Light leak only on one roll

[brothernature]

Just developed film from a camera I've been using instead of my main camera after finding a light leak. Now it looks like this one has a leak too.. This happened only on one roll, but consistently throughout. The 4 rolls I processed after this one didn't have it at all. Should I send in for a CLA or just hope it was a one-off issue? It's an M2 btw.

In the attachments you can see the bright vertical lines. They stay within the frame and are spaced somewhat consistently throughout the roll. I'm guessing a leak is happening in the take up spool chamber?

 

[julio1fer]

The leak is only inside the frame, so it must be coming from the front of the camera. Looks like a gap in the shutter curtain. Maybe it happened only when a specific shutter was used, or with lens pointing to the sun?

If it went out in other rolls, either the mechanism fault solved itself, or the conditions in which the leak happens were not met.

Intriguing story.

 

[farlymac]

Light leaks in the film take-up area usually go all the way across the frame into the sprocket holes. You don't have that, there is a definite cut-off at the frame edges. Plus you would get a diffuse second strike as the leak shines through the outer layer of film on the spool, and they would travel across the frames as the film spool diameter gets larger as you work your way to the end of the roll. So I'll second Julio's assessment of the situation. Maybe you should check for a film chip in the shutter curtain guides.


PF

 

[geoffnik]

Hi - Did you resolve this issue? Ive just got the exact same issue from a roll back from my MP!

 

[Retro-Grouch]

You stated that this is your second camera. I will venture a guess that it does not see as much use; perhaps sitting for a while caused the lubricants to gum up slightly. This would possibly have the same effect as the film chips that julio1fer and farlymac suggested as the culprit. Using the camera and exercising the mechanism may have loosened up the lubricants enough that the problem disappeared.
I make it a habit to give all my less-used cameras a monthly workout session, running through all the shutter speeds and firing the shutter for the equivalent of a full roll. Keeps 'em from getting flabby and lazy, so to speak.