Lightleak or shutter in need of adjustment?

[coffeelatte]

Hi.
I recently bought a Mamiya 7II together with an 80/4. The camera was a store demo and in great shape. When I developed the first rolls a noticed some strange marks on the negatives. I thought I might be some lightleaks, I shoot a roll with the camera completely covered in tape in order to avoid the leaks, but the marks on the negatives were still there.

Could it perhaps be that my shutter is in need for adjustment? Or is it just lighleaks? Please take a look at these pictures.

Ps. I have tried different films.

Big thanks// Joel

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portra74 by KarlJoel, on Flickr[/IMG]

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portra52 by KarlJoel, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[Giant Ginkgo]

That doesn't look like any light leak I've seen... Usually it would be aiming towards white, not a pollution-ish brown.

Perhaps something is getting onto the film from inside the camera? Is that brown line continuous between shots, or is it clearly separate from each other? (It is wider on the right side than on the left in the color image, does it stay wide on the left on the next frame and begin where it previously ended, or does it 'reset?')

 

[peteography]

I can see why you'd think a light leak, but that would be a shape (but not tone as mentioned by Ginkgo) consistent with a focal plane shutter, whilst the M7 uses leaf shutters.

Ginkgo seems to be right in thinking chemical stain; I was a little worried about it being over two rolls but it seems the second image is a bw conversion rather than actual bw film?

 

[ronnies]

Is it perhaps a dirty film roller or patch in the film path which deposits a stain when the film comes to rest on it? It's not necessarily part of the exposure process.

Ronnie

 

[G1DRP]

If it was light leak, it would be lighter in that area and not darker.
Have a look at the rear of the lens. I'm tempted to think there is a hair or a long fibre there as the marks look more like shadows to me.
The Mamiya 7 is a wonderful camera.

 

[pschauss]

I had a similar problem with my Rolleicord (leaf shutter). I sent it to Krikor for a complete CLA along with a print showing the problem. He said that it was a light leak. After he overhauled the shutter and replaced the light seals and film counter the problem was gone.

 

[coffeelatte]

Thanks for the answers.
First, the B/W image is a tri-x 400 processed by myself, the colour one is Portra processed by a lab.
This problem occurs to all my films, developed by myself or by lab. It is always in the upper part of the image, horizontal along the sky. Sometimes it’s more like a “cloudy” line and sometimes it is a straight “sharp” line.
I have not been able to find any visibly faults on the camera, it looks brand new.
I’ve been starting to investigate the possibility that perhaps my scanner is the problem. I’ve not been able to see any of the lines on the negative, while looking at them over a light. Although the lines appear on the same place every time I scan the negatives. I have the Epson v750 PRO.
I am grateful for all of you support, Big thanks!

 

[Dwig]

...Sometimes it’s more like a “cloudy” line and sometimes it is a straight “sharp” line. ...

Its almost certainly some obstruction between the lens and the film, like G1DRP said. If you have records, check the aperture used for the shots and compare it to the sharpness of the line. If it is an obstruction, the images with the sharper line will have been shot at a smaller aperture.

 

[skibeerr]

A line like that, you should be able to see it on a 6X7 negative.

I think you are right in suspecting the scanner. Perhaps you can scan on a friends scanner/ scan a neg. you know to be good or get a darkroom print to check this.

 

[FrankS]

Check the negative. This will indicate if the problem originates from the camera or the scanner.

 

[maddoc]

I would take one roll of even illuminated surfaces (walls) under different light conditions and have that one roll professionally developed and scanned to exclude any uncertainties.

 

[Terry Christian]

Mount the negative strip in your scanner upside-down and see if the mark moves with it. If it does, it's the scanner. If remains in the same place, that means it's on your negative and is mostly likely a light leak or something gunky in the film advance path.