New guy with issues – light leak issues

[NathanJD]

Hello everyone! I know it’s not polite to begin by asking a question so here’s a little intro:

My name’s Nathan and I’m a cameraholic. I have been into photography for years thanks to my grandfather and his praktica SLR (now my praktica SLR) and I have recently joined the ranks of FSU rangefinder owners since 2 eBay purchases got me a FED 2 and a Zorki 4K. I’m a reasonably capable tinker and have relubed the Industar lens and completely fixed the zorky that was in a helluva state when I received it, thanks to the fantastic tutorials on this site and others (but mostly this site).

Time for the question 😀

I had my first roll of film developed from the FED today and I have a light leak!! I don’t have any digital pics I could show you but the leak comes from the very top edge of the film (bottom of the pic) and splashes across the middle. I have been all over the camera body with a torch and the only leak I have spotted is when I shine a torch through the hole where the lens goes and look down the edge of the curtain I can see light along the bottom of the grove that the curtain runs through.

I’ve noticed that the Zorki has a velvety skirt (like that on the mouth of a film cassette) along the inside of the curtain groove, and my FED doesn’t.

So, in your opinions, is this likely to be my problem? And should there be one of these velvety skirt thingys there?

Many many thanks in advance for any help!!

Nathan.

 

[NathanJD]

Thanks Richard, that's just how mine is, the second curtain is naturally that much further away being behind the first curtain though - there may be a leak from the rear i haven't spotted 😕

 

[fanshaw]

Do you know whether the leak is coming from the back or front of the body? If you used colour film a white patch on the print indicates a front leak, while an orange patch indicates a leak from the back.

 

[NathanJD]

I had used black and white film, and the leak was on the winding notches as well as the exposed area, so i felt after richard's post that it must be a rear issue.

I had one of those 3am eureka moments this morning - maybe it's not leaking around the area of the shutters, what if it's leaking where the film rests when it has been advanced?

My fed has strap lugs, I just blew gently through the one on the take up spool side and air can get through, and of course, if that air is getting through on a reasonably straight path, light may be able to too!

My plan, should this be the cause of my problem, is to cover the inside of the strap lug rivet with a square of insulation tape as a ‘quick fix’ – because the gum on insulation tape is very prone to rapid aging and tends to become a mess quite quickly, does anyone have any suggestions as to a more permanent solution?

 

[Frank Lambert]

Just a thought.... how about some black RTV (sealing compound). I have not had to do that but, it seems reasonable that it should work and, it would be more stable than tape. good luck Nathan...

 

[januaryman]

Or, if it's still sold, "Liquid Solder" would do it, if applied thinly in multiple coats.

 

[NathanJD]

Good thinking fellas! i'm gonna patch it with the tape and see if that really is the cause (i'm 99% sure) and if it is i'll impliment something like that 😉

 

[NathanJD]

Damn. I developed the second roll of film from my FED last night and the light leak problem persists! I'm still confident that the problem is located by the take-up spool but may be due to a poorly fitting camera back - I noticed yesterday as I was using up my film that the back 'rocks' somewhat with a clicking sound and doesn't sit snugly in place. I think I’ll get some soft string and glue it up in the channel that receives the camera back; as it is in my Zorki and some other old SLRs I’ve seen.

I've just ordered a scanner, so I may post up the effected images shortly 😉

 

[fanshaw]

I find that black knitting wool is best. It is easily compressed. String may be too hard, so the back may be difficult to close.

 

[pvdhaar]

Also check for missing/loose screws that hold the top plate to the main body.. Where the screws are missing or loose, light can enter the main body's inside.

 

[NathanJD]

Thanks both, there doesn't seem to be any screws missing, although there is a recess in the top of the backplate where the thoothed advance spool sits, this seems to be a weak spot in the design to my mind.

Anyway, i now have a scanner and this is the problem:

 

[pvdhaar]

The examples make it a lot easier to know where the leak originates; the picture is formed reversed and upside down on the film, so the leak is near the top of the back of the camera. Perhaps it's indeed where this recess is near the back. You could put some black tape over it and do a test roll?