PLEASE tell me that this is "only" a light leak.

S

schmoozit

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I have to assume it is, though my first reaction was that it was something much more sinister. It wasn't a dev thing, and only showed on a couple of frames that I've noticed, from different roles. Both did have some sun behind the camera for a bit.

I was first thinking, "Oh, sh_t. I have a shutter problem on the M3." I hope not. It would take a bundle to "correct". I'd have to pay for the servicing, as well as airfare to rip the guys nuts off who sold it to me. Oh... I aint really like that, but I'd be pretty pissed cuz the camera was supposed to have been CLA'd by Sherry K. a year or so ago.

So, what say ye? It's a light leak at the top of the film door, right? If so, how should I fix it? It can't be funky enough a job to have to have someone do it for me, right? I have an unspent film in at the moment, so don't want to open it up right now.

Thanks for any help.
 
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I suggest testing it again for a more conclusive answer.

Shoot a few shots in the dark..

Then take the camera outside and expose the back of the camera to the sun. Then see if you get the same pattern.
 
Sorry... but your initial diagnosis was correct. It's a light leak. I had exactly the same problem myself in an M6TTL. While I didn't learn exactly the nature of the problem, the effects on my prints and slides were the same.

I had it fixed by the Leica people, who basically refurbished the camera... twice.

Now... if the seller claims Sherry CLAed the camera the year before, I'm sure she'll offer a guarantee on her job. Leica does, and so does DAG. Contact the seller, contact Sherry, see what you can do in Japan... But, I'm afraid, these are leaks.

See what mine used to do...
 
But it's not from the top of the film door, because the image on the negative is upside down in the camera, so the light leak is coming from the bottom of the camera, but its not at the very edge, so that's weird. Talk to Sherri. She'll have the serial number of the camera recorded. Not sure how long her warrantee is for though.
 
Thanks, Frank; I just caught that myself. I think that Brian recommends the use of half cases for this reason, so that may work temporarily. I'll definitely check with Sherry, though. The camera seems as solid as can be, otherwise.
 
Rut, are you pretty confident in that? There are several reasonons why I'm having trouble believing that this came from the back as I've thought about it more.

Anyway, right now, it stands at two occurences, both in sunny situations. I know I used my 50/2 Summar for the example not shown, but can't remember or place this as the Summar or 85/1.9 Canon. Normally it'd be easy as I would shoot the Summar wide open, but due to a little concern I had over focusing the Summar that day, I stopped it down for the first time ever. I don't remember how far.

The reason I bring up the lens is because when I took the Summar apart to clean it up/lube it, I noticed that the paint, or coating, that is on the side of the elements to protect against reflections, had been partially rubbed off. It seems that wouldn't be my problem with such a straight horizontal line as it is, but I don't know.
 
Well, it's certainly not a "dark" bar from a shutter problem. 😎
 
I'm thinking Rut is right, and the light leak is coming in through the front, not the back. There's a clearly defined line, and it's well within the area where the film is normally exposed to light. Have a look at the attached pic - that's an M4 but I think the M3 is pretty similar. For a light leak to come in the back and hit the film there, it would have to get past the film pressure plate, which overlaps the film all the way to the bottom edge. If it did that I think I think that the leak would show all the way to the edge of the film.

However, a strong light coming in the front, when the lens is off, could hit the groove where the shutter rides, at the bottom, and sneak under the shutter curtain. That would put it in about the right place!
 
Exactly, Chris. The more I've thought about it, I don't see how it could have happened from the rear of the camera either. Rut is the man, I guess.

I am quite sure that I removed the lens before the first occurence of this, though I cannot remember if I did before the shot posted above.
 
Ah! Make that three occurences. The third one definitely was after a lens change as well. It was indoors this time, but it wasn't nearly as pronounced as the other two instances, and is why I missed it until the scan.
 
sorry for the short, somewhat terse reply.....typing fast, crying babies etc.!
i've had this leak 3 or 4 times and it took me awhile to narrow it down...always after i had changed lenses. i think someone on pnet several years ago actually pointed me to the "under the shutter curtain" idea. i tried to black out everything i could but very, very occassionally i still see it...not bothersome enough to send in.

could argument for shooting with just one lens!

take care.

ps. hope to get to okinawa this summer!
 
What does the negative show?

If the leak is from the front, the light bar should stop at the left and right ends of the frame. If it is coming from the back, it should extend beyond the frame itself in both directions.

-Paul
 
Until later in the M6 Classic production, Leica used strips of flocking in front and behind the shutter curtains (down in the crevice below the film area) as light seals. These it seems can sometimes get worn out and let light leak through. The current design is a v-folded piece of black mylar which is cheaper to make and install but more effective. DAG I know will replace the flocking seals with the latest kind, I don't know about other repair people who may reject the new seals as "cheapenings". My older Wwetzlar M6 has the flocking seals, if it ever needs an overhaul, even if the light doesn't leak, I'm going to have DAG put the new type in. That said neither my M4 nor my M3 leak light and they've got the original seals.
 
pshinkaw said:
What does the negative show?

If the leak is from the front, the light bar should stop at the left and right ends of the frame. If it is coming from the back, it should extend beyond the frame itself in both directions.

-Paul
Click to expand...

Well, duh!!! I guess I should have figured that out within about two seconds, but I was busy panicking! The leak does indeed stop right at the frames right edge.

Thanks for the lesson in deductive reasoning.
 
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