Mamiya 7II light leak - Help needed

[diego_dm]

Hi, I own a Mamiya 7II and have experienced some light leaks. I get maybe one every 30 images, but they appear in the exact same place as a thin vertical line.

You can see it in the next image:

Has anyone had this kind of problem?
I think it happens with 220 and 35mm film (with adapter). I don't recall any with 120.

Where should I look first?

Best,
Diego.

 

[diego_dm]

Update: I figured out it does not happen in 120 because of the paper on the back side of the 120 rolls. So the light comes from behind, ie. the door...

Any clues where I might look?

 

[jvan01]

Check the foam light seals on the door and also on the part that makes contact with the door. Light is probably hitting the film roll before it's advanced to the film gate.

 

[hippocamera]

I have a similar problem - I have the effect of aperture 16 and 22 (Elmarit lens 90mm/f2.8).
What do you think?

 

[sig]

120 have paper backing all the way

 

[john_s]

If it's an occasional light leak, you could try this with your next roll. For a particular frame, expose the exterior of the camera to bright light for a reasonably long time, in all directions. Then see if the current frame or the ones adjacent are affected.

In your case, you would use 35mm film or 220.

 

[Doug]

I have a similar problem - I have the effect of aperture 16 and 22 (Elmarit lens 90mm/f2.8).
What do you think?

Yours is not a light leak; as you can see by the color of the mark, it's a dark leak. 😀 Seriously, it's the shadow of something like a hair caught in the film gate just in front of the film.

 

[diego_dm]

Thanks all for the input.

I went out yesterday an took a test, in three steps with the camera under direct sunlight.

- First I taped the right side of the door and took 5 pictures
- Second I removed the tape from the right and taped the center, and took 5 pictures
- Third, I removed tape from center and taped the left side. And took 5 pictures

I developed the film and the first 5 pictures had no leak, all the other ones had.

The conclusion is that light is coming in from the right, that means the picture is getting leaked after it has been advanced.

There is a foam there that looks good to my eyes, but maybe that's the problem. I'll try to get some foam or sth. to put there. In the meantime taping the door will do the trick.

I'll let you know when I have fixed it and how.

Do you know any materials I could use for this?