Light leaks - any suggestions?

[p.giannakis]

Hi everyone,

I have constantly problems with light leaks with my Zenit 12XP. I have changed the light seals twice and last time I even put electrical tape on the back and still got them!!!
I am running out of ideas as to where the light comes in from.

Here are some examples. The majority of the film looks like this:

It is not always evident though, here is a picture that came out just fine:

 

[ChrisN]

Uneven development. Are you using stand development?

 

[Greyscale]

Maybe some light slipping in from around the rewind crank?

 

[rick oleson]

First, to find the location(s) of the leaks: load the camera, advance 4 or 5 frames with a lens cap on, leave it cocked. Take the camera outdoors in the sun, without firing the shutter or advancing the film, make sure it is exposed to full sun from all directions. Now, take ONE correctly exposed picture of a recognizable subject. DO NOT ADVANCE THE FILM. Then take the camera back indoors, rewind and remove the film and have it processed. Place the developed negative strip in the back of the camera with the exposed frame in the film gate (remember that the image is upside down in the camera). Because the film never moved while the camera was exposed to sunlight, any light leaks that you see on the film will be in the same position in which they were created, and therefore will point you directly to their causes.

Second, to fix them: email jon_goodman@yahoo.com for the best light seal kits you can get.

As to the suggestion that this may be uneven development rather than light leaks: this is a possibility. Prints are not the place to look, look at the negative strip: is the film fogged in the space between the frames, and around the sprocket holes, or only within the negatives themselves? If it's leaking from anywhere other than through the shutter, the fogging will extend through the blank spaces outside of the negative frames. If it's only within the frames, it could be uneven development or it could be leaking through or around the shutter curtains.

 

[charjohncarter]

First, to find the location(s) of the leaks: load the camera, advance 4 or 5 frames with a lens cap on, leave it cocked. Take the camera outdoors in the sun, without firing the shutter or advancing the film, make sure it is exposed to full sun from all directions. Now, take ONE correctly exposed picture of a recognizable subject. DO NOT ADVANCE THE FILM. Then take the camera back indoors, rewind and remove the film and have it processed. Place the developed negative strip in the back of the camera with the exposed frame in the film gate (remember that the image is upside down in the camera). Because the film never moved while the camera was exposed to sunlight, any light leaks that you see on the film will be in the same position in which they were created, and therefore will point you directly to their causes.

Second, to fix them: email jon_goodman@yahoo.com for the best light seal kits you can get.

Rick, I know you don't do them anymore, but I want to thank you for the fine CLA you did on my 35RC. It is totally reliable now, and as I'm very careful with it I don't expect much trouble in the future. You are to be highly recommended.

 

[p.giannakis]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions - Rick's idea as to how to spot a light leak is excellent stuff. Interesting that you mention ChrisN, yes i do stand developing with my films but it seems that I get this kind of results only with films loaded in my Zenit.

Edit: I just had a look on the negatives. From Rick's suggestion, it seems that the fogging is only on the frame and it does not seep to the sprocket holes.... Hmmm.. uneven development then.... odd, i don't get this with films loaded on other cameras...

 

[ChrisN]

I've had some pretty extreme examples of this and have now abandoned stand development. It works well for some people, but not for me.

 

[Penny Lane]

For future reference, though, you can use this site as a guide to track down light leaks in a Zenit - there are quite a few possibilities. Scroll down to 'camera articles and repair info' in the left window and you'll find the article linked in the right window - I'm sorry to have to give elaborate directions but the articles won't link through on their own.

Derk