Tech advise for these images

[mc_vancouver]

The accompanying images are photo lab scans of a recent roll of XP2 through my Leica IIIf, shot with either a Nokton 50 or the Skopar 25. Is this shutter bounce or a light leak? The pictures are from diifferent parts of the roll. I can't see how a Leica IIIf could leak light, given that you can't get into it except from the bottom plate. Your advice most urgently required before I shoot another roll.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

looks light a light leak, could be from when the lab loaded the film into their machine maybe??? The last two have the same "pattern", weird!

Todd

 

[tetrisattack]

To me, that looks like a canister leak. I get those all the time with my bulk loaded film, though the leaks rarely extend past the sprocket areas.

 

[peterc]

I see two things here.
1. light leak ... possibly through the top of the body (though I have no experience with Leica bottom loaders).
2. second shutter curtain is slow to close.

Peter

 

[mc_vancouver]

I know it isn't a canister leak because I got the same results (problems) on a second, non-scanned roll, both rolls were commercial XP2, not bulk loaded. I think, Peter, you are right about the second curtain...but if it was slow, wouldn't that make the image...ah, right, it would be slightly over-exposed, and it is. The other thing, the splodgy bit, I can't figure out. More of same here, its really clear that there's not only one bar but two...

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

Where are your fingers on your left hand when you take the photos?

Wayne

 

[OldNick]

I've used a IIIa and a IIIf and have never encountered anything like this. It looks as if there could be two separate problems. The lines on the left side of the image could be shutter related. The glaring areas on the lower right indicate light entering from the top of the camera. Are there any screws missing or loose on the camera, such as the one attaching the top plate, on the back, just below the shutter speed dial? The entire camera body must be light tight, since the film is exposed to this cavity from the time it leaves the canister until it is rewound.

Jim N.

 

[mad_boy]

On the flare like structure, check the negative.
If it extends to the edges of the negative, it is almost certainly a light lead of some sort.
Since it is always on the same spot on the negs, it is not canister based (one cycle of the canister is unlikely to be exactly the distance between two images).

If it is camera based, it will be on the top of the camera. Measure the distance of the problem to the centre of the neg and try to find possible causes at the same distance in the camera (and one negative further).
Don't forget Image is upside down and inverted on neg.

The other problem Seems a curtain problem.
If I am not mistaken, the shutter in the leica iii goes from right to left (looking from the back). That means that this problem on the left is a problem on the right of the camera, which indicates a problem in start of the curtain. So either the first curtain starts too fast to slow down (unlikely) or the second one is slow to start and then recovers (i.e. some friction on it's path).

Good luck,

Mad_boy

 

[JoeFriday]

Where are your fingers on your left hand when you take the photos?

Wayne

"at the end of my knuckles!"

 

[mc_vancouver]

Thanks guys. All good advice, except for Wayne asking where my fingers are, which JoeFriday cleverly answered for me. (I know, you were thinking of all possiblities, Wayne, I'm just joshing you.) As for the top plate leak, I cant see anything missing. Well, I REALLY can't see anything now, because I just shipped the camera off to Kindermann in Ontario for a full re and re. I'll never, ever get the value I've paid in purchase price and repairs back on this camera, so I guess it's a keeper, and, truthfully, it IS a beautiful camera, the IIIf. Thanks again for the quick and thorough replies. You guys rock.

 

[Ronald M]

Too bad you were so fast to ship it.

If Kinderman can`t find the leak, have them look under the frame counter for two holes in the casting. I had exactly the same problem. It would go away when the sun was from the left or my hand stopped the light.