Oly Pen - light leak? shutter issue? what the?!

[Cale Arthur]

Hey All.. so, after printing a few proofs from my new-to-me Olympus Pen (the original, one-lug viewfinder model), it would appear that there's some kind of problem.. i just don't know what kind exactly. When i first saw the below print (please pardon the darkroom/scanning errors), i thought the 'streak' in the center of some of the shots might be a light leak. So, i resealed the camera a second time, ran another test roll, developed and printed it, and the same problem was there. To make this issue even more spicy: when the aperture is set anywhere between f3.5 and f11, this problem seems to disappear. It would seem that the majority of the time this is occurring at f16 and f22.

Here's a few other facts i've used to try to sort this out:

1) this problem didn't occur on the roll of BW400cn that i used to run an initial test on the camera.
2) the other rolls that i've processed this week from other cameras didn't have any issues, so i guess i can rule out a cracked tank lid.
3) i can't detect a leak from the shutter itself, after holding a small light up to it with my eye at the film plane.
4) the door seems to fit properly, and is not damaged in any way that i can see.

Has anyone experienced this before? I'm prepared for something intensely obvious that i've overlooked.. Any ideas on this would certainly be much appreciated!

 

[grainy_shadows]

this may be a bit off topic, but how did u scan those pictures

on a flatbed of contact sheet or negatives laid out?

 

[Cale Arthur]

this may be a bit off topic, but how did u scan those pictures

on a flatbed of contact sheet or negatives laid out?

Scanned from a printed proof sheet.. for some reason, i can't make the pics small enough to post w/o them looking terrible.

 

[VictorM.]

Although the bright area on the print does look like a light leak, the fact it occurs at really small lens openings means you should carefully check the centre of the lens for any small defects.

 

[Cale Arthur]

Although the bright area on the print does look like a light leak, the fact it occurs at really small lens openings means you should carefully check the centre of the lens for any small defects.

Very interesting, Victor. It looks like i need to re-evaluate my lens checking technique - under close inspection with a loupe, it does look like there are 2 *very* small cleaning marks near the center of the front element. Beyond that, there appears to be some odd (also very tiny) debris somewhere in the inner elements as well. I can't perform as thorough of an inspection as i'd like, as the bulb setting fires as 1/25, thus i have no way to keep the shutter open.

Something else i've noticed: the shutter begins it's opening cycle about halfway through the button's travel. It only moves about 1mm, and then fully opens when the button is fully depressed. When i've checked it with a small flashlight, i don't see light coming in (until it's supposed to). Is it possible that a small amount of light is allowed in too early, and thus overexposing that part of the negative? If so, is this a sign of a sluggish shutter mechanism in need of professional assistance?