Moskva 4 light leak - what is going on?

It sure looks like what I got with a hole in the bellows. That could explain its intermittancy, as the bellows may not open exactly every time.
 
The flickr photo is from my Moskva 5 and I can confirm it has several tiny holes and one ever-so-slightly larger hole in the bellows.
 
Blimey - didn't expect to find the camera in question's owner here! Hope you didn't mind me posting the link.

You are quite right, Andrew, I haven't fixed it yet - a case of too many things I really must do in the time available... I also made the mistake of asking a bookbinder about Charles' "bookbinder's glue", and learnt far more than I ever wanted to about boiling bones for glue. Really should do it before the next Lake District holiday, in September, though.

Sikario, where are your holes (as the bishop said to the actress)? The one I've found is somewhere in a corner of the bellows behind the folding front - as I'm looking for it in the dark and can only see it when I have the light just so, I can't be anywhere more exact than that at the moment. It just doesn't seem to fit with where the leak appears on the film.

Adrian
 
Muggins said:
I know I'm dragging this thread up from the dead a bit...

But I accidentally discovered this on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sikario/476672247/sizes/o/

I get the impression from one of the replies that it is caused by light reflecting past the pressure plate from the red window, and the leak is startlingly like mine to look at.

Any thoughts?

Incidentally, I've mentioned elsewhere that I've found a pinhole in the bellows, but it's not in a place that makes sense for my leak - has this guy a point?

Cheers,

Adrian
Click to expand...

I was noticing in the photo you posted earlier that your red windows need to be replaced (faded and one spot of the red flaked off), but thought that couldn't be it, since everyone is saying that the leak came from in front of the film. Go to an office supply store and get some red file tabs (the kind for hanging files). They are cheap, work well, and are just the right size to cut up for replacements. You also might consider putting a black felt gasket under the pressure plate.
 
I think the photo makes the windows look worse than they are but, seeing as I need to do a bunch of other stuff to it, I think I will take a good look at them as soon as I get half a chance. Sadly, that may not be very soon... But I'll post here when I do.

Adrian
 
Muggins, I don't mind at all. :p

Here is a photo of the main hole in the fold of the bellows...

lightleakek8.jpg
 
Thanks - it looks bigger than mine (which I struggle to find) but in much the same place. So it probably is much the same problem. Work definitely required!

Now all I need is a bit of time (whatever that is?).

Adrian
 
Best to replace the bellows. Any patching up may not last long. Also new holes may soon appear as the bellows are already in a bad state.
 
Muggins said:
Thanks - it looks bigger than mine (which I struggle to find) but in much the same place. So it probably is much the same problem. Work definitely required!

Now all I need is a bit of time (whatever that is?).

Adrian
Click to expand...

What are the exact dimensions of your bellows? I have a few spares that might fit.
 
I'll try to measure them up tonight, Charles, though if I don't it will probably be next week before I get a chance to. So if I'm quiet for a while, you know why.

Adrian
 
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