Light leak or lens flare?

[Tessar.]

Hi, I just got some scans back from the lab and am in two minds whether the "flare" in the corners on a lot of the frames are from lens flare (Jupiter 12 late black model) or from a light leak from either the shutter or the camera back (Fed 3 camera).

I know that the Jupiter 12 can be a bit prone to flare, but in bright overcast conditions it seems a bit much!


batsford_c1 by Tessar., on Flickr

Your opinions would be greatly appreciated, I guess the next step is to shoot a film with a different lens...

Thanks!

 

[Highway 61]

Howzabout looking directly at the negatives yourself ??? This would tell you whether it's flare or a light leak in less than a second to find it out.

Why ? Well, because a light leak would have spreaded outside the frame, between the film sprocket holes and such, while flare wouldn't go much outside the frame.

In case of a light leak, it comes from the front of the film (blue cast). A light leak coming from the rear of the film would have an orange cast.

 

[Steve M.]

Light leak. There's nothing where that is coming from other than the side of that building on the right. On the left that MIGHT be flare, but since it's a Fed, I'd go w/ light leaks on both sides. I have way too much experience w/ this sort of thing, unfortunately. In my case, the next step was to buy a Bessa R. Shazam, end of problems. I doubt it's the back. It was always the shutter on mine. Nice colour, great lens. Get a decent camera for it.

 

[Tessar.]

Thanks for the quick replies. Hadn't thought to check the negs lol, looks like there's nothing outside of the frame on the negs and the colour is just dark orange ie whitish.

Sadly it does look like it's from the front onto the picture area so I guess the curtains. Shame as it's a nice camera to use and it's one of those painted black ebay jobs. Exposures look spot on, and yes, looks like a really nice j12 copy. I'll try it on my Canon P and see what I get...

I like the colours too, the film is Portra 160vc, one of my favourites!

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Do you have another lens to try?

My FED-2 has no light leaks. I don't recall this camera types to be prone for light leaks, like Kievs for example.

 

[Tessar.]

Hi, yes, I have an Industar 61ld I can try, which I know is fine.

 

[Joao]

Remove the lens and the back and point the camera to a strong light source before and after cocking the shutter; you may be able to see if there is light crossing the curtains in some areas.
Depending on the size of the lightleaking area, you may try a temporary repair using black ink (the kind used to paint t-shirts).
Good luck
Joao

 

[Tessar.]

I'll give it a try, I have some gutta paint I used to use to repair bellows on old folders.

 

[julio1fer]

Does not look like a light leak. The corners are flared.

I had a similar problem with a J-12.

Take the lens out and check carefully the edges of the big element in the back. In my lens, black paint had flaked out, and this was causing a "positive vignetting", with illuminated corners, quite as in your example.

Painting with a black marker, over the glass edge that should have been painted, solved the problem in my case, but YMMV. In any case it is an easy check to make.