Tell us about your light leaks, one stop resource thread

[rover]

There have been a few threads over the past couple weeks about leaky cameras and it seems appropriate to have a thread devoted to them and how have they been fixed. So here is the request....

1. Light leaks that have been solved, how? Any photos showing the problem and repair?

2. Light leaks that are not solved, also, with accompanying photos. Who can offer suggestions regarding the evidence that is presented?

3. General techniques as to how to solve light leaks, share your wisdom.

The idea for this thread was presented to me by another member, so I don't want to take credit. I do like the thought of providing resources to our members and agree that this is a good idea of a way we can help each other.

So please, do share your experience.

 

[af_]

I had a light leak in one of my RB67 backs which drove me crazy for weeks. It only showed up on some of the frames, very irregularly.

How I found it: by inserting a small torch light (Maglite solitaire) inside the back, closing it, and looking at it in complete darkness. After letting the eyes adjust a couple of minutes I could see a very weak light coming out of of the back.

Solved with electrical tape as light seal.

 

[Luna]

Leica M2.
Lug nut missing and huge, light leaking hole.



Put tape over the hole. Everything worked well.
Eventually replaced the body shell with that of a Leica M3 shell.
Now I got a Leica M2 with M3 buddha ear body.

 

[Jack Conrad]

No photos, but I had a leaky bellows on a 1936 Ikonta 6x9...
I used black liquid electrical tape. Seems to work pretty well.

 

[Richard G]

Light leak in an M5, bottom left of printed image, top left in portrait when it happened more often I think. A blurred right triangle. Replacement of the baffle foam light seal fixed it.

 

[Argenticien]

Just last week, I fixed pinholes in a Super Ikonta C bellows using black "Jacquard Textile Colors" paint from the very improbably named Rupert, Gibbon & Spider, Inc. It's easy to work with and dries flexible, as is necessary on a bellows. I paid USD 3 for the 70 ml bottle, which, extrapolating from the amount I used for this one fix, should suffice for about 8,353 bellows.
--Dave

 

[Ronald M]

Had a 111c or f that got a leak in the top plate under the shutter counter If I remember correctly. It was a perfectly round drilled hole. Had it tapped, locktighted & plugged.

I found it by going in a dark room and shining a pen light until I could see light into the camera. The base was removed.

I could not normally see the hole as one of the ratchet pawls had to be in just the right place to expose it. But light could get around under the right conditions like sun light from the right.

 

[eldaneo]

Mamiya rb67 Light Leak...Neep help

Mamiya rb67 Light Leak...Neep help

I recently purchased a Mamiya rb67 Pro S camera and shot my first roll to check things out. All images but 1 on the roll were affected by a giant light leak on the left side of the image. I can't seem to find any light leaking from the body, bellows or the back when in a dark room with a light.

I have read elsewhere that this may be due to a dark slide issue, which mine came bent and was very hard to remove and insert. I have straightened it and will test with a new roll of film.

I will attach the image that turned out as well as two that have the leak.

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[De_Corday]

I had a tremendously troublesome light leak on my M6... looked like a straight line up into the frame from the bottom, about 1/4 of the way int the frame. Couldn't find it in a dark room with a flash light. Turned out to be coming in from the top of the back door. I just took the door off, laid a thin strip of gaffer's tape along the body under the top edge of the door (between the two pivot points) and it's been holding up for over a year now with no more leaks.