M6TTL Light leak?

[nobbylon]

I was just looking back through some negs and found a recurrent fault that I had originally put down to processing. 2 different films, sunny conditions. frames random. M6TTL. Any thoughts as to where the leak is coming from. On 2 of the frames there is some orange in the centre of the frame as well. 6 frames in 4x36 rolls. Day is not going well after my film processing disaster! :bang: Leica reliability eh?
Looks like the R8 will get some exercise this week along with my arms carrying it around!
I have to say that in all the time I used Nikon's (SLR's) I never had any of these problems.
beer time😀

 

[Krosya]

from rear film door, maybe? try putting some black tape around it and see if problem goes away.

 

[TJV]

orange fogging means the light is coming from the back. Check the seals around the door and how tightly the base plate fits.

 

[nobbylon]

thx guys, i took it in this morning so will wait and see what happens
regards j

 

[nobbylon]

TJV, just out of interest, why does fogging from rear of film cause orange, is it any different when it is fogged from the front?
regards j

 

[lawrence]

M6TTL Light Leak

M6TTL Light Leak

I now seem to have a similar leak in my M6TTL. I wonder if you managed to resolve the problem and, if so, what the solution was.

 

[laptoprob]

orange...

orange...

TJV, just out of interest, why does fogging from rear of film cause orange, is it any different when it is fogged from the front?
regards j

Unexposed film is not transparent. therefore light coming from behind has to pass through the backing to get to the lightsensitive fromt. That causes the orange colour.
I had a lightleak in my IIf that looked like vertical streaks of lightning. This was caused by light leaking through the front. Around the - absent - low speeds dial should be a bit of black paperlike stuff that blocks the light. Coming from the front this caused whitish streaks.

Leaks from the back can easily be cured with strips of self-adhesive black felt. Make sure no little threads from the felt get lost in the camera!

 

[lawrence]

Trouble is that it's really hard to find where the light is leaking from -- the back fits snugly and there are no holes to be seen. Here's an example of the light leak...

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Lawrence, I had the exact same problem... and only a refurbishing at the Leica place in New Jersey took care of the problem. Since you're in the UK, probably CR Lutton is the best choice. Otherwise, you're closer to Germany and Leica...

Sorry about wrecking your hopes. Take care!

 

[laptoprob]

Lawrence, can you give us more clues? Do the fuzzy streaks cross over multiple negatives? Beginning of roll? End of roll or everywhere or random?
Doesn't look like back door to me.
Nobbylons orange blurs on lower left and right bottom are created by light getting through the top of the back door. And being partly sheltered by the pressure plate. The little vertical bits in the middle must be a projection of parts close to the film (sharp edges) inside the back door.

What got edited in your post by the way, Nobbylon?

 

[lawrence]

It seems to happen around frames 4,5 & 6 but it doesn't always happen, just occasionally. It doesn't happen at all on any of my other camera, just the M6TTL. I may take Solares' suggestion and send it to Leica Luton (I've dealt with Peter in the past and he's very good).

 

[laptoprob]

Huh? When it happens it is always around frames 4, 5 and 6? Strange. Could even be a light leak happening outside the camera? Error with development?
The light streak shows a movement I can't understand happening in the camera. Especially since it crosses frame borders.

 

[nobbylon]

Sorry for the late reply, have been away. I did take it back to the seller, Henny Hoogeveen in Noordwijk and they claimed to have sorted it, no chance. So having lost faith in Henny's I took it over to Will van Manen last week who replaced the light shield which is under the rear door hinge, which incidentally was too short on mine so whoever did it last time did it wrongly. He also fitted two pieces of foam on the vertical sides of the body where the door fits and a strip of foam on the actual door at the bottom. Apparently this is how they are done now from the factory. I've not tested it yet but have every faith that this has sorted it.
As regards the post editing, I have no clue! I do wish that whoever edits posts would be courteous enough to let people know what is being edited. Suppossed to be a forum with free voice and I don't believe anything I ever post could offend or break rules but then I would never know if the editing is done underhand. shame.

 

[lawrence]

That's interesting. Given the position of the leak mine has, light entering via the rear door seems most likely. So now, after about 50 years, they've decided to put some foam there? Bizarre.

 

[tmfabian]

Trouble is that it's really hard to find where the light is leaking from -- the back fits snugly and there are no holes to be seen. Here's an example of the light leak...

that to me looks like residue of first half of dev has prevented proper fixing. I've seen similar results from students who had grease left over on their hands after eating and handling the film. Just my experience though since I've never had a light leak

 

[nobbylon]

here's some photos of the new seals

 

[lawrence]

that to me looks like residue of first half of dev has prevented proper fixing. I've seen similar results from students who had grease left over on their hands after eating and handling the film. Just my experience though since I've never had a light leak

Thanks for your suggestion but no it isn't. I have many cameras -- too many in fact -- and I have only had this result with the M6TTL. Also, I've had over 35 yrs developing my own films and I have never previously had results like this (no change in my technique, I may add).

 

[lawrence]

here's some photos of the new seals

Many thanks for the photos, they're very interesting. I think I'm getting the fogging near the beginning of the film because one tends to wind on to get ready and then leave the film in the camera for a bit. Subesquent frames aren't left in the same position for as long i.e. film is being wound on continuously as you are shooting something. Consequently the early frames tend to get the fogging as they are 'exposed' for longer.

Leica needs to think about retro-fitting these strips but it is almost unbelievable that it's taken this long to find the problem! I'll phone Leica Luton this afternoon and thanks again for the photos.