but also here the streaks stay in the same position no matter how I place the negative (90°, upside down etc.).

So my only conclusion would be that these are caused be lightleaks, but I can't really be sure how and where the light should get in (Leica MP).

Has anybody seen something like this before?

thanks,

daniel

 

[Erik van Straten]

No, those streaks are no light leak. Then they would be light, not dark, as these.

I think you have a dirty shutter. Just check the sides of the curtains of the shutter. When using high speeds, like 1/1000, when the slit is narrow, dirt can cause those streaks.

Erik.

 

[Dwig]

No, those streaks are no light leak. Then they would be light, not dark, as these.

I think you have a dirty shutter. Just check the sides of the curtains of the shutter. When using high speeds, like 1/1000, when the slit is narrow, dirt can cause those streaks.

Erik.

I agree.

The OP should review their images with an eye to the shutter speeds used to see if the streaks appear only in bright light situations where higher speeds are used.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Light leaks show as fiery and irregular intrusions of wild color (on color film). I had an M6TTL that had them, and these are not leaks. However, in addition to the shutter, check the pressure plate and see if the lines appear on the emulsion side or the other side.

Best of luck!

 

[newsgrunt]

my guess is processing error. dirty rollers if from a lab.

 

[johnny.moped]

Thanks guys, but how do I check and/or clean a dirty shutter?
Opening it in bulb mode and then inspect the sides of the curtains?

 

[johnny.moped]

my guess is processing error. dirty rollers if from a lab.

Its from a small lab, but they do hang the film in tanks. so no rollers or anything else is touching the film.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Opening it in bulb mode and then inspect the sides of the curtains?

Good idea, let us know what you see. If the sides of the curtains are clean, there must be another explanation.

Dirty rollers from a lab are not probable, because the streaks are only visible on one half of the images. Dirty rollers would show even lines over the whole film.

Erik.

 

[Ronald M]

Sounds as if processing is ruled out correctly.

I have had the same or similar streaks caused by a faulty shutter. Camera went to DAG and he screwed around 6 months without solving the issue. Must say DAG is my favorite repair person.

There is an older Japanese man in Georga who said a new shutter is required. That solved the problem. I sent him a second camera with same issue which was resolved the same way.

My streaks only showed at high shutter speeds (125 or 250 or greater) AND I COULD NOT fog a frame with lens off , shutter cocked or not. DAG used a flash and could not get fogged spots.

I really do not understand how a shutter could do this, but the change resolved the problem.

Best of luck

 

[johnny.moped]

Didn't really see any "dirt" on the curtain edges.
Cautious "cleaned" them anyway with some dust off spray.
Also put in a new film and did some test-shots against the blue sky with shutter speed from 1/60 to 1/1000.
But will take some time until the film is finished.

I really can't imagine how some "dirt" on the curtain edges can do this?
Does it spray the dirt on the negative while exposing?

 

[Erik van Straten]

I really can't imagine how some "dirt" on the curtain edges can do this?
Does it spray the dirt on the negative while exposing?

No, at 1/1000 the slit between the curtains is very narrow. When there is some dirt in that narrow slit, it will cause those streaks. A friend of mine had the same problem with an M6TTL. At Leica they cleaned the interior of the camera with a special mini-vacuum cleaner and the problem was solved.

The slit becomes broader during its travel to compensate the accelleration of the speed of the curtains. That's why the streaks appear only on one side of the frame, the side were the slit starts its travel.

The best thing is to have the camera serviced. It is also possible that the slit at 1/1000 is too narrow. Then you will get streaks too.

Erik.

 

[johnny.moped]

Thanks Erik!

 

[V-12]

I just don't see how the slit in the shutter can cause streaks of different density? A slow or fast shutter would cause a more uniform band of different density. Underexposed streaks on the emulsion would imply obstructions in the light path.

I think this is contamination during the processing stage, but you'll send your camera off for repair, by the time you get it back the lab have cleaned the machine out, and bingo, the repairman fixed your camera.

V

 

[sanmich]

I tried to calculate this (I've seen this problem on several cameras):
36mm frame at 1/50 sec gives a physical speed of 1800 mm/sec
to get a 1/1000 exposure, the slit is therefore 1.8mm
any dirt protruding into the slit (either side) by say, 0.6mm will reduce exposure by 1/3.
yup, sounds logical...

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

I've had similar lines appear on frames from my M2, although they seem to have stopped recently.

 

[Erik van Straten]

The best thing is not to use the 1/1000 at all, unless the camera is recently serviced by a first class tech.

Erik.

 

[johnny.moped]

I just don't see how the slit in the shutter can cause streaks of different density? A slow or fast shutter would cause a more uniform band of different density. Underexposed streaks on the emulsion would imply obstructions in the light path.

At first I also could not understand how this can be related, but Eriks explanation sounds pretty logical to me.

Also have a look here:
http://photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/00cXmT
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/classics/forum/messages/2/24383.html?1336242387

 

[johnny.moped]

I got the test film (shot against the sky with 1/1000 thru 1/60) developed and everything seems to be fine now.
Though I didn't see any dirt while inspecting the curtain edges, cautiously cleaning them with an air can seems to have helped.

thank you guys!